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Is my 2010 Prius really a trim V?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by jdneochi, Sep 22, 2013.

  1. jdneochi

    jdneochi New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2013
    3
    0
    0
    Location:
    Oceanside, California
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    I just bought a 2010 Prius V (or so the ad said). But I cannot tell if it really is the V or not. The ad listed it as "cloth interior" on one area, but states leather interior in two other areas. It was my understanding that the 2010 Prius V comes with leather as standard.

    Here's the VIN: JTDKN3DU4A0217948.

    How can I tell if I really received a Prius V?

    PS. Sorry its here and not in GEN II/III forum. I can't figure out how to delete the post.
     
    #1 jdneochi, Sep 22, 2013
  2. Kurt E Sanders

    Kurt E Sanders Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2013
    36
    11
    0
    Location:
    Xenia, Ohio
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    VIN:​
    JTDKN3DU4A0217948
    WMI / VDS / VIS:​
    JTD / KN3DU4 / A0217948


    Model:​
    Prius
    Make:​
    Toyota
    Manufacturer:​
    Toyota MotorCompany
    Model year:​
    2010
    Country (Region):​
    Japan (Asia)
    Plant:​
    Tsutsumi Plant
    Sequential number:​
    217948
    Fewer than 500 per year:​
    NO
    Body style:​
    5DR Wagon 2WD
    Body type:​
    5-Door Liftback
    Driveline:​
    Two-Wheel Drive
    Engine capacity:​
    L4, 1.8-liter DOHC 16-valve VVT-i - 2ZR-FXE+3JM
    Engine code:​
    5VZ-FE
    Engine family:​
    K
    Engine series:​
    4-Cyl. 1.8L Electric Assist
    Fuel type:​
    Gasoline
    Safety restraints:​
    Seat Belts-All seats; Frontal Air Bag Driver & Pass seats; Curtain Shield Air Bags: All Rows; Side Air Bag: 1st Row; Knee Air Bag: Driver Seat Only
    Series:​
    3
    Vehicle type:​
    Passenger Car
     
    #2 Kurt E Sanders, Sep 22, 2013
    kenmce likes this.
  3. jdneochi

    jdneochi New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2013
    3
    0
    0
    Location:
    Oceanside, California
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    I just bought what was advertised as a 2010 Prius V. The car was at another dealership so we did all of the paperwork while it was being delivered.

    I noticed the car did not have a leather interior. The ad does say beige cloth, but the "seller's comments" state that it was leather. I trusted the seller's comments more because one would assume that the seller looked at the car and commented on it. The ad does say leather elsewhere in the ad under the features as well.

    I also looked up the standard features of the 2010 Prius V and it is supposed to have JBL audio with multi/CD player, Bluetooth connectivity, and leather. I read the manual and identified that my car does not have the JBL audio either.

    Did the dealership sell me a 2010 Prius V or did they mislabel it as a lower trim car? What can I do about this: I relied on the "seller's comments" that it had both the bluetooth and the leather (there was no mention of the JBL audio anywhere in the ad.)
     
    #3 jdneochi, Sep 22, 2013
  4. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2005
    29,110
    8,589
    201
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    Does it have fog lamps and LED headlamps with headlmap washers built into the front bumper? If not, you don't have a 2010 Prius V.

    Are there controls on the steering wheel for the use of picking up phone calls from your cell phone? If so, it has bluetooth.

    Does the radio say JBL on one of the corners and does it have two sets of speakers in the rear doors, one set low in the door and another set high in the door? If so, it has JBL.

    If it has cloth with the bluetooth/jbl sounds like the info Kurt gave is correct and it's a III. If it has leather with JBL, it still could be a III that someone added aftermarket leather to.

    Does it have an auto dimming rear view mirror?
     
    #4 Paradox, Sep 22, 2013
  5. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2005
    4,067
    687
    0
    Location:
    Eastern Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    In 2010 the IV and V had factory leather. The V came with 17 inch wheels and 215/45-17 tires. As mentioned by Paradox it would have LED headlights and fog lamps. The Bluetooth phone controls on the steering wheel would be there in a car with a Factory Nav system and that could be a III, IV, or V.

    Check the Edmunds site, if you paid for a V and did not get one you may have paid too much. 2010 Toyota Prius
     
    #5 tumbleweed, Sep 22, 2013
  6. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2008
    8,245
    1,202
    0
    Location:
    NorCal
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    If your car has no JBL audio (and has not been modified) .... you have a 'II' (this was changed to 'Two for 2012 (or was it late 2011) because of Prius v (wagon) looking like 2010/11 Prius V (changed to Five)).

    Basic 'III' got JBL, then there was 'III w/ navigation which got USB, nav and rearview camera.

    Hope it didn't cost too much cause sounds like you got the base model. Not even bluetooth. My 'Three has JBL and Bluetooth, but no USB, wah.

    Toyota caught up in tech in lower trims in 2012 model year.

    Used car ads are a joke. They usually don't say what trim a Prius is, they make buyer try to figure it out.
     
    #6 cycledrum, Sep 22, 2013
  7. jdneochi

    jdneochi New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2013
    3
    0
    0
    Location:
    Oceanside, California
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Thank you everyone for replying. After a lot of research, I concluded that I was given a Prius II or III, based on the features or lack thereof. I was sadly forced to return the 201o Prius as its new KBB based on the trim was over 4,000 less than what I originally bought. I tried to get them to install the missing options (just the ones advertised on the ad, that I could prove were part of the car) but they outright refused to honor the ad. Sadly, I am no longer a Prius user and will now have to be sad for the rest of my life, or until I get another Prius...
     
    #7 jdneochi, Sep 23, 2013
  8. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2005
    4,067
    687
    0
    Location:
    Eastern Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    If you really want a Prius keep looking, there should be quite a few in your area. Private party sales are sometimes better than car lots. Don't be shy about making a low offer, most people think their cars are worth a lot more than they are.

    Good luck.
     
    #8 tumbleweed, Sep 23, 2013
  9. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2005
    29,110
    8,589
    201
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    Try reaching out to DianneWhitmire on here, she works at Carson Toyota in Southern California and sells more Prius than just about anybody. She can tell you what she has used in your price range. Dianne would never steer you wrong quite frankly...
     
    #9 Paradox, Sep 23, 2013
  10. DianneWhitmire

    DianneWhitmire High PRIUStess

    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2007
    4,062
    1,123
    64
    Location:
    Laguna Niguel, CA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    He bought a gold package 2 liftback.
    I really, really have to ask: you bought a USED car without seeing it first?
    REALLY?
    :: shaking head ::
    It's one thing to sign for a new car w/o seeing it first.It's new, and there's MSRP data to go by. But, used? You have no idea what someone changed, modified, removed.
     
    #10 DianneWhitmire, Sep 25, 2013
  11. kenmce

    kenmce High Voltage Member

    Joined:
    May 4, 2004
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    Location:
    NY
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    Limited
    Kurt, how do you get that information from the VIN? I am looking for a Gen. III myself, and the dealers routinely mislabel cars, it makes it quite hard to shop. If I could unravel the VIN myself I wouldn't have to wrestle around with their willfully misleading descriptions.
     
    #11 kenmce, Sep 26, 2013
  12. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2005
    4,067
    687
    0
    Location:
    Eastern Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    This VIN Decoder might help. I know of no way to tell if it is a II, III, IV, or V from the VIN number. If you can get an advertising brochure for the year you are looking at you can tell for sure.
     

    Attached Files:

    #12 tumbleweed, Sep 27, 2013
    kenmce likes this.
  13. vito.a

    vito.a Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2013
    52
    17
    0
    Location:
    Tucson, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I just went through this last month. I found several used cars advertised as Prius Fours and Fives that were twos. One was at a Chevy dealership, but others were at Toyota dealerships. One Toyota dealership in SoCal had a used 2010 Prius Two they claimed was a Four and then priced it $27,999! Their showroom was under construction and I asked the sales manager if he was trying to pay for the new building in one shot.

    The quick way to tell is ask them to look and see if it has leather.
    I should mention I found more than one Prius 3 with leather. They were aftermarket leather seat covers and looked great.

    There are lots of left over 2013's with the 2014 models coming soon they are starting to deal. I would recommend you look at some of the new cars.
     
    #13 vito.a, Sep 28, 2013
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