Gen 3 low miles or gen 4 high miles

I've got a Gen 2, a Gen 3, and a new to me Gen 4 Prime.

Gen 3's are usually really basic. The electronic features on the Gen 4s are, to me, next generation. They also don't have the issues with the EGR, piston rings, head gaskets...

The looks of the tail lights, the color, those are the last things on the things I looked for. Look at the Carfax reports, and track how many miles before the first oil change, then how many miles between oil changes. Toyota went to 10K miles between, and there were a lot of the cars I looked at that did the bare minimum. Look at where the cars came from - stay away from the rust belt.

Some of the Gen 4s are Primes - which have a different look from the rear. Maybe that's what your wife is talking about too.

 

I would go high miles Gen 4. The prime rear end has the "glass moustache" look that a lot of people dislike. I would buy the newest model you can.A lot of times the high miles newer cars have easy highway miles....as long as oil changes were regular.....I would go that route

 

Newer car with high miles will probably have more battery lifespan left, too.

 

can you estimate how many years and miles you'll want to keep it?

gen 3 likely going to need egr circuit cleaned and maintained, gen 4 should be good for another 50-100k.

for local commuting, you're likely not going to save on gas and maybe better off with a small non hybrid for service purposes

 

If you plan to hold it for a while, start with the youngest one you can afford.

 

Get the turd gen. Join the egr cleaning and engine knocking clubs, we re always accepting new members.