My Concerns with the New Prius

I’d guess the same spot, but not sure. Either way, I’d (again) guess it’s a done deal.

 

Omitting a spare tire that can be optionally added back with proper storage is a far better design than using the same space for something else and eliminating the possibility of optionally adding back a spare to be stored. Both Gen4 PP and Gen4 AWD are the latter cases. If Toyota opted to repeat the same thing for the Gen5, then I guess, there were not enough complaints raised by the Gen4 owners.

 

Even with the non-AWD 4th gen Hybrid Prius, retrofitting a spare, in a manner roughly comparable to a factory installed version, got quite expensive (at least a grand USD), and would still not be 100% seamless.

Toyota definitely didn’t offer this as an accessory; to do it required replacement of a number of bits in the vicinity. Frustrating exercise.

 

Yeah, I am finding out the cost aspect of the factory option as compared to the after-sale option. If IRRC, Toyota had no factory option of adding the real spare tire on the non-AWD 4th gen Hybrid Prius. But there should be a factory option or at the least a dealer-installed option for this and disclosure of that information for potential buyers.

As I said, for my recent purchase of Escape PHEV, I was happy that the car available at a dealer lot had a factory option spare added for a mere $110. I have a feeling that if that option was presented pre-sale, most people will say "yes" through that in the deal. Reading from the Escape forum I recently joined, many buyers were unaware of the lack of the spare and the existence of the OEM factory option for the spare addition. There are many owners who realized about missing spare tires after buying a car and spent additional costs to swap the standard tire inflation kit with a styrofoam spacer, tire, rim, and bracket and misc hardware to retrofit their cars with a temp tire for a cost as high as $400.

There are some factory-option or dealer-installed options such as floor liners that are priced way too high for the item installed and the labor it takes to install. But on the other hand, some of the options available pre-sale are such a bargain that it is crazy not to include them in the purchase. Toyota is not known for giving such options to potential buyers. But I found many domestic car makers such as Ford seem to do this on all models and trims.

Of course, if you are not ordering from the manufacturer, and negotiating a car already built and sitting on the lot, it doesn't help much. Unless it is an easy dealer-installable item. I am regretting not adding a dealer-installation option of a tow package onto my new Escape. Turned out, the package would have cost me only $500 more if I added pre-sale, but after the sale, the hitch part alone cost $450. Added electrical harness and installation, I read someone paying close to $1000 for the same thing.

 

Extra storage under the floor would seem to be a better thing to give your customers.
Cost is the strongest reason not too. Then the stryofoam gives a secure holding for the flat repair kit, preventing it from becoming rattle complaint feature. After cost though, safety testing the next biggest reason for the foam. Removing the spare changes the rear impact dynamics. Open space could be worse than the foam in those events.

Can't say, but since it's available to the LE, it doesn't seem to be in the same space as the spare anymore.

A spare was a $300 option for the Fiat 500. I think Hyundai's were around the same price.

The various floor mats are all over priced. I have yet to see a factory all weather floor mat that actually has walls to cover the sides of the floor and hold water.

 

Oh, so Gen5 Prius AWD LE comes with a spare tire standard? I thought that was only for the LE FWD. If true, that's a piece of good news. If I am in the market for a new HEV, I would definitely pick a LE over higher trims. The only thing I will miss not having is the heated seat. Smaller wheels, spare tires, more cargo space, better efficiency... and still under a $30K price tag even with AWD... what not to like in a Prius.

 

IIRC, the release said something like "spare LE models". The feature list felt like it was more highlights than full features though. That details are missing.

To add, the bigger wheels mean more space under the car for the AWD and other systems.

 

For those XLE and Limited owners that really want a spare I’m thinking it would be easy to pick up a compatible Toyota spare and hold down bolt from a salvage yard for not much money. Pull out the styrofoam and perhaps have to add a piece of plywood to support the load floor and you’re done.

 

AFAIK only the LE has a spare. Sadly, it will not be available in Canada. Maybe for the best, as the fox said ‘bout the grapes.

I never cease to be amazed, how Toyota chooses to delete the spare from levels where there’s no physical reason it can’t fit, or even offer it as a reasonably priced and readily available option.

I know why they do it, to keep the weight of their porker levels under control, but customers needs seem like the last thing on their minds.

 

Maybe the smaller fuel tank on the AWD means the spare well is free on those models.

16 inch rims look like the smallest you can go.

 

Although I want a spare tire, I must admit that I've not had a flat tire for many, many years, probably more than 40. On the other hand, my wife has had several flat tires -- even rimmed one almost clean off once, because she didn't know what all the flapping noise was!

Getting flat tires has something to do with the condition of roads (like the Chicago area) being full of potholes, how one drives (avoiding potholes as much as possible), not driving over nails and screws which may have fallen into road cracks, and dumb luck. Twice I had a nail in a tire, causing a very slow leak. Repaired free by our tire place.

Reminds me of a conversation I had with my son when he and his friends turned 16 and were starting to drive. He was about to ride with a friend, so I asked my son how his friend's driving was. "He drives really well, Dad," he replied, "just like you. Except that you miss the potholes!"

I have a habit of looking at my tires almost every time I get into the car, and if anything even looks off, I check it. The on-board tire warning light might come on with the first sudden cold of winter, and I check all the tires, adding air as needed.

But if I'm out somewhere camping, a spare tire is nice to have, though I've never needed it (so far).

 

Considering how long my household keeps its cars (except my first Prius, traded in early for an upgrade), most of them use the temporary spare at some point in their life. Nearly all for foreign object punctures, none have been for potholes, which I also usually dodge.

My current Prius needed the spare after a large puncture (in a busy HOV lane) caused very rapid deflation. 25 miles from home, it got us back home to swap vehicles and equipment to restart the trip in time to support a major bicycle event. We missed the before-event group dinner, but arrived in time for everything else. Tire replacement could wait for another day. Had it occurred during the event without a spare, we'd have been up Schitt's Creek without cell phone access to call for roadside assistance. Even our event GMRS radios had limited range, so longer range messages had to be daisy-chained or passed along to other support driving towards civilization.

We do a significant amount of travel in areas with fringe or no cell phone coverage.

My current Subaru hasn't used its spare (yet), but only because its more remote leak was slow enough that a manual bicycle pump was sufficient to get it to the last tire shop in the region to close on a weekend evening. Thank goodness for TPMS to give early enough warning before I could feel the tire getting squirrelly.

 

All the punctures I've had in the past ten years or so were fixable with a plug.

 

Agreed, need for a spare comes down to many factors in one’s personal situation, and simply avoiding potholes is a major factor which is (usually) in the driver’s control. Like you, I generally avoid them, and have had a several unlucky punctures/leaks over the years, but fortunately never had a catastrophic tire failure, like a blowout or sudden fast leak which stranded me; every time I have noticed the leak in my driveway and was able to swap a winter tire on until I got it repaired. I have not had to use an emergency spare (or the tire goo) in over 20 years as a result. <Knock on wood…>.

In my case, I do ~95% of my driving in urban Toronto area with decent roads, very rarely going on dirt roads, industrial areas, etc where tire damage is more likely. Also rarely leave cellular service areas and have the premium CAA (AAA in Canada) service for towing in case I do get a flat away from home without my spare, but have never had to use it.

Also - very important to carry an electric tire pump in your car, as this can also be an alternative to buy yourself some time to get home (or tire shop) if you find a slow leak, and not have to deal with goo, etc.

That being said, I did keep the spare from my Gen 2 for use with my PiP, and I strap it into the hatch when travelling if I can afford giving up a bit of cargo space, and that has worked well for me.

Therefore, I view having a compact spare as a nice convenience if equipped, but is also not a deal breaker for me if it doesn’t, for my situation.

YMMV.

 

Or even a decent quality floor-style hand pump, aka bicycle pump, will do.

 

Sure, would just require more patience… hope you don’t need more than a couple psi…

 

Not if you pick the right bicycle pump. With the right one, normal able-bodied folks should be able to pump it up all the way from flat.

Mine preferred one is about twice as fast as my 12V pump, though it usually stays in the garage and a slightly smaller one stays in the Prius. A fatter and faster one stays in the Subaru, which has larger volume tires but a lower recommended tire pressure.

 

Yes, I’ve done just that, from basically flat, after plug repairing, one of the wheels on our 2010. Airing up a significantly depleted tire on our daughter’s Pilot was a bit more of a workout, but still doable. It’s surprisingly easy.

For routine top up, going around the four wheels on ours, say just adding a couple of pounds each, and checking pressures with a stick gauge, only takes about 10~15 minutes.

I haven’t used a gas station compressor in over a decade. Around here Chevron was one of the last offering free air, but no more.

 

That’s good to hear, I didn’t realize the manual ones could push air that quickly.

I have always found the 12v air compressors to be compact and convenient, and mine even has a digital pressure gauge on it so you can watch it as it fills and not have to keep checking.

Likewise, I haven’t used an an expensive gas station hose in a long time - only exception would be if I was traveling or something and needed to add some psi and the trunk was full and I didn’t want to dig the compressor out from the under floor storage, lol.