Gen 2 STILL a nice car.

With the smart phones today, I am not sure why navigation is even part of the car system any more. Your phone will beat the car system every time simply because it is always current and updates are.... wait for it.... FREE!

I get that it was not the case in '06, but today, why even consider a nav system in a car a feature. I would consider it a useless cost. My Android phone runs Wayz, Google maps, what have you. All great nav systems, all up do the minute with traffic and detours (especially Wayz). Wayz has user participation system where I get wanred by other users of police, road hazards, etc. A built in nav system will not do that, unless it's in the Tesla. It will take conventional auto manufacturers 30 years to get to anything resembling Wayz.

So if I were buying a new car today, I would insist it had no nav. I would also skip the infotainment for the same reason. Just give me a good way to connect my phone to a relatively dumb audio system (bluetooth, amplifier and maybe an aux input) and I am good.

 

With all due respect to the first Prius. The sedan.
The iconic, groundbreaking Prius was the Gen 2. We aren't where we are today without that vehicle.

I started considering, evaluating hybrids and Prius, right at the end of the Gen 2, right before the introduction of the Gen 3. I think the Gen 3, has undeniable improvements. It was evolution we see continued and built on today with the Gen 4.
I'm thinking of Gen 3 not having the sometimes problematic gas bladder, and I'm also looking at the heat reclamation system that divorces the Gen 3 from having to have a coolant thermos.
But there also was shrinkage of the size of components in the entire HSD system, a beltless engine, and numerous other improvements and refinements.
You can't stop evolution.

That all being said, there's an Iron Horse, heart of the original that only Gen 2 can lay claim.
Back in 2009-2010, I almost bought one of the last Gen 2, and only whimped out, mostly out of curiosity in wanting to see what the Gen 3 would present.
But I have no doubt, had I bought one of the last outgoing Gen 2's that I would of been very happy. It was a model that "Made" Prius the success it became, it had been produced long enough to have bugs and defects discoverd and dealt with.

It is the iconic, reliable, standard setter that I think every successive Generation of Prius will be compared.
Movement is towards less performance compromise, sexier looks, and more mainstream appeal.
But for my money Generation 2 Prius will always be a beautiful machine.

 

Even if manufacturers did #1, who is to say that the location they pick will work for everyone? Smartphone can be placed anywhere an individual wants. Some people like it on the left side near the A-pillar. Why not?

As I said, manufacturers need to give me a good way to connect my smartphone to the car's audio system and step away. I got music I like on there, I got navigation I like on there and if I want radio, I can stream that as well. Most radio stations today livestream their broadcasts and with a smartphone I can listen to them as long as there is cell service (which is a whole other discussion). So that center console can be greatly simplified and improved by deleting 90% of what manufacturers think is "cool" and giving us another storage compartment. For this I really like my Gen 2 with premium JBL audio package. Sound is pretty good, it connects to my phone via bluetooth for the phone (but not for audio streaming, unfortunately, but that's because of its age) and it provides a hardwired aux input to the preamp section of the system, which enables me to connect another bluetooth device to stream my phone's audio (or not) or a completely different deivece like one of my old school ipods. It's very flexible, gives me everything I need as far as car entertainment goes.

 

I like 'em so much I've got 2 of 'em 8^)

 

I had an 08 with 232,000 on it. Runs very well. I've driven (not extensively) a gen 3, and 4.
I think the interior materials wuakity is better in G2, and G4.
The gas engine is quieter mechanically in G3, G4 especially.
But the interior on the G2 is very comfortable.. I use mine for Uber.. and I am constantly having passenger think it's a new car.. the dash and layout only look dated if you have seen or own a newer Prius. Compared to most cars.. the G2 still has a very high tech look.
I tend to get low 40's MPG.. as do others I know with the g2. It's my location.. flat, and mostly stoplight to 60+mph. Usually more like 0-70+.
So I don't get to EV that much..

I've been on vacation up in Seattle, and have found I'm in the high 40's to low 50's. And the battery is in the green much much more.
That confirms my belief that it's the terrain that causes my lower than normal mpg.
Overall I really like the G2. And they are cheap enough where I live.. that I'd probably get another one..

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Are you able to compare Gen2 seat to Camry and Prius v?

2006 Prius easily one of our 3 best cars with 79 Ford Fairmont wagon and 96 Chrylser Grand Caravan. Could be the best.

3 mini-breakdowns here this week at the 12-yrs mark: dead Optima 12v at 7-yrs, dead tire TPMS at 12-yrs, and dead inverter coolant pump. Not too bad though. And you can use Prius Chat to diagnose everything yourself and DIY or semi-DIY where you buy the part cheap.

 

One argument in favor of in car built in navigation would be you won't need the phone's power to use it. My phone gets really hot when I charge it in the car, while it's being used. So if you had built in car navigation, you can drive for 8 hours and not drain your phone

 

Yes, that's a good point. But it only holds true for today. Tomorrow the phones will be different and probably better. And that's the heart of my point. Your nav device is not part of the car you keep for 10 years, but is a separate machine that is able to evolve with technology, the pace of which is much greater than the car ownership time frame.

 

My pet peeve is these ever-growing screens. Ostensibly for navigation, but also more-and-more essential controls are being relegated to them. I don't like critical controls being on a touch screen.


Ideally I'd like to be able to reach and adjust all essential controls easily, without needing to taking my eyes off the road. I much prefer mechanical, tactile, intuitive, well-designed and durable controls. I'm not a fan of a screen, that more-or-less totals the car when it fails.

Pant pant, wheeze wheeze...

 

I am in 110% agreement on this one. Touch screen is one of the worst user interfaces ever invented! Even on a cell phone I hate it, but I accept it for its ability to provide a multi-purpose device (phone, camera, address book, spreadsheet, web browser, etc.) in the palm of my hand. In that case it's a somewhat acceptable compromise. But in a mission critical application such as an auto control panel, it's downright criminal and dangerous. I get that it saves a lot of money, but in some cases that's not a good enough reason. My Gen 2's screen interface is about the maximum of what is tolerable to me and even that I have gripes with. Gen 2 does have many of the controls on the steering wheel with tactile queues on buttons and I appreciate that, but I would appreciate even more three friggin' knobs for the HVAC control (temperature, position and fan speed). Thank goodness my wipers aren't on the touchscreen (I am looking at you Tesla Model 3)! And horn! Let's make the horn buried 3 levels deep in the touchscreen menu

 

Oh don't say that, Toyota might read, and think "what a good idea".