1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Where did the underfloor storage go?

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by Whiteyprius, Jan 1, 2018.

  1. Whiteyprius

    Whiteyprius Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2008
    389
    105
    0
    Location:
    North Carolina, USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I loved the storage under the trunk floor in my Gen 2 and Gen 3. If the new independent rear suspension needed that space I'll accept that. Otherwise, I don't know. Anybody got an answer? Thanks!

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    pjksr02 and Mendel Leisk like this.
  2. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,768
    16,017
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I think there were a few factors.

    The biggest is probably the battery moving from the cargo area to under the rear seats. The bin essentially allowed Toyota to stash the battery in the cargo area and create a flat floor. The bin is essentially the same height as the battery compartment.

    The other is the independent rear suspension that takes up a bit more space than the compact torsion beam.

    I suspect the combination of the two resulted in a height difference small enough that it wasn't worth putting a skinny box so they just made the floor lower.
     
    RCO likes this.
  3. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2006
    5,963
    1,979
    0
    Location:
    Edmonton Alberta
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    I don't know Tideland, I suspect the foam blocks added are for rear collision protection. They first appeared in the Prius C, but are now in most Prius. Perhaps the IRS caused some structure to "go away" in the rear. Alarmingly, that would mean the battery in the Prime is "collision protection". ;)

    If the foam is not needed for protection, then adding back storage is simple. And the spare might have been deleted for weight?
     
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,480
    38,108
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Just curious: your stat's show gen II and III, but avatar pic is gen IV; have you taken the plunge?

    I'm struggling to understand, how the battery moving forward makes it more difficult to have an underfloor tray. I can see the new suspension being a factor.

    Further on storage: the 4th gen goes from upper/lower glove boxes (the lower one quite generous proportioned, to just the lower, and apparently not able to hold much more than the Owner's Manual.

    When Danny did the video reviews with Toyota USA rep, he said something about the upper glove box being deleted to avoid disrupting the flow of the dash "sculpture".
     
    #4 Mendel Leisk, Jan 2, 2018
    Last edited: Jan 2, 2018
    RCO and bisco like this.
  5. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2006
    11,309
    3,586
    1
    Location:
    Northern VA (NoVA)
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I think Gen4 Toyota was striving to be more sporty looking and more sedan-like, so they dropped the back-end to look like a sedan. This involves taking quite a few ft3 out of the back-end to get rid of the bulbous look of Gen2 and Gen3. Meanwhile sedan sales are down 20% just this year.
     
    RCO and Mendel Leisk like this.
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    prius is now 'high art', and no longer utilitarian.
     
    Diemaster, RCO, kithmo and 1 other person like this.
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,480
    38,108
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    For the Pepsi generation, if I may borrow your phrase.

    upload_2018-1-2_10-23-15.png
     
    bisco likes this.
  8. Whiteyprius

    Whiteyprius Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2008
    389
    105
    0
    Location:
    North Carolina, USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Did I take the plunge Mendel Leisk? Yes! My wife gave our daughter her 2008 for college graduation, so I gave my wife my 2012. Thus, I had to buy me the new 2017. (Aw shucks!)

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    Tande, RCO, kithmo and 2 others like this.
  9. Whiteyprius

    Whiteyprius Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2008
    389
    105
    0
    Location:
    North Carolina, USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    OK. I'll at least accept the independent suspension diagnosis -- Huge improvement over Gen 3.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    RCO likes this.
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,480
    38,108
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Sounds like a lot of payoffs, before you got your new toy. :whistle:
     
    RCO likes this.
  11. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2016
    3,709
    5,182
    0
    Location:
    Cornwall
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Did that mean it's time to update your profile to Gen 4? ;)
     
  12. Whiteyprius

    Whiteyprius Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2008
    389
    105
    0
    Location:
    North Carolina, USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Yes, but I just can't figure out how!

    XT1710-02 ?
     
  13. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2016
    3,709
    5,182
    0
    Location:
    Cornwall
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Look to the to the of the page and click on your icon. From the drop down menu click on the blue hyperlink to your Profile Page and once there, amend as necessary. Ta-dah!
     
  14. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2008
    2,763
    2,250
    13
    Location:
    Chesterton, Indiana Another third world country.
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    The biggest problem people have with the 4th generation Prius is from previous owners. We miss what we lost but people who never owned one don't miss something they never had.
     
    kithmo, RCO and Mendel Leisk like this.
  15. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2016
    3,709
    5,182
    0
    Location:
    Cornwall
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Hmm! Never had a Prius before, but I miss lots of useful cubbies etc, the ergonomic nightmare of badly placed switches and the lack of a modern information system integration. All things I can live with, but tarnish the overall product.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  16. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2008
    2,763
    2,250
    13
    Location:
    Chesterton, Indiana Another third world country.
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    What do you consider modern information system integration, I don't keep up with what other companies are doing?
    What car did you have before your Prius that was better in the way of useful cubbies?
    I don't like the heated switch for the seats but other than that I will forget about those when the weather warms up, single digit F here today and about 6 inches of snow on the ground.
     
    RCO likes this.
  17. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,696
    11,317
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    When using the web interface, click your Username in the upper right.
    Select "Personal Details"
    upload_2018-1-5_16-22-39.png
     
    Whiteyprius, Tideland Prius and RCO like this.
  18. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2016
    3,709
    5,182
    0
    Location:
    Cornwall
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I've had Nissan X-TRAIL, MB C Class, CRV and many others, all with more cubby holes and preferable rotatable knobs instead of touch screen only controls. The overriding omission, imho, is lack of Android Auto or Apple Car Play. Any form of smart phone screen mirroring is a tragic oversight on such a technically advanced car.
     
  19. Whiteyprius

    Whiteyprius Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2008
    389
    105
    0
    Location:
    North Carolina, USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Thanks Prodigyplace. I had to go to my desktop -- Couldn't update on my mobile device.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    Prodigyplace likes this.
  20. Whiteyprius

    Whiteyprius Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2008
    389
    105
    0
    Location:
    North Carolina, USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Thanks RCO! I had to go to my desktop-- Couldn't update on my mobile device.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.