Loaded 2009 or New 2010?

just a personal opinion. ive had an 04 and an 07. now have 10 . there is a huge difference in handling between the gen 2 and gen 3. for me that makes it. the reason i got rid of the previos prii is the rotten nice person handling ( admittedly by my standards) the gen3 that i have is a great riding car that handles pretty good.. i dont care about the extra features. i really like the new feel of the 3 so thats where im at.

 

I waited for the 2010 precisely because it really is a new car in many ways. From handling (including snow traction) to better acceleration, non-futz gas tank, and higher mileage, it's more of a normal car that happens to be high tech and get great mileage, rather than an acquired taste for those crazy about mileage.

That's my opinion. You'd have to weigh out the options on the 09. One question would be is the 09 a "Touring Package" with 17" wheels?

 

I bought my wife a 2008 (with backup camera) and a new 2010 II for myself last month. The 2010 gets 10 mpg better than the 08 and has greater horse power. The seat is much better - I feel like I am sitting IN the 2010 seat rather than ON the 2008 seat. Handling is better on the 2010 also.

One thing I do miss is the 3 door auto unlock on the 08. I got accustomed to just walking up to the hatch and opening it. The base 2010 just has the auto door for the driver. I set the auto unlock to open ALL the doors on the 2010 and now walk by the driver door (or use the key fob) before using the hatch.

My vote is for a base 2010. Note I saw a 2010 III for $1500 off sticker just last week. So there might be deals to be had on the 2010s.

I couldn't find a deal on a 2009 so went with the base 2010.

Good Luck

 

There is a huge difference in handling between the gen II standard and gen II touring as well. When I test drove the gen II, it felt like driving a boat and leaned a lot in even the mildest turns. The touring takes on and off ramps at speeds that would flip the the non touring. They're not even close. This is why when I test drove the Prius several years ago before they had the touring, I completely discounted it. I wanted a fuel efficient car, but I owned a C5 and and 300ZX twin turbo at that time and decided you wouldn't catch me dead in a prius.

I'm happy with the handling of the the touring Prius. It's not a sports car but it's nearly as good as my Lexus SC400 in terms of handling.

You should opt for the '10 unless you can find the most amazing deal on a gen II. If handling is even slightly important to you, then you should only consider a touring if you consider a gen II.

From anecdotal reports, the Gen III with 15" wheels handles better than the Gen II with 15 inch wheels. The Gen II touring handles better than the Gen III with 15" wheels, and the Gen III with 17" wheels handles better than the Gen II touring.

 

I recently had to go through this dilemma and spent a good week deciding what to get. To make it worse, I was eligible for a $4500 voucher for my beat-up Montero under the CARS program had I waited a couple more weeks. I had to decide in a hurry since the 09s were getting sold out at most dealerships. I ended up pulling the trigger on a 09 primarily because of the price difference. Then, of course, the 09 was gonna be a loaded one with more features for the same price. I saved about 6k on the 09 had I gotten the same options on the 2010. The newer features on the 2010 didn't make much sense to me since the only reasons I was buying the Prius were the gas mileage and the low emissions. For better handling, a powerful engine etc, I'd have gone with a conventional vehicle. Just my 2 cents

 

praveen: you made a great choice for you. if handling was not involved and if we did not know that gen 3 gets even better gas mileage, then absolutely the 09 was/is a great choice/ since im more of a car guy i had to go with the gen3. an 09 though would be a wonderful choice as well. what a dEAL YOU GOT.