Hilly Roads and Country Distances: Things to Watch Out For?

The way you're describing your terrain, you might want to get something like a Rav4 hybrid for the all-wheel drive and more power. Reliability is still good with a Rav4. Fuel economy isn't going to be as good as a Prius, but you're also much less likely to get stuck in a ditch after going down a slick hill in the rain.

 

We live on a mountain, have all hybrids. You won't be disappointed. The only downside is the 5.5in to 6in of ground clearance. If your "left coast" location never sees snow, then it is a no brainer. Even with feet of the stuff, the Prius still does very well with the right driver.

Here's just an average day of winter snow. No services cancelled or delayed this day a few years ago.



Live on a mountain at 8000ft above sea level, city is at about 6500ft. Drive it up and down every day, multiple times a day. It is paved, but has some nice S-bend curves on steep grades. Even my driveway requires me to floor it in reverse (in the prius) to get up backwards it is so steep.

And in those conditions we drive the Prius up the roads to ski country, which looks like this:



And if you wanted to haul some stuff with it, here's about a literal ton of mulch:

 

I have used my Prius for skiing in the Rockies. I run Blizzak tires in the winter and it works shockingly well on the ice and snow. Have yet to high center it but pedal to the metal has saved me a few times.

My second Prius is a 2012 which has yet to go skiing. My previous was a 2009.

Good luck and enjoy the mileage.


SM-J320V ?

 

i would purchase new, or fairly new with complete ownership and maintenance records if you want long term reliability. these are inexpensive cars, and 20k will get you a lifer, if properly maintained.

 

Rough like:



That's Black Eagle Road. We made it almost all the way to the end in a rented Prius on a weekender to Palm Springs. Only reason we didn't was because there was a rock-slide of big boulders across the road. We parked and walked the last few minutes to the mine entrance.



It is a "4x4 high clearance vehicles only" trail. The only cars that were there with us, 4x4 Jeeps. They all got just as far as we did and all turned around too.

Or smoother like:



Took the Prius up and all around here. Lots of dirt road driving. Took it down lots of old logging roads. Done lots of hiking back there. "Roads" are a loose term. Had to get out and move downed trees and such.

In the same area as Schofield Pass, and even did part of that through the river. This is not my photo, but this is one of the river crossings on the pass.



Done lots of roads like this (also Schofield Pass)







The Prius is awesome. I can put it in EV when I cross the river. It is a narrow wheel base so I can get places where the big landrovers can't. They need huge clearance because the wheels are so far apart and the ruts are there. In the Prius, I can ride in one of the two ruts and the high center.

Not really. Wider tires are like sno-shoes and spread the weight out more. So you don't sink into the snow/ice, great if you have good tread or thick enough snow/ice. Narrow tires try and cut through but if there is too much snow or ice, it just sinks in. You have to drive differently depending on your tires, but none of this is Prius specific.

Yes. I keep mine in the 38psi to 42psi range. It is somewhat harsh but it doesn't slip. Those that run much higher do sometimes get wheel slip and you can feel every pebble.

I drive with Michelin X-ICE3 tires all year round on a wider tire (215/65/15). They are winter tires, but they have excellent tread patterns. Perform flawlessly in the rain, slush, sleet, snow, and clear dry pavement from +40C temps to -40C temps. It is a softer rubber so it wears fast. About $150 to $200 per tire, and they only last 2-3 years with all-season driving but totally worth it. All my cars are wrapped with them now.

The Prius is our work-horse and "mountain goat". When a blizzard comes, we drive into the storm to get some fresh powder skiing. It has carried 12ft lumber to build a deck with the hatch closed. A full size bath-tub in the back with the hatch closed. 2 pallets of slate tile (again over a ton), and lots more.

Downside of carrying mulch is that it smells like a barn for a couple days. But I have a huge tarp I bought on Amazon and just cover the whole car with that before using it like a trailer.

 

I drive up steep hills on a daily basis. On a monthly basis I travel through mountain passes with big changes in elevation. The roads are all paved and anywhere an economy car can go, a Prius can easily go.

My previous car had a Toyota 1.5 liter 1NZ-FE engine (similar to the engine in the Yaris, Echo, and 2nd gen Prius) and it struggled up many of these hills. The 3rd gen's 1.8 liter engine will rev at times, but can make it up all of the hills and mountains much easier.

As far as handling, just drive the speed limit and you'll be fine. The Prius handles better than any SUV I had before. In bad weather, it's pretty much related to the tires. Just remember that the bigger, heavier tires designed for bad weather will result in a hit to fuel economy. That's a small price to pay, if it's needed.

 

One big benefit the plug-in would have (besides getting to drive in EV) is the larger capacity battery will allow you to capture more energy from the regenerative (recharging) braking while coming down that 40 miles to the flats whereas as a regular prius with its much smaller battery will limit out and engage the engine to burn off the excess (and thus wasted) energy. You can then use all that free electricity to drive around the flats where its most efficient.

Going uphill can bring out the "hybrid drone" effect as the gasoline engine typically stays around one set RPM zone while the hybrid system varies other things to meet power demands. You get use to it.

 

I still don't know how dirty your dirt road is, but if it is really washboarded, or super rocky, regen might not make sense. I've driven lots of really rough roads down a mountain to beaches where you are rock scrambling, going 2-3 mph the whole way and regen wouldn't give you anything. It only works if you are above a certain speed and if the wheel sensors kick on the traction control, it also backs off the regen.

If it is just a dirt road but otherwise OK, then regen may work.

 

@cyberpriusII lives in the mountains with her Prius. She should have some good insight to add.

 

hills, and twists and turns are lots of fun in a prius. potholes and gravel, not so much. difficult for us to know your exact conditions. the car is very low to the ground, with lots of sensate plastic bits underneath, that tend to fall off on their own with the slightest damage.

at 62, i find the car very comfortable around town, but on long trips, the poor seating has given some people fits. unfortunately, a test drive isn't enough to know if they will work for you. it's a big purchase, with an unknown quantity, unless you can rent one.

 

I have a treasured aunt who is dying. I have been in California, fighting California freeway traffic in a rental Chevy Malibu ($8 per day), and I just returned home to Oregon.

I only skimmed a lot of the answers here. I am really not all "there," but for what it is worth, I will try to give you a pro/con for MY situation.

1) Most area mechanics, while they will work on some systems of the Prius, will not touch a lot of it. And, some of those systems they will touch, I do not believe they are qualified as they will not touch other related systems, I hope that makes sense. So, getting repairs....

2) We do not have much snow where we live, but it is a fact that when it is snowy or icy, it dumps or stays way below freezing for a few days. The Gen II does not handle it well in OREGON snow and ice. That may differ in whatever area you are in, but friends from the east coast -- the transplants I have talked to -- say Oregon snow and ice is more dangerous than the east coast brand. Something about freezing levels, etc. But I have heard it from MANY people, so I do not discount it. No, I don't understand the science, but considering that many of those folks have gotten into accidents in Oregon snow and none in Chicago snow....

3) Prius loses traction on wet roads and gravel and/or muddy roads. A lot. It is very much irritating. If I drive up my driveway, I am screwed if I stop. It is gravel, goes from 390 feet to 810 feet in 400 or so yards -- and if I have to stop anywhere along the way -- good luck with getting traction to start up again, thanks to the slip control, which can not be easily disabled.

4) speaking of the slip control. On those rare icy mornings, it has left me stalled in the middle of more than one intersection. Lucky that Oregon drivers are mostly mellow.

5) ground clear -- it is a low slung car. That has been an issue at times.

6) Even on the county roads that are paved, the county is not that good in filling the holes, etc. So, the Prius, more so than our Camry and other cars, seems to really suffer on the potholes and stuff. The Prius just seems really stiff and does not roll with holes. The Prius is a city car. I have mine because it was "free." I actually won it with a $20 dollar raffle ticket. But, I never would have bought it. Now that I own it, I would BUY it....but....

Do not get me wrong. I love my 2008, but it does have some quirks.

 

A Gen 3 (2010 to 2015) will have less traction issues than a gen 2 (2004 to 2009)

MPG snow tires exist Michelin X-Ice Xi3 | 195/60R15

 

An incredible post.

 

As for Prius models, in your situation, I would stay away from the Prius C, it really is designed to be a city car runabout.