newbie questions

no problem using high heat or a/c all the time. it will reduce mpg's a bit. less on the highway than in the city because your using the engine a lot on the highway anyway. i generally get around 50 mpg with a/c or heat and some get as low as 40. depends on how you drive and other environmental factors. can't help you with ground clearance, i have never had an issue, but i definately would not take it off roading!

 

Yes, the heat and A/C will hurt mileage, but the good news is, long trips helps the mileage numbers (at least at moderate speeds). Short trips are the real killer. You'll still get better mileage than any other car driving in those conditions, but it may not be the 50 mpg on the sticker.

Clearance is typical for a midsize sedan. I've driven it on many gravel roads without a problem, 8" of soft snow is fine, but you do need to watch for big bumps/holes. You'd want to stay on the roads at Craters of the Moon to be sure! I'm not sure what the options are for the packages, package V has the larger tires but it still lists the same ground clearance. Apparently the profile of the tire changes to keep the overall height the same. You could probably switch out tires for a little gain, but you'd need to be careful of rubbing on turns and the speedometer/odometer would be affected.

 

Ditto all that. And, snow tires are mandatory.

 

If you're going over passes in iffy weather, or get a lot of particularly icy stuff, but for normal snow, I think it's quite optional.

 

In Chicago I'd agree they're optional, but the OP is in Idaho. Not quite as flat there :_>

 

seems like if you live in a snowy area where they plow, sand and salt all the time, there aren't many issues with all season tires. but in climates where snow isn't treated well or it gets icy, you definately need them. and i suppose that goes for mountainous areas as well.

 

The best solution and advice...buy your Prius as soon as possible and move to Florida! Best wishes with your decision and welcome to PriusChat.

 

The crusty deep snows could damage the plastic underbody panels that help reduce aero drag.

Your concerns are on-point. Mpg will be less than epa since extreme climate control use, mountain climbs, and deep slush are not in the test regimens.

I'd seek to avoid >6" ruts or crusty snowpack. Look under a Prius at the plastic and compare other options like an Elantra?

Love the Prius, but ours stays in the garage mostly during blizzards. YMMV. It does handle well in shallow snow, even with A/S OEM tires.

 

Hi lee senn,

I recently got a Prius and love it. If you're looking to save money on gas (or help the environment a little...) it seems like it would be a good choice.

If you check out the distribution of mileage figures below from Fuelly (if you're not familiar, users enter their own gas fillups and it can produce charts like this which are handy for prospective buyers), you can see that realistically most owners driving normally get mid-40s, and I think that would be a realistic expectation given your highway driving with A/C or heat.

To give you another idea of potential, although I always drive for mileage, once in December there was a huge traffic jam on the highway, and once past it I had to zoom to get where I was going on time. With leadfooted acceleration, speeds between 70 and 80 mph, and in the latter half a very hilly route to deal with, I still managed about 44 mpg on the display over an hour (so likely 42 mpg in real life).

Browse All Toyota Priuses | Fuelly

 

I visited Twin Falls frequently in the 14 years I lived in Elko NV, Twin Falls itself is not very hilly, but as the OP visits other states, he will find hills. And Mountains.

I would seriously consider unstuded snow tires year round. I would try to install an engine block heater. I would consider installing 'handling braces', just to have metal underneath your car to bang on that was not the Prius itself. Here are pictures underneath the Gen II and Gen III Prius. http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii.../84539-skid-plate-2010-prius.html#post1183052
Here are some of the many handling parts for a Prius
http://www.sigmaautomotive.com/jdm/prius_zvw30/per_cusco_strengthening.jpg
http://www.sigmaautomotive.com/jdm/prius_zvw30/per_cone_performancebars.jpg

 

I bought my Prius as a result of online research at Toyota Certified Pre-Owned, and emails for quote requests from assorted dealers. I found the process very easy, convenient and time-saving. Best wishes.