What are your thoughts on the Gen. 4 Prius?

Not really, not that I could see.

 

My labor is worth at least something, and rolling around on the filthy carport floor is unappealing. Maybe if I had a garage.

I double checked the dealer price, and it is $700 + "hazardous materials disposal" (they love to charge for that!) + 6.5% tax (roughly $46), so $800 isn't too far off. That includes surfacing the rotors but not new ones. Flushing the lines is $165 extra.

You get a very nice waiting room next to the showroom floor (where you can admire the new models), free WiFi, complimentary coffee/tea, TV, comfortable chairs, dog-friendly. What a deal!

 

DIY changing pads is not that hard, and I'm a maintenance wuss, never take on the more intimidating projects. Maybe depends on your locale, rust belt or not, but I've always just left the rotors alone. It seems like the pros are really pushing machining and/or replacement, way too often or early.

I hate those waiting areas: there's something soul destroying, I'm sure of it, lol.

 

I've done it, and rebuilt calipers. If it goes smoothly it's not too bad, but sometimes the pistons don't want to go back in or get stuck at an angle. And one has to make sure the fluid reservoir doesn't overflow.

Surfacing the rotors doesn't seem like a bad thing. I suspect the dealers do it so they can charge more for the service (more is included), it may reduce their "redo" frequency (a more reliable job), and in surfacing the rotors they may detect runout and get to sell you new rotor(s).

You're right about soul destroying. Surprising that the dealers haven't figure out they can offer you "service for your soul as well as your car" by offering, say, massage, yoga, meditation, hair and nail treatments for women. Plus a staffed day care area for the kids. Convert the waiting area into a spa. Imagine the additional money they could make by turning the waiting area into a profit center!

 

I think Jim in NC was referring to multiple posts you made that included comments like this:

The noise part of that wasn't a passing comment, but a recurring theme for a while, leaving me a bit surprised by your reaction here. So back to Jim's question - did the situation improve, did your opinion change, or both?

 

I read the "HUH?" as a joke.

The joke being that Coast Cruiser couldn't hear Jim in NC, due to going deaf.

 

That's how I interpreted it.

In forum postings it is hard to discern sarcasm and easy to misinterpret things.

 

And that's why we have smileys.

 

Been a lot of posts on 'how bad the gen4 looks compared to gen3, 2 , etc ' ....
Really? Gen4 is a lot sharper looking than all the other gens: hood and windshield silhouette more mainstream, extended roof curve to decklid. sweeping sides up to tail,

Gen3 and 2 are odd looking IMO, too easy to compare to a computer mouse, egg, etc with the smooth-line silhouette from hood to decklid.

Some cars are getting 'signature tail lights', like the all new Civic. Seems that's what T has done with gen4, given it S curve tail lights.

 

I remember the first Gen 2 I saw - I thought it looked like a fat goldfish from some angles.

But the rest of the vehicle landscape has changed, sedans are getting fewer and fewer, wagons almost on the endangered list. Instead, large swarms of hatches, herdss of gross trucks and hordes of ugly SUVs - and a flock of TAXIs which are almost all PRIUS Gen 3.

Toyota styling (is that a word for Toyota shapes?) has been getting more "unusual" in recent years e.g. the latest Corolla hatch and RAV4 aren't something you'd photograph and frame.

The Gen 3 looks normal now, the Gen 4 will look normal in a year or 2.

 

For what it's worth, I'd argue the Gen4 looks more "normal" than the Gen2/3 right out of the gate. Much as I wince at all the seemingly random creases in the sheetmetal, the "floating roof" blacked-out C pillar, the $1k headlamp sculptures, etc. the visual noise does seem to have the effect of camouflaging the Prius-slippery body shape by slathering on "sporty coupe" cues. It ain't conventionally pretty, but it does lack the "fish on wheels" look of the raw air tunnel uber-tuned Gen2/3 (which I guess I'm supposed to be embarrassed to say I always liked).

 

All this polarisation just shows that Toyota have done something interesting. Just the fact that some people are saying they hate the design and interior and others are loving it all (I'm in the latter camp), and very few seem ho-hum about it, is proof of that! To me it feels like the Prius concept has matured...I wonder when the Gen 4 will make it's first appearance on The Simpsons!

 

The mileage is on the display. I can get it to creep up a bit, but then it soon drops back down to 48. I did not experience that ever with my 2006. And I ran my 2006 with gasohol which doomsayers on here told me would ruin my engine! Not only did it not ruin my engine, but I had only minor mileage drops except in winter when it ran about the same mileage I could get with regular. I posted that info on here a number of times and was essentially called a liar. What I learned is that there are zealots on here who make very unrealistic claims or drive in some of the most annoying ways that anyone has ever experienced on the road. No wonder Prius drivers face so many aggressive drivers. I've seen this sort of thing reported in the news and Prius drivers are frequently receive the brunt of rude comments and ridicule on talk shows and the like both on TV and radio. The car smells bad, has very uncomfortable, cheap-feeling seats, lacks practical storage and has reduced functionality with the voice control. I'm really surprised at the significantly lessened fuel economy that I'm achieving with the same driving I do in my 2006! When the '06 was brand new, I got over 50 mpg for the first year or so and that included upstate NY winter driving, both highway and city. Anyone wanna buy a 2016 Four Touring with low mileage and a number of options?

 

Wow!

 

I think Prius drivers get a bad rap as they are the ones hogging over taking lanes the most. With that I mean they are singled out and noticed the most for this crime, although I've seen many other types doing the same but one always seems to remember the Prius driver doing it. If that makes sense.

If I had to generalize, I'd say the number one abomination drivers are pickup drivers. Followed closely by school kiddies, thinking they are playing grand theft auto for real life whilst on the road.

LG-H901 ?

 

In all seriousness, I think something must be wrong with your car. My wife's seen a major bump going from her '05 Gen2 to the Gen4, with the display now showing 51mpg. What's important to know about this is her utter lack of interest in even rudimentary mileage improvement techniques, e.g., declining to do "long coast" stops to red lights even with nobody behind her, mildly jack-rabbiting out of every intersection (I like to joke "You drive the poor thing like a damned go-kart."). She is, in short, the exact opposite of a hypermiler, and still getting 50mpg+ results in a Three w/ATP. If you're getting significantly less with normal driving, I can only think things 'r out of kilter w/your new ride. I hope somebody can figure it out.

 

There in lies opportunity. It is easy to find someone poking along and 'get stuck' behind them. Delivery and large trucks, pickup trucks towing a trailer of lawn care equipment are great cover. Just follow them and over taking traffic behind will smoothly change lanes and scamper on down the road.

Now there are slow-lane hogs who will tailgate anyone in that lane regardless of speed. For those, you have to change lanes so they can illegally pass on the wrong side. Just hold the speed limit in the other lane until they pass and pull in behind them.

Prius drivers soon learn there is little we can do about the abysmal lack of driving skills often seen on the roads. So we learn tricks including setting the hazard lights and coasting down or pulling off on an access lane so following traffic can more easily pass.

Bob Wilson

 

Correct.

And the cabin noise / tire noise is still significant. But, I've learned to live with it and I'm enjoying the car. (I'm sure the various kinds of paving on the roads has a lot to do with what is causing the noise.)

My gas mileage continues to be impressive. I don't even watch it as much as I did in the first month of ownership. I drive my Prius pretty much like a regular (non-Hybrid) car; I'm not really practicing any pulse & glide techniques. I'm accelerating briskly. My "lifetime" overall gas mileage always seems to be around 60 (per the display computer.)

Keep up the good work, guys. Lots of great information in these forums.

 

There's a big difference in fuel economy between a Three+ATP, and a Four Touring.

The problem is the 17" wheels. Replace them with 15" wheels off of a lower trim, with those tires, and watch the fuel economy climb.

Prius FE Answers buried in the EPA Test Car Database | PriusChat

The true EPA rating for a car with 17" wheels (because Toyota tested it, even though they aren't required to report it on the window sticker and the EPA isn't required to report it on fueleconomy.gov, due to sales proportions) is roughly 49 city, 46 highway, 48 combined. 48 combined being exactly what @Macomb is getting.

Conversely, your wife's Three with ATP is rated at 54 city, 50 highway, 52 combined... 51 combined being what your wife is getting apparently.

 

That's interesting, thanks!

However, running through it is the assumption that the EPA numbers are "what you will get" rather than a test result under defined conditions that might be meaningful for comparison - like between 17" and 15" wheels. "Push the button and drive without conscious thought and EPA is what you will get". In reality fuel economy for a given vehicle is a wide range rather than a couple of numbers, and what one gets within that range depends on many external factors (including types of trips, traffic and weather conditions, etc) AND driving style (ranging from aggressive sporty through "unconscious" to actually trying to drive economically).

If people are not happy with the mpg they are getting there are simple tactics they can use to increase economy. If those are too much trouble they can apply for an exemption from the laws of physics......