Light Color Showdown (The Poll!): Wind Chill Pearl vs Cutting Edge? (Cast your vote!)

My pick between the two would be Cutting Edge. Silver will hide dirt and any scratches/imperfections the car picks up over the years better than white. Plus, not a huge deal, but you don’t have to pay a premium for it. But personally, I am going with Guardian Gray, if the allocation gods will be so kind.

 

I had this same dilemma. I wish we would get the yellow here, but it is what it is!

I liked the look of cutting edge in the initial release photos from mid November, but I feel like outside of the showroom floor, it will look somewhat drab on the street. It would be better for looking clean all the time, however.

I have my preorder down in white for the Prime, and after seeing the recent LA footage, I feel pretty validated in that choice. Just a bit cleaner looking, and I like the pearlescence of it.

 

I would choose Wind Chill Pearl. Reminds me a bit Bond's white Lotus Espirit

 

Technically no. I have my name down and my desired colour at a Toyota dealer and they issued me a blank agreement to get me into the system. They said they would call me as soon as they had more information to get my actual order in.

 

Depends on what you like and where you live. In snow country, white blends in too much and you might not be seen. White also looks dirty if you don't keep it always clean. In hot weather, white (or light paint) helps keep the car cooler inside. And it's easier to see it at night.

I can't help wonder if they had yellow in the reveal along with a sort-of-blue as a very subtle salute to Ukraine?

 

Windchill Pearl LE trim, $29040.

 

Man you would think all "standard colors" on the new 2023 Prius would be at the same price. So enlighten me.

What is the extra cost for the Wind Chill Pearl color versus a standard color?

Is Guardian Gray considered a standard color - no extra charge?

Maybe folks are jumping the gun here regarding color cost, unless price difference is showing up on Toyota website.

Lastly, a few years back a neighbor said take you front license plate off your Mazda MX-5 and it will look way better. Well I live in Maryland but said what the heck, two plates required but once front LP removed car looked a lot cooler. Also I was never pulled over. But if Toyota is going force that Frankenstein forehead LP facade on Prius I'm putting LP on front and back. I just think it look awful by itself and a LP actually might look better than nothing.

 

In past decade or so, owners who payed premium for Blizzard Pearl (another metallic white colour designation) had flaking issues. Toyota acknowledged the issue with other models, but not Prius. Likely just because complainants weren't aggressive enough; it was and continues to be a debacle. There's several threads on the topic here.

 

I'd be open to "cutting edge" or "windchill pearl", but would prefer the white-ish pearl if given the choice. I think it will be easier on the air conditioning, and also a bit more visible to other motorists. I've noticed my "silver ice metallic" (GM "cutting edge") Chevy Sonic stays decently cool in summer except when the sun scores a direct hit on the (black) steering wheel.

By the same token I'd be reluctant to get the glass roof because I think in summer it will overheat the interior of the car when parked outside. And in this day and age with climate change, every bit of sunlight reflected away helps.

I think dark colored cars are, by and large, a bad idea. Not visible enough, winter or summer. Too hot inside in the summer. Too unforgiving of paint imperfections and impacts.

 

Nice. Does that mean they're charging you just the base plus the paint, no markup?

As an aside, I wish Toyota would offer an LE option package with the larger display, powered driver seat and auto headlights. There's a lot of other upsell stuff I would not want, like Softex, SmartKey, glass roof etc, 19 inch wheels. But those three features are actually very useful. I've had the auto headlights on my Chevy Sonic for eight years now but wouldn't want to be forced into a bunch of expensive and heavy fuel-economy-robbing goop to keep them in a new car.

 

The gray is no extra charge according to Toyota's build site.

The pearl and red is $495, which is the normal charge for special colors in this class. Higher end brands will charge more, even though it is the same amount o paint.

More options and packages adds to the logistics cost. The higher margins on some of the extra goop also covers some of the cost of other features. If there was a package like you want, it may end up costing almost as much as getting the higher trim.

Your Sonic has auto headlights because GM sold it in Canada, which has a daylight running light requirement. The Prius LE likely doesn't have the photo sensor to make daylight to head light switching work. Which could be why it isn't for sale in Canada.

The LE does have auto off headlights. You could just leave them turned on all the time, and it wouldn't be much different than what you have going on in the Sonic

 

What I want to know is why they introduced the car with a yellow vehicle when that color isn't even available! And what a boring array of colors! I will probably go for red or cutting edge; I've had a blue Prius for 10 years, time for a change. But boy, it would look sweet in British Racing Green. Or a nice orange.

 

Colors is a concept Toyota USA is unfamiliar with.

 

Wind Chill Pearl is one of the Lexus premium paints, the other being Supersonic Red. Supposedly it will look new longer than the regular paint jobs.

 

Pearlescent paints generally require 2 or 3 separate color coats before the clear coat.

The $495 upcharge covers the extra trips through the paint tunnel.

The Tangerine Splash Pearl on ours was the same upcharge, and that is a 3-layer. These are not thick coats of paint so it's not as if there's more armor on the metal... I don't see evidence of any additional protection.

If anything fixing chips is a pain because I have to use a 3-color process to get it to match. Of course, that kit cost more than a 1-color.

Yes, we wanted the pretty orange but really a simple gloss finish would have been great. I'm really burnt out on these metallic & pearl paints.