Considering a new Prius...please answer my questions

1. There is no starter or alternator. One of the electric motors in the transaxle is responsible for this.
2. They could buy 2 Yaris for 40K. It is cheaply made. Gen III is a superior car, but they should test drive both if there is a question.
3. Rear visibility is not any worse than an SUV. Make sure they get a backup camera
4. Not sure about noisemaker, which models that it comes on.
5. Maintenance is arguably cheaper, as the HSD transaxle is spec'd for lifetime fill, yet a few hundred dollars will cover changes over the life of the car, at 30K, 90K, 150K.

Have them go and test drive (1) Yaris (2) Prius III #5 (3) Prius V (4) Camry Hybrid.

 

1. Prius does not have a standard alternator/starter like most cars. It uses one of the motor/generators, MG1, to spin the gas engine and is very smooth and seamless.
2. The Prius has a 1.8L engine plus a 80 HP electric motor so has more than adequate power.
3. The rear visibility is poorer than most. I adjust by using the side mirrors more often.
4. Not sure about this one.
5. The routine maintenance on the Prius is less than normal with the HSD, basically oil changes and tire rotations. The out of warranty repair costs can be higher than normal due to the expensive electric/electronic components, but the reliability of the Prius is typical Toyota.

 

1) Prius has no starter nor alternator, so no.
2) Why compare to a subcompact? Prius is classified as a midsized car per Side-by-Side Comparison. Acceleration on a Prius is more than enough in the city but just adequate on the highway and for merging. See http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/new-cars/fuel-economy-vs-performance/overview/index.htm and http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...ation.htm?loginMethod=auto&copyrightYear=2011 for some comparisons.
3) I have insufficient seat time in a 3rd gen to comment but if blind spots are a problem, you should adjust your mirrors like Avoiding The Blind Spot | Car Talk. I started doing this years ago when I got my 350Z which has large blind spots in the rear corners. This helps a LOT.

5) No. In fact your brakes will last forever. Many folks have gone >100K miles on the original brakes. Take a look at Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity - Hybrid Electric Vehicles and Hybrids prove very reliable | CTV British Columbia.

 

1, There is no alternator/starter in the traditional sense on the Prius. That's the beauty and clever part of the hybrid system. Without getting boring and complicated, all I'll say is that it works very well and very well. I use my Prius as a cab and it's fine. Some cab companies have run Prii upto 500,000+ miles.

2, Prius is more than fast enough.

3, Rear visibility is not the best, but it's not the worst either. Some models get a reversing camera.

4, No noisemaker on the Prius (yet!)

5, Usually less maintenance required in a Prius. The 2010+ has a 10,000 mile oil change and the brake pads should last you well over 50,000 miles.


I'm sure others with elaborate and further. Don't worry about the Prius regarding reliability. It is one of the most reliable cars on the market - Worldwide.

 

There is no alternator/starter in a Prius. The drive motors act as generators when required and have plenty of power to spin the engine when starting it.

A Prius has more power and torque than a Yaris due to the electric motors. It is a bit heavier, but comes off the line quicker than you would expect. Zero to sixty is about 10 seconds.

There is a large "blind spot" but many new cars have this problem. I just don't change lanes until I see the car I am passing in the rear view mirror.

My Prius (a 2004 with 212,000 miles) doesn't have a "noise maker". If it did, I would accidentally disable it as it is a foolish feature.

A Prius is a lower maintenance car than most. The Brakes last more than 200,000 miles and It is a very reliable car. The only maintenance the HSD requires is to periodically drain and refill the Transmission fluid (about $100 at a reasonable dealer) every 60,000 miles. Doing the first drain/refill at 30,000 miles is a good idea.

One last point, a Prius is a great car for a high mileage driver. I you only do short trips or let one sit for several weeks at a time, you may want to get a simpler car.

 

I like my Gen 2 very much, but I do have the feeling that some people should not own a Prius, read this post and see if it sound like your parents. http://priuschat.com/forums/newbie-forum/94450-considering-prius.html#post1334003

The Prius has no separate alternator or starter. Most of the tasks of a starter or alternator are handled by Motor/Generator 1, a 10kW motor that also propels the Prius in reverse and some driving modes. Replacing the WS-ATF in the transaxle every 60,000 miles and never shifting to N over 45 MPH will keep MG1 healthy.

While the peak HP of the Prius is low, the electric motors produce peak power from 0 MPH, so it has nice power from a stop. Above 90 MPH it is not powerful, but one rarely goes over 90.

There is a line through your vision rearward, for me it is always below my horizon and I do not notice it, others will sit at different heights, so it will be a per person problem, some will notice, some will not. Your top of the line Prius will have a camera back there as well.

The noisemaker is new with the 2012, I am not sure any 2012 Prius have arrived yet. (The 2012 Prius v is here)

Not really, I recommend frequent fluid and filter changes, and have all brake work done at the dealer, (it is very rare) but the Prius will do well with oil and filter changes along with tire rotation every 10,000 miles. At about 100,000 miles you want a 'tuneup'.

[Edit: there were no responses when I started writing this, so if it sounds like we repeat a lot, no one had read anyone else's reply]

 

I believe this site has a demo link of the noisemaker sound. I don't believe it's particularly intrusive.

(Deleted the rest: not relevant)

 

It was proposed by some bored bureaucrat as 'good for the blind'. It is very hard for a politician to be 'against' blind people. I have yet to see any statistics or even anecdotes that hint it is solving any problem.

(I have no idea how old your parents are) I drive around many 80+ old people, who no longer drive long distances. At first they are intimidated, but really, if you watch the speedometer and the gas gauge, you are fine.

 

Make sure they test drive a Camry Hybrid and perhaps also a Lexus ct200h.

 

As someone who has test driven the 3rd gen (current) Prius a bunch of times and test driven a Lexus CT, I'd say the interior of the CT is far better and more luxurious than any Prius. Agreed that they should test drive the '12 HyCam and Lexus CT.

The '12 HyCam is WAY faster than the Lexus CT (which is slower than the 3rd gen Prius) while having only 1 mpg combined less than the CT.

As for larger wheels causing an MPG hit, see http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...-impact-model-five-low-profile-tires-mpg.html and http://priuschat.com/forums/other-c...eage-no-its-your-gallonage-really-counts.html.

 

I am 56 and enjoy the technology, but you could drive it for years and never NEED to use any of it. I just like seeing behind the curtain.

 

Historically, in January you'll only find 2011 "almost leftovers" on the lot as 2012's haven't been delivered. Right now there are a few 2012 Prius vee (not five) on the lots but it isn't the same car.

Start looking for a 2011 Prius Three or Four with the Solar package if you want a moon roof & nav. If you want all the fancy electronics then look for a Five AT. 2011's don't have a noise maker & the AAA price around here is invoice.

Yes, you'll pay for the larger wheels with fuel economy. It's not much but configured properly a Five-AT will have higher FE than a Gen2 on 15" wheels. (See my sig.)

There's a big difference between needing & wanting. Many of the extra features can be added aftermarket for less. Some can't be added at all.

I've found the radar cruise control & lane keep assist make long haul trips more "civilized". (Philadelphia PA to Charleston SC or Philly to Columbus OH) Turning off the reverse & seat belt chimes also helps.

They do need to get some seat time in the Prius because if they aren't comfortable the fuel economy isn't worth it. Happy hunting.

 

This is options your dealer can customize, get it in writing what you want done, your salesman will agree to things your service manager won't, so get it as part of the sales contract.

http://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/om/OM47685U/pdf/sec_06-02.pdf