2010 vs 2008 First Impressions

I just took delivery on a 2010 Silver Prius II about an hour ago. I got it in a Cash For Clunkers deal so it cost me $20,207 out the door including California registration, transportation, sales tax, smog, etc. The deal was done at the list minute and I feel very fortunate that it slipped in just under the wire, considering how short the supply of II is in NorCal right now. I also own a silver 2008 Package 2.

First, I like the ECO mode. It makes hyper mileage driving very easy. I've only driven about 10 miles so far but it feels like 60 MPG is going to be a cake walk (I can get 57.5-58.0 with the 2008 in mixed city and highway driving without holding cars up behind me and just using very careful technique and seeing ahead very carefully). EV mode seems extremely handy for parking lots, driving in school zones and in bumper-to-bumper traffic. ECO mode, when feathering the throttle seems to stay in EV mode without engaging the ICE much easier than the feathering that I have to do with the 2008.

Second, I like the all-auto windows and I like the safety stop feature if there is any obstruction. It's about time.

Third, the overall polish of the car is just a little nicer. I can see little things that they did such as the fold down rear headrests, the dual trip odometers with separate MPG numbers and the improved seats.

I thought the 2008 was the perfect car for us. I think I have stumbled upon something that has exceeded perfection.

 

Not yet.

I'm still in the process of ordering wheel locks, all-weather mats, Wet Okole seat covers. I'm picking up the heat shield today at the factory in Sunnyvale.

The other significant difference I noticed is that from a dead stop on a warm engine it's possible in ECO mode to use only EV power to get up to speed (assuming someone is behind you and "pushing") before the ICE kicks in. This is not easily done with our 2008 unless nobody is behind you and you can feather the snot out of the throttle. I suspect the hyper milers can get upwards of 80MPG or more with this sort of behavior. I'm not that anal but 60MPG really looks like a piece of cake. The only killer is the first 5 minutes of warm up.

I'm also realizing that the battery level is normalized at a much lower level over time due to ECO mode. It is almost never that way in our 2008 unless I'm putting around our neighborhood at night with nobody behind me.