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Prime Strong Points and Weak Points

Discussion in 'Gen 5 Prius Main Forum' started by Sue Case, Mar 24, 2023.

  1. Sue Case

    Sue Case Junior Member

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    Strong Points

    Styling is a Home Run (in my opinion)
    Handling seems above average
    Dimensions are great for those who want two cars in garage
    Interior layout (dashboard) attractive
    40 miles on battery power is a major plus (versus what's out there)
    Acceleration - 6.6 seconds puts a smile on my face

    Weak Points

    Getting in and out for someone 5' 11" could be a challenge (watch your head)
    17 inch tires better than 19", but with smaller tires your stuck with cloth seats (bummer)
    Going to be Noisy and might make you wish you had a Camry
    Back seat for hobbits only?
    No one likes small hatch window. No one like using rear view mirror (unless upgrade)
    Tires size could be a challenge to duplicate when replaced
    New Prime might not come with Blind Spot Monitor (part shortage)?
    Flooring gas/battery pedal might bring in annoying cabin noise

    Lastly I'm wondering with all these EV insurance issues regarding battery damage from accident, if the Prime might also see higher insurance premiums due to use of a battery. Though the Prime battery is certainly smaller and cheaper than a EV battery.
     
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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    smaller hatch

    shifter taking up valuable real estate

    an awful lot of negatives for a car that only needed to improve range and lower hatch floor

    after initial excitement of the new styling wore off, i'm left pretty disappointed
     
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  3. Louis19

    Louis19 Active Member

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    .....Well I did not see a gen 5 in person , but it looks like that the beyond zero badge on the gen 5 is a paradigm shift from the original concept .Time ... or Sales... will tell if the new direction is the good one..
    I will stick to my 2022 Prime for now!
    Hope that the 19 inch wheels won't fall off :eek:
     
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  4. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    We knew you would not be happy under any circumstance. After 6 years of complaining, it's easy to move the goal posts in any direction. Fact is, some simply don't like the journey. There's nothing wrong with that, but so much is missed along the way.

    What was the original concept ?
     
    #4 john1701a, Mar 24, 2023
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 27, 2023
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  5. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Same. I understand why the US didn't get the 1.8L. Other things, like the worse drag, have it feeling like the Prius no longer goes before, and now the car truly is just a fancier Corolla. Maybe features were planned that weren't ready for release, that will show up in the refresh.

    I wasn't considering a Prius, but the Prime is interesting. Even with enough range for me, I expect a Bolt to be cheaper though.
    What are you comparing it too? The new Niro PHEV has 33 miles of range. The new PP could end up closer to that than the 40 miles. The original Ioniq has been cancelled to avoid confusion with the Ioniq BEV line. The majority of others under 40 are larger cars or a power hybrid or both.
     
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    presumptuous?
     
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  7. JoeBlack

    JoeBlack Member

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    TBH, only issues with new PHV I have, are tires and smaller "FOV" for the driver.
    It will be a better vehicle for my type of usage (higher efficiency, bigger range, better suited for bad roads (noise wise)), lower roof in the back is not an issue for me as there are two child seats and a place for doggo.
    I am quite curious to try those proactive driving assistants.
     
  8. Nntw

    Nntw Active Member

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    And that's where I am. I think a conventional Prius (how's that for an oxymoron) is pointless. Hybrid Corolla or Corolla Cross if you need more room. And probably a better value.

    Prius Prime... that's a different story. Can do 90% (or more) of my driving electrically.
     
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  9. Louis19

    Louis19 Active Member

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    Hi John , what I had in mind that the original concept was overhaul efficiency up to Gen 4 and prime.
    Drag coefficient , energy consumption , wheel size and tire size , even the use of carbon fiber hatch to offset added weight of the battery in the prime. To me it looks like the Gen 5 is a new ball game with new considerations mainly as the looks,the power delivery.
     
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  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    If you knew what I wanted, why didn’t you make it?

    Judging from gen 4 prime sales most didn’t like the journey
     
    #10 bisco, Mar 24, 2023
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 27, 2023
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  11. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    Generation 5 was always expected to be a fresh start. That's textbook product life-cycle. Having followed Prius since before rollout and earned a minor in business, I couldn't see any alternative.
     
    #11 john1701a, Mar 24, 2023
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  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    Yeah, that makes complete sense
     
  13. Louis19

    Louis19 Active Member

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    I see your point , and you are probably right . I forsee the Prius brand surviving only in the Prime version over the near future as in Europe.
    BTW what is SM-S918U ?
     
  14. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    How about this?

    With the loss of sales as the efficiency conscious buyer moved on to other options, and Toyota's decision to follow Hyundai in making BEV models a separate line, the only option for the Prius to survive was to make the new one more like the typical models in the brand.

    The no plug Prius isn't going to survive in the US past the gen5, and it won't be because of ICE bans.
     
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  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    the thing is, they could have made it better looking without making it so difficult to get in and out.

    without shrinking the hatch

    without losing back seat space

    without 17 and 19"wheels standard and difficult to find tire sizes

    without poor rear visibility

    etc.

    none of these things were necessary to try to make it more appealing to the general driving public
     
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  16. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    Tapatalk automatically generates a signature. When I recently got a new phone, I forgot to disable that when installing the app.

    As for the approach with Prius, that's the same wall Tesla is about to face with Model 3. You can only stretch a product so far before it no longer reaches a wide audience. Consumers simply move on to something else. In fact, that provided a good argument for making bZ4X favor traits highlighting X-Mode. That put Prius on the opposite end of the spectrum. Both stand out in the automotive market as a whole and neither competes with the other. It is a means of showcasing diverse choices, despite both offering a plug.
     
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  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    'tesla is about to face'
     
  18. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    For whom? Again, know our audience.

    We have consumers here in the United States that wouldn't touch a "car" in any form... sedan, hatchback, wagon. They couldn't care less. They want higher seating that Crossovers & SUVs offer. Prius would never appeal to them, period. The sleek, low seating of Gen-5 Prius is for an entirely different general driving public.

    You know there is a Gen-2 CH-R on the way. You know that is based on the Prius platform. You know there will be a PHEV model. You also know there are PHEV models of Crown and a Harrier/Venza. There is obviously a RAV4 Prime already too. This is exactly why I called you out for complaining. Focusing entirely on Prius is a disregard for the other choices Toyota is striving to deliver.

    It's an act of denial at this point not acknowledging the bigger picture. So what if Prius Prime does not fulfill criteria for a specific audience?
     
  19. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    You're using American metrics for a Japan centric model. The Prius started as a small family car there, but, like Europe, Toyota sells the Corolla in three bodies and with the two hybrid drive trains there now. That covers the family car in Toyota's line up, some the Prius got flashier. Toyota is trying to make a little more upscale and sportier to reduce direct competition to the Corolla.

    Honestly, if the Prius wasn't so popular in Japan, I think Toyota would have cancelled the no plug. They might just be keeping it around to help cover the production costs of the plug in.

    The C-HR is coming back to the US?
    Toyota C-HR is Discontinued | Find a Used Toyota C-HR
     
    #19 Trollbait, Mar 24, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2023
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  20. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    we're talking about prius here, priuschat. feel free to start a thread about any of all those vehicles I KNOW are coming.
    your comments are ridiculous and out of context. you have no idea who the prius audience is, and toyota has already stated that they don't expect to sell many.
    of course they don't, they didn't build it to appeal to may people