June 2020 review

bwilson4web · Jun 12, 2020

I didn't find a thread that collects Prime reviews. Regardless, this may help from a Tesla/Bolt/BMW i3 owner:

A little snarky, the source: Can The Toyota Prius Prime Surprise In One Lap?

Bob Wilson

Tideland Prius · Jun 16, 2020

We just continued on the 2017 review thread.

Anyway, this confirms my findings in my own review.

A Prius Expert’s Review of the 2018 Prius Prime | PriusChat

Someone who tracks their car or races will have a better idea than I do but based on my limited knowledge, the Prime's settles into a corner fairly quickly on initial turn-in. The front bound damper setting is stiff - great for the turn-in, maybe a touch harsh for certain speed bumps (the sharp kind, not the smoothed/rounded ones). It sits in between the Gen 3 (which felt like it was weak at the knees) and the 2016 Touring (which feels more like a sporty-ish compact car). Body roll is more apparent than the 2016 Prius Touring going into a corner on a downhill but it's negligible on an uphill corner. In either scenario, it's much better than my Gen 3 (I'm sure the solar roof didn't help the centre of gravity situation on my Gen 3). Coming out of a corner, the Prime feels more confident; it feels like there is greater grip in the rear tyres. Again, I don't race or do track days but I'm guessing it's a combination of the suspension geometry, the lower centre of gravity, stiffer chassis (have you seen the number of braces under the car?!?) and the better weight distribution (56:44 vs. 61:49) that results in what I'm feeling. I feel like the Prime can benefit from the larger 215/55R17 tyres for better braking performance and cornering ability but it will result in the loss of AER and possibly a slightly harsher ride. I suppose Toyota stuck with 15" because the US market is focused on EV range and this setup gives the best combination of ride and EV range while in Japan, the range is more than enough and priority is placed on handling and how the vehicle looks.
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June 2020 review

bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
Staff Member

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June 2020 review

bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

Tideland Prius Moderator of the North Staff Member

Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
Staff Member