Wow toyota really cut corners on the PIP

i think it does have up and down? sorry, i thought you meant driver.

 

I think your item #2 was an option, I know it was an option on my 2011, otherwise you raise some interesting points.

 

I have some corrections for you.
I first need to bring you up a couple model years
If we move from a 2010 model to a 2012 model:

1) center storage compartment secondary tray. - NO 2012 hatchback Prius has this..
2) rear bumper clear guard. OPTIONAL on all Prius models. Always has been since 2004 models.
3) cargo net hooks. NO 2012 Prius has these unless they have a cargo net optioned on the MSRP
4) I hate this one, no independent rear suspension. I cant even put a coilovers for the rear. NO 2012 Prius has this. I frankly don't think my 2011 did either.
5) smaller navigation sceen. - again - all 2012 Prius with NAV standard have the 6.1" Entune screen. Only the cars with a premium package (sunroof/adv FOUR or an adv tech FIVE have the 7" screen anymore.)
6) no up and down adjustment for the passenger front seat (huh? No passenger seat has an adjustment to the seat cushion. If you mean the reclining seat part, there is one.)
You bought a plugIN but these things you claim are missing are not eclusively missing from the PlugIN - they are not on any 2012's.
Dianne

 

You wrote that they cut corners with the PiP, not with the 2012 Prius. That was ambiguous.

More general point: Can people change or remove those " ..." sigs? Those are a really annoying waste of bandwidth.

 

You CAN put coilovers on the car. There are quite a few coilover kits for the Gen3.. Tein and Tanabe, just to name a couple. In fact, there is one PiP owner on Tein Street Advanced coilovers (check the Accessories and Mods forum).

Dianne pretty much covered all the other points.

 

I've heard this called decontenting. I've seen it done with other automakers. A year or two after a refresh they take out small things that most people won't notice, or make them optional.

I realize you're comparing the PHV to your 2010, I think you're just trying to spin things to make the PHV seem like Toyota cheaped out on it. Do your comparison apples-to-apples first (non-PHV).

 

In this case they took a few small items out and replaced it with other things like the 3dr SKS on the model Three instead of Four and the trip summary screen which is 100x better than the storage tray.

 

You make it sound as though your 2010 had a different rear suspension setup. That just isnt true. The 2010-2012 all share the same torsion beam rear suspension.

In fact, from some quick Googling, it seems the Gen2 (and I'll bet the Gen1) all use the same setup. One of the benefits of torsion beam (or twist beam) rear suspension is it frees up a lot of space in the rear (which makes space for the traction battery).

If it makes you happier, the $40k+ Chevy Volt uses a rear torsion beam suspension too.

 

...as does the last 2 generations of Civic in Europe. The US version actually has the independant rear, and the Euro the old style torsion beam.

The way the new euro version is setup (with fluid filled bushings) apparantley it is a sharper drive than the US version...

As has been said, it does free up a lot of room at the back - something which the Prius needs with batteries.

All the reviews I've read of the gen3 seem to be generally positive about ride and handling (it is the numb steering that is the problem). So it proves that it is possible to do something half decent with a torsion beam rear.

 

To O/P - consider yourself lucky - the UK version has a lot of stuff "missing" even compared to the 2012 version. Alloy wheels, up-rated stereo option, solar roof, no PWR mode, plus others.

The paint options (or limited options) seemed to be the most odd thing - we want black, but the PIP isn't available in black. Very odd...

Still - when we get (based on UK metrics) 75+MPG without even trying, its hard not to see its value. The big plus is the ability to use the new battery technology to better effect giving more electric range (including whilst charging / driving) over the standard 2012 version.

In the UK / Europe, the PWR mode is replaced by a City-EV mode which means it really really runs only on battery. You have to really really really floor it for it to kick in the petrol engine.
Its for when cities turn to zero Co2 areas (no petrol vehicles allowed).

 

i must be easy to please, i cannot find one thing to complain about in this car. are there things i would change add/subtract? sure, but that's true with any car. the last thing i'm thinking is that toyota cheaped out on it. it's so much better than my gen II and i didn't think that would be possible. i feel all the extra money went into the plug in, and that's what i really wanted. it is so worth it!

 

I paid 40 geez for a car with fake leather, a non powered passenger seat and NO SPARE. No wonder Toyota can't sell them without the carpool insentive?

 

why did you do that? i agree, 40K is way too high. same with volt. that's why i went with base. but i'm sure most think the advanced is worth it and to be honest, if i had one, i might change my mind. but there was no opportunity in pre ordering, it was just, look at the list of options and decide between the two.

 

I agree with you. I was astounded to find cheap alternatives on our base model PIP: $32,000 should buy you a lot better than a tiny Nav screen, manual seat controls, no center storage tray (also missing from the advanced model), etc., etc. Very disappointed in their cost-cutting.

 

Has anyone modified the center console lid to add a tray? I think a try there would be quite useful.

 

So much whining yet you people still bought the car. You dug your own grave IMO.