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What I don't like about 2010 Gen III interior

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Neeter Lou, Jun 24, 2009.

  1. Neeter Lou

    Neeter Lou New Member

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    Location:
    Hawaii
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Interior Cockpit:
    The new display is just baffling. Hard to read (small). Too much info. Touch a button on steering wheel, even MORE info appears in circles superimposed on the stuff already there. Several posters have mentioned the new graphical depiction of what is powering or charging is new. Not so in my case.

    Upon fill up, it does not reset the mpg. You have to start Trip A or B to get a tank mpg. (Am I correct? Maybe there is yet another button.)

    Space:
    Front space horizontally doesn't seem roomier in front TO ME. I feel cramped in the passenger seat, width wise. Steering wheel tilt and pull out seems nominal. Nice that seats go farther back, but can't put back seat down flat without moving them significantly forward. This will not be an issue for many owners.

    The new console takes up a lot of room. My elbow hits it. It takes up a lot of visual space, too.

    New console cubbie is back farther, harder to reach and much more difficult to open.

    Dramatically fewer cubbyholes. I really used those old cubbies to the max.

    Having drink cups in the back arm rest: upholstery wreckage seems hight potential problems.

    Having drink cups in back arm rest: also means I can't store square kleenex box and an extra water in the back and have it accesible from front.

    Really, couldn't the console arm rest be covered in something that won't become filthy in two months?

    Point of info: Back space more leg room if driver seat in lower position, due to curvature of front seats.

    Not a gripe: The new material covering the dash seems like it will not peel off, like the older models. Hope so. :)

    609 page manual
    : :eek: Even more confusing than the last one. Many pages have a warning unrelated to info on page. Must go on chain of linkages to get all info on one feature. As usual with many things made in Japan, you have to think, "What would they call it in Japan?" - then look that up. The index for the 609 pages is about 6 pages long. Well, with higher tech, I guess we will get longer manual.

    Air filter: Something I need (on my Island of Hawaii we have "vog" - very high particulate matter (plus sulfer). This feature is new to me. It does seem to automatically go at appropriate time. How do I know when to clean it? A light for THAT seems more helpful.

    Air filter: If you plan to do this yourself, take note: you have to remove the glove box and go thru several steps to get to it. Then put it back...I will not be doing this myself.

    Keyless entry. My old one I could open from both front doors and the rear hatch. Now, I think I have a III with nil additions. Perhaps an upgrade adds more spots to get in? I find this extremly annoying. I was very fortunate to get a new one without a 4-5 month wait. I needed one. Old one was taking way to much money to do major repairs. It could not be driven or even rolled in neutral when we traded it in. (yet, we bought another.)
    Most of these are minor. The biggest is the display. Lack of storage spots in front. If there is a way to get more points of keyless entry, do so.
     
  2. OlsonBW

    OlsonBW New Member

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    I agree. I do NOT like the interior. At this point I feel like doing a Dr. Seues Sam I am, green eggs and ham spiel about all the things I very much do not like about the new interior.

    The dash board would not be cost effective to fix, but I wonder what I could have someone do with the center console. It would really have to be ripped out and changed.

    What drugs were they taking when they thought this looked good? Probably the same drugs that made them think that the Camry with all the aluminum trim or the outside body styling looked less than awful.

    Is Toyota going out of their way to make their cars ugly now? Geez.
     
  3. dmvp

    dmvp Member

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    Model:
    IV
    Sorry you're not happy with the interior. I actually love mine! I think the instrument panel is really cool! It takes a little while to get used to what you're looking at, but after that I find it quiet nice.

    I like the console and find it has plenty of room for what I need, and doesn't get in my way.

    I have the IV, so the SKS does open up 3 doors. You might be able to upgrade the fob.
     
  4. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    well i like mine. not perfect mind you, but i personally like that center console so i can rest my elbow on it, so it kinda has to be close.

    as far as the driver's seat, it works out well for me as i dont like the steering wheel close to me which made me have to reach on the SPM (trade offs!! what can you do?) had to lean forward to reach anything on the dash. not that big of a deal for me but i know some will not like it.

    but having steering wheel telescope is nice. i can now sit a bit farther away (which i like) but still closer to the dash since now the controls are much closer. only have to reach for MFD buttons since most of what i reached for previously is in the center area.

    as far as the size of the manual, not much into reading them, so its kinda not much of an issue for me. would be nice if it was all in PDF format so i could do searches on my computer, but then again, i did get a few discs with the car, have not looked at them yet, so may have that... that would be good

    on the displays, i have begun to realize that the HSI does provide new info that was not available before especially in the "stealth mode" operation. using scangauge i am seeing a lot of operation that is in the 100+ mpg area that helps with my driving to get good mileage mode. comparing that to the HSI reading gives me a pretty good indication of how much i can push the accelerator so that is also good. i get more info without having to use 2ndary sources...scangauge only verifies that.

    but once again, not perfect but overall a definite improvement i think
     
  5. OlsonBW

    OlsonBW New Member

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    Can you repeat this in english?
     
  6. wvgasguy

    wvgasguy New Member

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    I guess we all see things differently. I had a Camry Hybrid recently and never would have even considered it before the last body style change. I think it's one of the best looking cars on the road.
     
  7. DeanFL

    DeanFL 2010 owner - 1st Prius

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    To each his own - in the eye of the beholder...

    Guess you're not getting a 2010.

    As for me - honestly - if Toyota hadn't made as many styling changes (for the better IMO) I would not have a V in my garage right now. Nothing's perfect for everyone, and it's certainly not for me. But I do really like the interior. The sweeping MID is gorgeous - on the other hand, the MID itself needs punch/ more clarity and a bit of color. The waterfall stack and console is very distinctive and well thought-out design. So not-hybrid like.

    Toyota had been slammed for designing blah vehicles in the 90s and early 2000s. They restyled the Camry exterior really well compared to the Accord IMO. And the styling cues on the Prius are excellent. I would like some of the 'drugs' Toyota was on, as the Camry and Prius will continue to be top sellers worldwide.
     
  8. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    well...

    HSI= hybrid system interface; a new display on the 2010 that gives an indication of the power available in a given mode and what type of power is being used or generated.


    scangauge is a device that reads computer codes being thrown by your car's monitoring system and shows various things like valve timing, water temps, or in this case, GPH (gallons per hour) and MPG (miles per gallon) and RPM (speed at which engine is running)

    on the Pri the MPG reading only goes up to 99.9 and when that happens there is a common perception that its in EV mode when this happens. scangauge is used to give much more detail as to what is actually happening with the car.
     
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  9. jonathandz

    jonathandz New Member

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    Model:
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    To each their own. I like the redesigned interior. I think it looks much sleeker and modern. Maybe it is superficial, but it is really what tipped the scales for me. I rented a 2009 and thought, well it drives fine but it is just boring to sit in. When I saw the new interior for the 2010 I thought, nice!
     
  10. Husker4theSpurs

    Husker4theSpurs Active Member

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    As far as the rear seats and folding them down without sliding the front seats forward ... There is a button alongside the rear seat headrests ... Press it and pull up the headrests and then they fold down ... No sliding of the front seats at all. Personally I like the new interior and the entire car in general. Big improvement over Gen 2!
     
  11. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    ya know there is no perfect design and the cup holders in the rear are an issue. putting them in the center prevents 3 from sitting in the back but having them sitting in the middle was not all that great either as i have had a few passengers in the SPM that could not reach them easily either.

    now, i remember back in the day when cars were much wider (maybe they just seemed that way because i was smaller??) and some had cup holders in the door (right next to the ashtrays!!)

    then again, we could make the front seats thicker and have fold down cup holders mounted on the back!!...

    oh well, like i said, no design is perfect. as long as its better overall, at least its progress.
     
  12. gliverm

    gliverm Junior Member

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    Love the 2010 ! First Prius owned; probably not the last. If I could change one thing inside = Move the Power Button onto the steering wheel to power up when merging more safely; way too far over on the console to fumble around when you need it most.

    I miss preset, electric seats which actually tie into multiple stereo/nav options on my old car. Definitely a plus when two adults share one car. Honestly, if you're target market is the 40+ non-Prius buyers add that somewhere in the options.
     
  13. 925PriusGuy

    925PriusGuy Winter Gray & Blizzard Pearl Pri

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    My Highlander Hybrid has rear door cup holders and they are useless. They seem fine if you are parked but they aren't very deep. As in the Prius, it also has the drop down armrest with cup holders, but again, they don't seem to be very useful. I'm sure there is an aftermarket cup holder out there.. maybe that fit on the center floor hump?
     
  14. CaptainChunk

    CaptainChunk Hybrid Convert

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    Vehicle:
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    Model:
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    I'll give you points on the armrest argument. I'm worried that it will soon become a victim of a spill and be ruined.

    However the rest of the interior is one of the things that instantly won me over about our 2010. I find it to be much more comfortable, sturdier and better laid out than that of our 2006 Dodge Durango. And despite the size difference between the two vehicles, I have more room front and back when riding in it.
     
  15. irondentist

    irondentist New Member

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    CHEAP PLASTICS. This is truly what killed my enthusiasm for the new Prius. I took my gf to the dealership for the test drive and she had a look of disgust when she put her hand on the dash to feel the plastic.

    The steering wheel also had the same CHEAP plastic feel as the dash. Its a bit different with the leather seat/ leather steering wheel, but I was not interested in the leather seat upgrade.

    What happened, Toyota? Why use Kia level cheap plastic in the Prius? I owned and an MR2 and a Corolla, and those old cars had better quality interior than the Gen III Prius.
     
  16. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Have you sat in a Yaris? If you think the Prius is cheap, what would you make of the Yaris? (no offence to Yaris owners btw)
     
  17. ManualOnly

    ManualOnly New Member

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    Those plastics looked and feel cheap, but the actual cost of making isn't.
    It is based on eco-friendly material and made to be light. and that's why it is in a Prius.

    If one needs the feel of leather-coated steering wheel or thicker plastics, a premium Corolla should do.
     
  18. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    I can sit in it for more than 20 minutes...all other concerns are secondary.

    However I do like the look of the interior far better than the Gen II.
     
  19. goingreen23

    goingreen23 New Member

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    I agree to each his own. I like the interior and the lay out of the center console.:)
     
  20. PriusByrds

    PriusByrds Junior Member

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    I miss the storage areas that we had in our 2004, 2005, and 2006 Prius, including the front dash little compartment, the overhead fold down compartment, the drawer underneath the front cup holders, the map pockets in the front doors, and the larger storage under the center arm rest. I liked the old cup holders design better, too. Other than that, I love the new interior.