Great deal on a '15 or wait for the '16

Maybe so, but you're not going to get the gen3's center of gravity lower like the gen4. Plus you're adding weight with those suspension parts. And how about sound insulation? Gen 4 has 3 beat there too.

I've been driving like 2 miles to local stores in 30 to 50 F dry weather and can't get much over 30 MPG on gage. I think all gen4's have active grill shutters which should help. Anyrate, I wasn't excited sitting in gen4 at auto show, so just talking.

 

I, like the OP, am trying to decide whether to get a Gen 3 or Gen 4 Prius. However, my situation is somewhat different. I currently drive a Gen 2 (2006) Prius with 197 Kmiles. (I drive 20 Kmiles/year.) I expect to get a new car in the next couple of years, based on the increasing age and decreasing reliability of my current Prius.

The advantage of getting a Gen 3 Prius would be to get a big discount, especially if dealers are stuck with lots of the 2015s (as they seem to be now) even after the new 2016s start taking up space on the lots.

I have been pretty happy with the Gen 2 Prius, and so I am not especially motivated by the incremental generational improvements that no doubt exist in the two later generations. The only new feature that has really captured my attention is the suite of new safety features*, branded "Toyota Safety Sense" (which sounds better than "Geriatric Idiot-Proofing", which is what I would have called it). As I understand it, for 2016, I'd have to get the Model 3-Touring or the Model 3 with the package with the moon roof that I don't particularly want. But in 2015, it seemed to be impossible or nearly impossible to get TSS/GI-P.

The only other potential feature that I could get excited about would be AWD*, which apparently is not destined for North American Priuses. And I'm not particularly enthusiastic about getting a hybrid RAV-4 (which would also make me get a moon roof, which I need like a hole in the head).

*[In general, I believe that new safety features are the best reason to get a new car. For example, my 1994 Camry had air bags and antilock brakes, which were not available on my 1985 Camry. And my 2006 had/has traction control and the rear camera - not to mention more air bags - which were not available on my earlier cars.]

What I don't really have a sense for - and maybe there are others here who are more knowledgeable about this - are:
1. How much of a BIG DISCOUNT I might expect to get on a 2015 Prius (and there are 2 parts to this: the knowable fact as to what the current discounts are, and the probably-unknowable speculation about what such discounts might be in, say, the summer of 2016), and
2. What other incremental improvements (especially in Gen 4) I might not be paying enough attention to.

Thanks, y'all, for any clues.

Lew

 

In summer 2016 there will be no discounts on any 2015 Prius because they will be long gone. My guess is $500-$1000 off the 2016 but 6 months is a long time and a lot of things can happen.

Japan is in recession (again) and the credit market is going to pop. I'd decide at what point I would cut my losses with the old car and wait it out. There will always be "something better" on the way.

 

A pair of springs lowers the center of gravity. Not sure what your referring to here and supports are largely aluminum so the weight is negligible.

The active shutters do increase thermal efficiency but the normally only activate at higher speeds so i wouldn't think this would help the mileage for your short commute.

I actually like the gen 4, but going with the point of the thread, I don't think what's new represents enough value to someone looking for a new Prius right now. Not when 2's can be had for >20k. Paying full retail that's a different story.


iPhone ?

 

As far as I know, the shutters are closed when you start the car, then open once coolant temp climbs beyond some threshold.

 

My uncle upgraded to a gen3, with his old gen2 going to the son-in-law.

If you need a new car, and the gen3 works for you, it is kinda tough arguing against it if the price is right.

 

I am waiting for a gen 4 Prius, but will probably hold out until 2017 or 2018. I'm always a bit leary of first year of the generations.