Confusion over models

Welcome to the board..

This is how I understand it:
GenIII is 2010 thru 2012
They each come in option packages 2 (base model), 3, 4, or 5 (top of the line)
Then there is V, which is the "station wagon"
And C which is the compact version, the least expensive, and I think the cutest!
There is also the PIP, which stands for "plug in Prius"

Good Luck!

 

Lifespan/Operating costs - Prius Wiki has some high mileage examples.

Yes, Gen 3 started w/the 2010 model year and those first became available ~May 09.

Zebelkhan's got it basically right. There's the liftback aka regular Prius, Plug-in Prius (aka PiP, began recently, but there are only two trim levels of that and out of your price range), the c (smaller and cheaper), and v wagon (bigger). Toyota Prius Family explains it.

http://web.archive.org/200906091741.../toyota-announces-prices-for-2010-89249.aspx? is a matrix of models and packages for the 2010-11 models (they changed somewhat for '12) and doesn't include USB in the chart. Ignore the prices. They're old. Prius model I...errr One is fleet only. See http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-main-forum/69521-prius-i-other-news.html.

http://priuschat.com/forums/knowled...andard-optional-equipment-some-countries.html should help too.

There were no significant changes for the '11 model year (http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-main-forum/82748-my11-prius.html, straight from the horse's mouth). '12 for the liftback was a mid-cycle refresh.

http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-c-main-forum/106267-2012-prius-c-overview-video.html has a good overview of the c.

 

Welcome! You've been bitten by the Prius bug, the only cure is to get one! Prices are at a premium right now, but a good 2010 II might be found since some have traded in for the C and V models! Good luck!

 

I think if you can squeeze out a few more thousand (say $2k), you can likely get a leftover 2011 Prius II brand new.

 

fyi for 2010-2011 the trim levels for the original Prius was referred to as I, II, III, IV, V. For 2012 and on it's One, Two, Three, etc. I assume they changed it so they could market the Prius v (wagon) and Prius c without confusing people. Something to keep in mind if you look at an older Prius and see it called a V.

 

Per http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-main-forum/82748-my11-prius.html, Toyota (in theory) started spelling out the model numbers (Two, Three, etc.) starting w/model year 2011.

At the time, we didn't know why as the Prius v wagon hadn't been introduced yet. Some here, including a well known saleswoman at a Toyota dealer, have complained about the use of v. Why couldn't they have picked another letter instead of having the (old) model V (Five) vs. v (wagon) confusion?

To this day, some people still persist on using Roman numerals to refer to current (2012) Prius liftback model numbers even though Toyota stopped doing it.

 

That is a very subjective question. I certainly wouldn't expect any vehicle (Pruis or otherwise) to go 300,000 miles without regular maintenance, and I'd be surprised if any vehicle made it that far without ever needing any repairs. On the other hand, with regular maintenance (appropriate fluid changes, brake pads and rotors, etc) and a reasonable expectation for repairs over the life of the vehicle, I fully expect mine to last 300,000 miles. I've already reached 110,000 and aside from regular maintenance repairs have been limited to less than $400. Even if I have to spend a few thousand on something like an inverter, High Voltage Battery, or transaxle in the next 190,000, I still think I'm getting a great lifetime cost of ownership given how useful, pleasant, and reliable the car has been.

 

Personally, I now use "Two," "Three," "Four" and "Five" for consistency's sake. However, if you sound out the Roman numerals, it makes absolutely no difference. II is pronounced "Two," III is "Three," IV is "Four" and V is "Five."

 

Don't forget the power of negotiations. I know the prius is on high demand but I just purchase a 2012 Prius Three (nav., back-up camera, etc) for under $400/month. With a good credit you can get 2.6% APR for 72 months. Also, you can still buy a prius for under the invoice price. Seriously.If I were you, I would check quite a few dealerships. Email is a great way to do it - let them know you are on the market and you are contacting several dealerships looking for a best price. Let them compete for your business. It works, at least in Virginia... So don't dismiss a new vehicle (new car smell, warranty,...)....