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Does the new lightweight tonneau cover work well?

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by Eric M., Feb 7, 2016.

  1. Mark A. Cooper

    Mark A. Cooper Junior Member

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    Yes it works but you have to make sure you clip in both ends correctly, I didn't and and came undone while I was driving and went over a bump. I almost had a heart attack :eek: thinking something hit me. But yes it works well and keeps it everything hidden.
     
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  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Hah, I can think of one specific time, back seat flipped down, driving with 4 mounted snow tires, precariously stacked.
     
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  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    been there...
     
  4. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

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    Yep, that cargo cover is very thin and cheap alright. But I suppose it serves it's purpose of hiding your items in the back. Same thin quality as the floor mats, carpet, headliner, and cloth seats.

    And the cheap "tinfoil" fuel tank door. Mine will barely stay closed. (I've found it open twice.) It's so thin, if I accidentally bump into it while fueling, it's history. I need to keep reminding myself, that my Prius is an "economy car", and not the same quality as my two previous Camrys.

    Prius gas mileage is outstanding... Handling/suspension/steering is pretty nice... But everything else is definitely near bargain-basement quality. Not saying that's a bad thing; it's just how it is. The Prius is an economy car. First and foremost.
     
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Can you give more detail on that? Are you talking about the actual gas cap, or the little hinged door on the body? Thanks.
     
  6. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

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    Yes, the hinged fuel tank filler door on the body, where you put the gas in. It seems pretty fragile. And I don't know why, but I've found mine open a couple times when I got out of the car. It's a mystery. I never touched the release button in the cabin. (vibration?)

    I need to start a new conversation: "What you DON'T like about your new Gen4 Prius?"
    The odd things, or likes & dislikes that new owners are starting to notice after 2 or 3 weeks of driving. ie: seat comfort, fit and finish, road noise, interior quality, headlights, etc.

    Unlike most forum members, I am a first-time Prius hybrid owner. I didn't really know what to expect. It's not a bad car... for an economy car... but I thought there would be somewhat better quality with the new, redesigned, "global platform." My 11 yr old Camry felt like a Lexus compared to this Prius!
     
    #46 Coast Cruiser, Mar 16, 2016
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2016
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  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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  8. JohnF

    JohnF Active Member

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  9. Caniac

    Caniac Active Member

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    Yep, In the 3 weeks since I originally inquired I figured it out.
     
  10. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    I found the roll type cover in my 2011 a pain in the butt**. To get something real quick, either have to duck down and fetch out from under cover or roll it back, plus all the rolling open and closed to conceal things. Trunk easier to use. But the lightweight idea that opens when you open the hatch seems better. Mazda3 hatchbacks had or have same thing.

    ** Speaking in past tense about 2011 Prius, cause at this point only driving it keep battery charged, keep it going. It goes up for priivate sale about first on May (yes, this year).
     
  11. Caniac

    Caniac Active Member

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    We use ours religiously, I think it just comes from a place of paranoia. One thing I did notice that the roller on our gen2 was sturdier than our new gen3. With the gen2 I could pull it into place with one hand and now I can't do that anymore. Maybe it will loosed up over time, right now it is kinda annoying.
     
  12. RRxing

    RRxing Senior Member

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    The only issue I have with my Gen III tonneau cover is the skid mark right down the middle...
     
  13. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    lol. You have that too? I thought it was just mine. It's rather wide, maybe 3/4 inch? The Gen 2 didn't have that.
     
  14. Since2002

    Since2002 Senior Lurker

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    Economy cars don't come with optional heads-up display or automatic parking. I have always thought of Prius as a technology demonstration platform, I never saw it as an economy car. Over the years I have been in countless discussions with people who assumed that I bought my Prius to save money, I inform them that I bought it because I find the technology that it uses fascinating. My Gen 2 is ten years old this month, and came with backup camera, three-door keyless entry and stability control, items that only a few luxury cars had in 2006. And even climate control. Built-in navigation was even an option back then. But it's the Hybrid Synergy Drive that is by far the most fascinating, even after ten years of driving it (and four years of driving the Toyota Hybrid System prior to that)

    I think I agree with others that Toyota should have been a little less obsessed this time around with improving MPG over the Gen 3. I am thrilled hearing about the technical improvements in the Gen 4 that make this possible, but not so thrilled hearing about weight saving gone to the extreme to squeeze out a few hundred more yards out of each gallon. I think the fuel efficiency is impressive enough already and they should lighten up a bit on the lightening up.
     
    #54 Since2002, Mar 17, 2016
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2016
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  15. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Yup. I enjoy the fact that Toyota can use the Prius as a technological platform - not just for HSD but also for other technology that it wants to bring into the mainstream market (stuff that the LS used to have).

    Gen 1 - remote keyless entry, CD player, side airbags, 6.5" touchscreen display, automatic climate control

    Back then remote keyless entry was reserved for cars of the midsize class or larger (it was a dealer-installed accessory for the compact class, if at all) and automatic climate control wasn't available in the compact or midsize class (The Camry added it in the 2002 redesign and Accord in 2003).


    Gen 2 - Smart Key System w/ push button start, shift-by-wire transmission, electric power steering, brake-by-wire, bluetooth handsfree, voice-activated DVD-based navigation (integrated, not added on like the early 2000s Toyotas) and IPA (Europe/Japan). Later years added a higher resolution screen with backup camera

    The only other cars with SKS for the 2004 MY were the Lexus LS430 and the Acura RL (but the RL had a plastic twist starter that mimicked the motion of twisting a key instead of a push button). Shift-by-wire that all BMWs are using now was a new thing back then. I don't think anyone had it. EPS was also new. Mercedes just started using brake-by-wire on their E-Class (but there were some issues I heard). This is also the 2nd gen DVD-based systems. (3rd generation navigation). 1st gen Toyota nav used CDs. 2nd gen used DVDs IIRC.

    Gen 3 - Solar Panel Ventilation System w/ Remote Air Conditioning, DRCC, PCS, LKA, IPA (North America), Touch-Sensor Lock SKS.

    Adaptive cruise and pre-collision were around for a while by 2009 but they were all but reserved for luxury cars. The cheapest model to offer adaptive cruise and PCS were the Lexus ES/IS twins in the U.S. although the Avalon offered laser-based adaptive cruise control (In Canada, the cheapest option was the $70k GS430 or GS450h for radar-based and $50k on the Sienna Limited AWD for laser-based)

    Lane Keep Assist was new as most were just lane departure warnings (passive). LKA actively kept you in the centre of the lane (although feedback ranged widely from disconcerting, to annoying, to "this is cool"). It's probably why the Gen 4 went back to LDA with steering assist. A half step back from the active LKA version. The industry mostly uses LDA w/ SA for non-luxury cars anyway.

    Of course the SPVS w/ Remote A/C was a new thing. Up til then, solar panels were embedded in moonroofs on Audis, BMWs and the Mazda 626. This was a full panel with the ability to pre-cool the cabin further.

    The 3G Prius introduced a new generation of IPA (3rd?). It's the first to offer a Pre-Support function that guided the driver to the position that will best result in a green box. (The 2nd gen that debut on the 2006 LS460 didn't have that so you had to know where to position the car properly).

    After the launch of the 2009 RX, the 2010 Prius is the 2nd vehicle to use the new touch sensor lock for the SKS rather than the rubber black button.

    The Gen 3 brought some Lexus features too including water-repellent front door glass, variable speed power rear windows (i.e. a soft-closing feature), felt-wrapped pillars for a premium look, soft-touch steering wheel switches and auto up/down for all 4 windows with switch illumination (Yeah Toyota was pretty bad with the lack of any sort of illumination for switches).


    Gen 4 - All speed DRCC, PCS w/ Pedestrian Detection, S-IPA, ICS

    Gen 4 brings more goodies from Japan. All speed DRCC that was available as far back as 2007 in Japan is finally here. Pedestrian detection for PCS is probably because of the IIHS' active safety feature tests. The speed reduction suspiciously matches the max speed reduction required to get maximum points for collision prevention. But regardless, it's a good safety feature to have. S-IPA makes it simpler to use IPA and catches up to Ford and MB with the ability to fully park itself (Gen 3's IPA just put you into the spot. You have to centre the car yourself) as well as pulling out of the spot. ICS takes Volvo's CitySafe system a step further by detect pedal misapplication and retards the throttle input, detects if you're about to hit a wall and retains a 2 minute memory so that you won't scratch the side of the car on that pillar because you turned too sharply.
     
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  16. glennonrp

    glennonrp Active Member

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    This is my first Prius. I bought it because of the tech, too. I got the Four Touring with the Prem. Conv. Package to get all of that stuff. Some might think it silly, but I wanted the DRCC and the proximity sensors, the pre-collision detection, etc. I feel like it was worth it. I love all of that right now. I was not surprised to find that the headliner is thin and cheap feeling, or that I don't have a spare tire. I was forewarned and not carrying any illusions about what I was buying. I feel like I'm driving a big computer that is constantly evaluating my environment and helping me drive better and more safely.

    And it f***ing looks badass in my opinion. (Sorry, I don't know if profanity is kosher in PriusChat.)

    This car is capable of driving itself, I'm pretty sure. It has everything it would need to, at very least, go on autopilot, and need only human supervision, much like the Tesla, from my experience, albeit limited and amateur.
     
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  17. Steamboatsig

    Steamboatsig Member

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    Do any of you have the issue of the cover coming off the hooks when the windows are down and buffeting the cover around? I'll look back and see it flying up and down. Any easy hacks to solve this?
     
  18. kithmo

    kithmo Couch Potato

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    If it's one of those that attach with suckers to the window, make sure you remove it before winding the window down, I had one on a Ford Mondeo that wrapped itself around the window winder motor and cables.
     
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  19. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i lost one while removing it on the highway. it got sucked out the 1/2" crack i had the window open. i couldn't believe it.