2016 Prius is a FOUR touring trim!!! please help me pick and explain why if you could, thanks in advance. Such as who will have better value in later years, I drive 15k per year average.
Go with the 2016. I say that mainly because of the new P610 transaxle is the biggest difference in performance and power. The P610 is a lot better than the previous P410 in gen 3’s. The new P610 is actually advertising in the UK as the first ‘Tow Worthy’ Prius. They limit tow capacity with the P610 at 1600lbs.
Drive them both - there is no comparison between the 2. I had the same choice exactly - a loaded 1yr old Gen 3 or a brand new Gen 4 - when I drove them both, the answer was obvious. [the new one has better visibility with the front pillars, handles competently, gets better economy and has more safety tech, and the Dynamic Cruise is at ALL speeds. Safer in IIHS crash tests too. Plus - in a few years, a Gen 4 will be "probably" worth more than a Gen 3.]
The 2016. It's a better car in about every way. They'll go 200k+ if you take care of them, so why sweat an extra 15k miles at this early point?
Well I’d also suggest a gen 4 (2016 or newer). It is in better in just about every way, than its predecessors. Gas mileage usually easily exceeds the EPA estimates. Even if it’s not this 2016 you settle for, I’d still search for the gen 4.