7 Seater Prius v video

Probably not as long as 78% of Americans are overweight - try squeezing a lard-nice person into one those three narrow separate second row seats. Besides, unlike in Europe, Toyota sells a number of vehicles in North America that can seat seven or more people.

The DRL issue is another matter. Why it isn't standard on the U.S. market Prius v - a small car with a now documented questionable front end crash safety issue - borders on irresponsible. Even the DRL on the Prius v for Canada does not meet the 2011 EU DRL requirement. Getting the EU-market combo DRL/front turn signals is on my to-do list - got the part numbers ... just need to arrange for shipping through U.S. customs.

 

Care to share those P/Ns and any harness/switch or stalk mods required?

 

I would rather get the parts in my hands before providing part numbers in case I got the wrong ones. The non-U.S. Toyota dealer employee who provided them was completely unfamiliar with the EU market Prius+ and there was a bit of a language barrier -- which, of course, was entirely on his end, LOL! Anyone with "a phone and a dime" can get the part numbers.

I was not planning to buy any OEM wiring harnesses - two or three off-the-shelf automotive relays will be needed depending which connection method I use and I will alter or fabricate wiring harnesses similar to what I did when I installed Scion IQ signal mirror covers last year.

 

The 5 seater is a NiMH battery behind the back seats and has the 150,000 miles /10 years CARB warranty.
The 7 seater has the Li-Ion battery in the center console and Toyota has not made any US car get the 150,000/10 warranty with Lithium Ion.

I am not expecting this to change soon.

You can just turn on the headlights and never turn them off, that is what I do.

I turned off the delay but 30 seconds is standard and 60, and 90 seconds ore options.

 

The EU market 5-seater also has a lithium-ion battery - located behind the 2nd row seats as in the U.S. 5-seater.

The new U.S. market Prius Plug-In Hybrid has a lithium-ion battery: http://www.toyota.com/content/ebrochure/2013/priusplugin_ebrochure.pdf

Yes, you can do that but 1) you will burn out a variety of bulbs and diodes faster, and, 2) having the rear taillights on during daylight makes the brake lights less noticeable.

I drove with headlights always on from the late 1960's until I had cars with DRL. It wasn't so bad in the old days when automotive bulbs were all incandescent and were cheap to replace ... not at all cheap and easy to replace are the light emitting diodes behind all those little buttons in a modern car.

 

I think another reason is due to cost. Most manufacturers charge ~$1000 or so for third row seats. In Japan, the price delta is $8000 between. 5 and 7 seater.
Toyota Prius v - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
There's probably some trim differences in there as well. But we know Lithion-Ion costs more than NiMH so the cost for third row seats could be significant.Toyota saw so few takers for the third row option that they eliminated it from the new RAV4. US prices for a 7 seater Prius v (lowercase v for the Prius v) could get into the low 30's. While we Prius Chatters might consider it, I think the majority of Americans will opt for the more spacious Sienna.

 

Fair enough. Don't be a stranger.

 

In my opinion, the Rav4 3rd seating option was not well advertised. But the main reason I think Rav4 did not do so well is that people looking for a 3rd row option were not looking for the Rav4.

The RAV4 SUV facade (bulky, high and heavy) is not a selling point for a family looking for a third row seater.

Between SUV’s and Minivans, we really don’t have a good option.
Car manufacturers really need to think about the real market base.
I read comments about which third row would fit an adult the most comfortably but,
honestly, how often do you see minivans packed with 7 adults???
Frankly, for me, the answer is NEVER.

80% of the time there’s one adult (me) and two kids in my car.
10% There’s 4 of us. 2 adults, 2 kids.
and 10% of the time I wish I had that optional 3rd row to drive carpools, soccer mates, play date friends and the occasional field trip. I want the option to throw kids in the back when the in-laws are in town and not have to rent a car just because we are 1 seat short. I want an Eropean MPV (multipurpose vehicle)!!!

I don’t want to be hauling around an SUV or a minivan 90% of the time for my 10% third row needs.
I want a car with really good milage, that weighs less and handless better

The Highlander hybrid has good milage for its size but the price tag outweighs the benefits of the gas savings and then there's the issue of the size of the car.

The average US family has 2 kids.
For those with a larger family that need the permanent and easily accessible third row, then the minivans are a great choice.
But the average family does not need an SUV! And most moms, don’t want to haul around a gas guzling minivan that’s also hard to handle and hard to park. Since there are really no other options, most families just bite the bullet and get the darn minivan.
What we need is a reasonable MPV with good milage, reasonable footprint/performance and the ability to pop up a third row in a pinch and put either carpool kids on the back or send the kids to the back when aunt Liza and Uncle Fred are in town.

Unfortunately our US market is stuck with SUVs or minivans. We really have no options.
WHEN are we going to see the multitude of MPVs that are common in Europe???
Family needs in the US are really no different than family needs in Europe.

It’s time to let go of my 2005 Prius.
What I would LOVE is that Tesla model S. Yeah... completely out of my price range.
so I really want a Prius v (lowercase v for the Prius v wagon) plus!!!

but until the Prius v+ or some other MPV makes it to the US, the Mazda 5 is looking more and more appealing.

 

I think the European needs and the US needs are a bit different.

Distances to be covered on a holiday are different, public transport availability as an option is different, parking availability in the city is different, street age/size is often different. Biking as an option is different. Even the distances to the relatives (on average) seems different. (based on impressions from around a dozen trips and probably a dozen countries over 40 years sample)

Not disputing your wants and needs, just doubting the US market size for a small 3 seater. I think Toyota doubts too as they have the v in a 3 seater available but decided not to offer it in the US.

A minivan is not for everyone but it is a proven need/want in the US at certain stages in enough families lives to be a popular seller. First choice to drive 70% of the time, no. But for enough of the time that that configuration sells.

 

My wife has a 2012 Mazda 5 which she bought specifically for the extra seats (six altogether), her usage being somewhat similar to yours. But there's very little cargo space with all the seats deployed, and if the seven-seat Prius v had been available here we would almost certainly have chosen that instead.

 

If you happen to be in Moberly, Missouri during Memorial Day weekend, I can show you our Sienna not-so-minivan with seven adults riding in comfort with more than adequate legroom and headroom. Seven full size adults would be impossible in a 7-passenger Prius+ and there would be no space behind the third row for luggage.

Our Sienna has more cargo volume behind its third row than our Prius v has behind its second row.

Our Prius v is plenty for many purposes but the Sienna allows taking only one vehicle on most outings.

I read recently that 40% of minivan sales are to older adults who have no children living at home. That's us and most of the minivan owners I know.

 

Hugh? Isn't the PiP Lithium?

Lots of stats show U.S. lard-nice person-ery is related to education &income - ie; folks who make less & have less education generally take less care of their health. Ergo the lard-nice person is less likely able to afford the v (lowercase v for the Prius v wagon) anyway ... and so Toyota wouldn't be marketing to that group anyway. It's just a thought. I know a few folks that are disappointed about only 5 seats in the U.S. and so some do go with another vehicle instead of the v. Seems a shame ... features folks would want, if Toyota offered it up, and gives me an idea for another thread.
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Maybe someone from an English speaking country who owns a 7-passenger Prius+ could comment about the usefulness of the third row seats. I have not seen a 7-passenger Prius+ in person but the brochure photos of the 2nd and 3rd rows seem to show the second row seat back touching the third row seat cushion and not allowing for any 3rd row legroom. The 3rd row seat cushion looks substantially higher than the 2nd row seat cushion and the roof slopes downward where the 3rd row occupants heads would be.

The official Toyota press photos of seven people who supposedly fit in a 7-passenger Prius+ include some very small children.

Photos attached.

 

I would like to see a video with seven guys between 5' 9" and 6' 1" in height in the Prius+. Sardines anyone? It doesn't look fun to ride with the second row seat back bolt upright and knees pressed into the seatbacks but it would be survivable for short distances.

I should take our Prius v to work and challenge three linebacker size coworkers to sit shoulder to shoulder in the second row and get the doors closed. I'm just over 6' tall, 180 pounds and only 22 inches wide at the shoulders. Three people my size won't fit in 55.2 inches of shoulder space without body contortions.

 

I own a prius + . Last row is for kids up to 10 years. It also have cupholders for them and and usb plug for tablet/phone.I bought it because when i go to trips, i take my parents with us for babysitting. So we are 4 adults and 1-2 kids. Cargo space in this case is too small, a THULE on the roof does all the job...
Needless to say i also have LPG system on the car...Wich is AWSOME . Because when we are fully loaded we get the consumption costs much lower then an empty Prius 2010 without LPG (normal gas).
I also own a 2010 prius. But i like the + much more...