Suspension upgrades worth it for handling?

Flex and ductile structures absorb vibrations that cause m metal fatigue which us the result of brittle fracture.

The bonds between the molecules in the metal alloys are broken and separate.

All metal structures eventually fail. Some sooner:some later.

Get the combination between brittle and ductile structures wrong: failure occurs early.

Get it right; failure occurs much later.

The Douglas DC-3 is the best example.

The worst is the RMS Titanic and the Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero.

 

Good luck with your upgrades. I'm satisfied with mine.

 

Not luck; just good engin engineering.

Still working great after more than 10+ years.

Toyota has adopted them for the next ge generations of Prius models.

 

More likely the result of TNGA, since 2016 models, and hard to believe add-on chassis braces would improve things.

Toyota's New Global Architecture (TNGA) significantly reduces chassis flex and twist by increasing torsional rigidity, which leads to improved handling, ride comfort, and stability. By designing more rigid platforms, Toyota can better control body movements and tune suspensions for both comfort and sporty handling.

Key innovations to reduce chassis flex

TNGA's increased torsional rigidity is achieved through a combination of manufacturing processes and structural design improvements:

• High-strength steel and structural adhesives. High-strength steel is strategically placed throughout the chassis to reinforce key areas without significantly increasing weight. It is then combined with structural adhesives, which are used to reinforce joints where spot welding is difficult. This creates a stronger, more continuous bond for increased rigidity.
• Annular frame structure. The body frame is optimized to create a circular or "annular" structure around the body openings, such as the side doors. This distributes forces more effectively, increasing overall rigidity.
• Laser screw welding (LSW). LSW allows for more precise, high-speed welds at shorter intervals along the frame than traditional spot welding. This technique creates stronger joins, contributing significantly to a stiffer chassis.
• Lower center of gravity. All TNGA platforms are designed with a lower center of gravity. This inherently reduces flex by limiting the leverage that cornering and braking forces can exert on the chassis, resulting in less body roll and pitch.
• Tailor-welded blanks (TNGA-F). For its truck and body-on-frame SUV platforms (TNGA-F), Toyota uses tailor-welded blanks. This process joins multiple steel sheets of varying thickness and strength before they are press-molded, allowing for strength to be concentrated in high-stress areas while keeping overall weight down.

Benefits of increased torsional rigidity
Reducing chassis flex and twist through TNGA delivers several performance advantages for Toyota's vehicles:

• Improved handling. A stiffer chassis provides a more stable and predictable foundation for the suspension. This allows the suspension to work more effectively, leading to improved steering responsiveness, enhanced cornering, and reduced body roll.
• Enhanced ride quality. While a stiff chassis might sound uncomfortable, it allows engineers to tune the suspension for better ride comfort. By isolating the cabin from road imperfections, the suspension can more effectively absorb bumps and vibrations.
• Greater stability. The reduced body movement translates to better vehicle stability, especially during high-speed cornering or in demanding driving conditions.
• Improved safety. A more rigid structure can better manage and absorb crash forces, protecting the cabin and its occupants in the event of a collision.
• Reduced noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH). A stiffer structure minimizes the points of flex that can create noise and vibration. This results in a quieter and more refined cabin environment.

 

Respects, but you are 25 YO and have a 9 YO Prius V with 142,000 miles on the clock. Based on that info alone I would say no. There are a few mechanical issues coming up to deal with that will cost you...and this money would be better saved for those...or a replacement vehicle that better serves you wants and needs.

 

A 2016 v wagon "ricer"? Personally I find the v's handling nimble and precise with a better ride than a hatchback. Not that the ride is great on rough surfaces and there is almost zero sound deadening anywhere. But on the freeway it is stable and able to quickly avoid problems and fit through gaps many bigger vehicles can not.

When it comes to acceleration and raw performance it already has a lower numerical final drive than the hatchback. As long as your goal is to stay with normal traffic entering the on ramp it is fully capable. But trying to keep up with anything commonly recognized as a "hot hatch" (Civics come to mind) you are in the wrong vehicle. The hybrid engine is intentionally underpowered by the factory with its Atkinson Cycle cam timing and ecu combined with a transaxle which is not controllable by the driver.

Later Toyota hybrids improved acceleration with dual injection, electric driven variable intake timing, more cubic inches while maintaining mpg and controllable ecvt transaxles. Plus more power added by lithium hybrid batteries and Toyota software to unleash it.The battery size increase in a modern plug-in hybrid can take a 200 hp Atkinson hybrid up to 302 hp with massive acceleration.

However adding any of the improvements to a gen3 Prius v is next to impossible. You are stuck with port injection, a 1.8L (110 cubic inches) engine, engine control optimized for mpg, no "tunes" available and a transaxle that does its own thing.

Which is why the gen5 Prius Plug-in or Rav4 Prime are the hot Toyota hybrids. They came from the factory optimized for performance when you want it or mpg the rest of the time.

 

Yeah, it'd be a shame to throw a lot of suspension parts at this, then have the engine implode.