I just helped my dad buy a new AWD LE yesterday. Checked it out today and got to drive it. I would think the only redeeming quality is AWD? I feel no need to get into the specifics, but if you know, you know. What is going on? Has Toyota fallen off? It's as if every single auto manufacturer has gotten together and decided that instead of competing against one another, they can all just make the exact same dog s*** cars and the consumer will have no choice but to buy them. I have no idea what my dad sees in newer cars. He has a 2nd gen ridgeline that is the sourest lemon I've ever seen in a car, let alone a Honda. And he's totally ok with it, refuses to make Honda buy it back. "They'll fix it eventually". If they couldn't fix it the first 3 times it means they have no idea what's wrong, let a lone a fix.
Neighbor purchased a 57 Chevy brand new. Warranty was 90 days. If there's a notion that cars aren't better, one has to explain how some warranties - or at least parts of cars are warrantied for 10 years or more nowadays. By the early '70s, warranties were a whopping 12 months. Having just purchased a 14 month old Chevy vega, Lessons Learned. It blew up shortly thereafter.
seeing that you have a gen 2, you may not realize that Prius has gone downhill with each generation. I won't get into specifics, but my 04 and 08 were better than my 12, and I took a pass on gen 4, and a hard pass on gen 5. that's when I went with a Bev
According to my research, You can get either AWD of a plug-in hybrid, but not both, due to space considerations. I'll gladly take the plug-in feature, as I don't find the AWD to be much more useful than FWD.
Your complaints about the car are completely absent. What exactly is wrong with the Gen 5 that you find troubling?
My first and best car I've ever owned was a used 57 Chevy. Of course I was a bit younger back then. I used that car to commute to my best ever job. An engineer of the miniature train at the Kiddie Park a few miles down the road. Those were the days.
The car is too low making it difficult to get in and out of. The speedometer is blocked entirely by the steering wheel. The only part that isn't blocked is the KM/h. Which in and of itself is completely stupid. Why would you show two numbers at the same time? The cruise control doesn't have a classic Toyota stalk and is super confusing. The shift knob is at your elbow instead of your hand so you have to reach in an awkward position to use it. The gen 2 has it in a totally natural position. In fact you can shift, steer, and operate cruise control with one hand at the exact same time with your hand in the same position it would rest naturally. Do I want to normally do that? No, but I can. The center console is smaller. The visibility is way worse. The cargo hatch is smaller despite having a two inch longer wheelbase. It doesn't have a rear wiper nor a spare tire. They removed the door handles from the rear doors. It doesn't have a spare tire. The smart key doesn't operate on the hatch nor the passenger side.
Seems like your dad doesn’t have the same issues with the car as you. The LE is the base model, not too many bells and whistles.
I don't think it did in the lower trims on earlier gens either ... I think all-doors smart key was either a higher-trim-level perk, or an option.
It is low, but this isn't a concealed trait. That will depend on your height. I do find the characters on the stalks obscured by the wheel, as if the wheel and stalk combination are a parts bin mismatch. There is some variability in the instrument layout. I only have one speed display, but I'm sure I set it up that way. I don't know when Toyota last had a stalk control CC. Stalks for CC are great, but the wheel buttons can't confuse you if you are used to their locations. Unless you need blocks on the pedals and live in a tree making cookies, there isn't any sense in which the shift knob is at your elbow. Did the Gen2 have a CVT? How much shifting were you doing? I got the LE specifically for the smaller center screen. The visibility is awful. The A pillars are too thick. Rearward visibility is even worse. For the foot print, the interior space is poor. Is this a Toyota weakness? It seems even more noticeable in the Camry. A VW Golf seems larger than a Camry on the inside, but is smaller on the outside. Don't worry about the rear wiper; the window it would wipe isn't that useful. Omitting the spare is a well covered subject and is ridiculous. They're there, but are relocated. Don't hate it because it's beautiful. The key works by a fob button on the LE. I'm guessing Toyota springs for the touch lock/unlock on higher trims. I've never noticed on the passenger side, but have noticed this when trying to open the rear driver's side door to toss something in before getting in myself. Welcome to the charm of a cheap $30k car.
