3Gen Prius cockpit looks very plastic/cheap inside

I would have to agree with the original poster that the plastic dash used on the Gen3 does look and feel cheap. Toyota should have gone with the soft feel. Has anyone look at the Venza? It has exactly the same design/texture looking on the dashboard execept that it has the soft feel on it. Prius should have used the same materials.

 

It’s a matter of taste and perspective. When I first sat in the Gen 3, I had about the same reaction as the OP. I was so turned off by the interior I decided to seriously consider a 2010 Lexus IS 250 instead. The Lexus interior looked much nicer and was more comfortable, and the price wasn’t a huge amount greater than the V with ATP. In the end, I decided against the Lexus. Its old-technology gasoline engine made it a car from the past, while the Prius is innovative and represents the future. I’d have to live with the Prius’ plastic and lower quality materials.

I’ve had the car 3 weeks, and I’ve come to actually like the interior. While not fancy (and there are things I wish I could change), the interior is tasteful, pleasant, functional, and reasonably comfortable. Instead of “cheap plastic,” now I see “lightweight material” that helps achieve the 55+ mpg that I’m getting—something the Lexus couldn’t do even with all that nice burled maple on the dash and doors.

 

Press down on the armrest of your 04 - 09 Pri and tell with a straight face that is not some of the flimsiest plastic.

Now, do the same thing with the 2010 armrest. Ding, one more improvement for the '10.

I cracked my left armrest plastic with my elbow. Not going to repeat here, but it had to do with the lovely Gen2 seat.

 

Huh, I hadn't noticed until you mentioned it; I just noticed the speakers in the door . The sound in the stock system is actually quite acceptable once you adjust everything.
It's still hard to believe that all the stuff under the dash really requires that much space. I mean, think of how thick my whole laptop is by comparison.

 

The Venza costs more than 10K more, that's what you get for 10K more.

 

huh? Prius starts at $27500 Cdn. Venza starts at $28900. Maybe different in US. I think the Venza is a better value but that's what it costs to get into hybrid tech.

 

Clearly personal opinion, that quite frankly, I think is way off base. But please, buy the Honda hybrid. They could use the sale (have yet to see one on the road). LOL. The inside is smaller, cheaper and absolutley boring layout. Sounds like you will love it!

If there's any one attribute about the new Prius that most people - from car critics/reviwers to impartial viewers - all agree on, is that the interior design is 1st class. Personally, I love the layout, and a buddy of mine who owns a lexus says he actually likes the layout of my Prius more than his own car. Although not crazy about the exterior styling (which is usually what sells most cars).

 

Indeed I'm corrected on my original 10K difference post. I've been to so many dealers recently and looked at them because I'm tall and they have a bit more room. I saw dozens and never saw one below 30K. But even for 2 or 3K more that's the kind of upgrade you get for the money.

I think people buy the higher end IV's and V's and forget the car is a 23K car.

 

The Prius is a $18K car with a $4K hybrid components added to it.
So you cannot compare the interior of a $18K car to a $26K gas car.

 

I remember when our '04 came out & you couldn't even GET leather (special order after they came off the boat). Why? The marketing doofuses decided us Prius buyers were all card carrying Vegans ... and leather would be appalling. Then again, if you stuff TOO much leather in a car ... well ... there ARE a ton of issues there. Not even counting the animal rights people ... it DOES waste a lot of energy to bring an animal skin to market ... what with feed stock ... tons of grain ... tons of water wasted ... so that what ... we can line our transportation with it? Hmmm .
Now, here we are complaining about plastic versus what ... "naugahyde" ... most leather interiors now days only have leather 'panels' ... and a significant part of the 'non-leather' panels blended in ARE naugahyde ... ie; FAKE leather. And guess what fake leather is ... plastic.

Remember when auto marketing would glue naugahyde onto car roofs? ... because it was a 'cool' look?



Oh wait ... they called it "Landau". Yea, that sounds better than a roof with 'Glued on plastic" (shaking head). Then it starts to fade ... wear ... and peal. Hoe boy! Now THAT's a good look ... a shag carpet roof. But that's ok ... it's working for some folks. Sorry, but it strikes me as funny when we 'think' of different junk as 'better' or 'worse' ... looks more 'cheep' or 'expensive'. This is why there'll always be marketing ... and the 'ad man' ... pandering to our vanity ... 'oh ~ what will others think if I choose laminate kitchen counters over granite' ... or 'I need real wide tires ... & a base in my car that'll effect the richter scale'. Bottom line is we all have different style ... taste ... reactions to 'things'. Still I respect your right to 'think' plastic is cheep.

now I gotta get back to sealing our granite counter tops

.

 

LOL. You gotta be kidding.

Lets see:

(1) $3K-$4K hybrid battery, and control module.
(2) Very unique transmission that integrates gas engine with electric motor...God only knows how much that would cost. My 3rd transmission on my Honda Odyssee cost $3K...and there was NOTHING special about that tranny.
(3) Several redundant systems on the Prius (such as cooling, regenerative braking system, etc)
(4) Most electronically advanced/sophisticated car I have ever owned...including Porche 911, Jag and BMW 3-series.

By the way, a lot of what we perceive as "cheap", is, I'm sure Toyota's attempt to: (1) Keep weight down and (2) Keep prices down....small cars have limited mass appeal when their price tag approaches or exceeds $30K.

 

For those of you who park in the hot sun all day. After a few years. Does the Prius dash crack? I think cracking is the ultimate bad thing. I don't care how expensive a dash is, if it is cracked it is worse than cheap. I rather have a cheap looking dash that do not crack.

 

Thank You!!!

Ah, the car I dream about every night. Just looking at it, I can see myself behind the wheel gliding along the highway, smelling the soft and rich feeling Corinthian Leather and listening to Ricardo Montalban on the radio telling me how special I really am...

Keith

P.S. Sorry, I guess I forgot to take my medication, again.

 

If you think the Prius interior seems cheap just wait until you sit in an Insight. Seriously, we looked at one before we bought our Prius and my wife (who has driven nothing but Civics for 20 years) *hated* it. Cheaper than cheap. Much less room in the cabin too. She couldn't wait to get out of it.

 

You know, when I read comments like this, the first word that comes to mind is - TROLL.

 

I don't think so in this case. He seemed to give an honest opinion of his time trying out the Insight.