3Gen Prius cockpit looks very plastic/cheap inside

Love the gen 3, hated the gen 2 cockpit

 

Why have you posted in a seven year old thread?

 

A guy did a YouTube video on the issue with people buying a Prius. He basically compared a Prius 4/Prius 5 (3rd Gen) vs. the entry level Lexus hybrid. By the time you buy a decked-out Prius 5, you could have bought the Lexus.

The Prius is designed to shave weight wherever it can to provide better MPGs. That results in a "cheap" feel even if it is well-made. Many would balk at paying the $$$ for a high-end Prius when they could have an entry level luxury car hybrid (with slightly worse MPGs) for about the same money.