Getting a prius c... handling?

I was pleasantly surprised/impressed with the handling and cornering of our new 2017 Prius C. A key is tire pressures. Toyota calls for 38 psi front and 33 psi rear, since the vehicle is really nose-heavy. I guess not all dealers are aware of this, the first time I had the tires rotated, they came back with 35 psi all-around. i have learned to re-check the pressures the next morning when the tires are cold.
Check, or ask to check, the tire pressures before you test drive-and compare the pressures to the sticker in the door jam that says what they should be. hope this helps

 

I'll chime in since I have owned an IS300. Stock for stock there is no comparison. I had my IS modified with aftermarket suspension pieces including Tein coilovers, Tanabe sway bars and under braces. I still miss that car. It had the perfect balance of luxury and sports car feel. When I bought my C, I bought it because I had to move my car collection 100 miles from work and the commute cost would have killed me in anything else. I was not at all happy with the handling ability of the car. It felt beyond soft compared to what I personally want from a car. I am currently running RSR springs with the TRD Sportivo shocks, Cusco center brace, and 15“ Toyo tires that offer quite a bit more grip than the stocks. I'm very happy with this set up. It's still a completely different class of car than the IS300 was but it's a fun little hatch back that gets great mileage. If you aren't afraid to make some changes to the car, it can be a pretty fun chassis.

 

you're buying a prius and basing your decision on its handling? ... not sure what to say



edit: ok i recovered from being a meanie weanie. the prius C handles better than other priuses/prii because of its form factor. it shares its chassis with a yaris, which some people do autocross although the C is heavier bc of hybrid magical stuff. but you're driving it on the street and the best handling mod you can make is the one behind the wheel, just like for mpg's. you're trying to recoup handling points against an FRS, so good luck with that. also, the ride on the C sucks compared to the iS (or any lexus of course), but some people think a horrible ride quality = better handling for some reason, so if you're one of those, umm i guess the C is good handling? as @Brandon Most said, there are things you could do, of course, but you'll be putting lipstick on a pig. sure, have fun with it, as i do (tein coils, etc etc) but don't kid yourself

 

I just switched from Toyota Corolla, frankly other than the space I dont regret my decision.
As regards to Handling, I recently took a trip to high grounds and I found "C" to be better planted than Corolla on sharp bends.

 

They make a lot of parts from Japan for handling if you wish to improve it. For me it handles decently enough when pushed.

I'm still not tired of driving this car after 6 years and 100k miles. Nothing comes close as of yet to this being the best everyday car that I can put a ton miles on and get 50+ MPG. I drive a bit faster then posted speed limits but do not running towards red lights and do my best on max regen. I also use it to pull trailers lol!

Anyhow, your best bet is to have 1 Prius C and 1 high performance car of choice for weekend fun.

 

I second that last bit. My friends ask my why I drive a Prius. I tell them it's so I can afford the gas in my '66 Chevelle.

 

I have had my C 6 years now. Overall, still a value. Handling, firm but agile. Speed, ok but floor it to merge, it is ok the cvt can handle it. If you live with ice and snow, get snow tires. The oem low resistance tires suck on snow. Provided you are ok with this, you will be happy and will find it the most reliable car ever.

 

This is my personal opinion.

Like most people, I have been put off by the name "prius" in the beginning. Driving it stock is like driving a toy car. But once you get to know the car better,

1. It's not actually slow.
2. The handling can be improved with some inexpensive parts.

My first choice was the Toyota 86 too! But where I'm from, it's expensive af.
Get the C, you won't regret it.