My 06 Prius 5 biggest surprises... what are yours?

my #1 is the Navigation. I am so surprised how much I use it and how handy it is. I wanted the MP3 stereo more than the NAV. I thought the NAV would be fun, but not very usefull. I've lived in this city my whole life. I know right where everything is and don't need someone to tell me. Visitors to the car really dig it more than I do I think. Just yesterday my wife and I came back from vacation. We flew to an airport 2 hours away. We were hungry and didn't know where to go or how to get there. We saw an ad at the airport for what looked like to be a very good burger joint (Halo Burger). I typed the name in and it found several. Drove there and was dissapointed to find it was a drive thru only. There is no food eaten in Birdo. Grabbed something else on the way and it told me how to get home. No stupid Mapquest that gets you lost or have to keep the print out hanging out in the car making a mess.

I do agree...the voice sucks the big one. Especially with proper names like roads and citys....it needs to be WAY more precise. Most times it doesn't really pay to use it. I have never even attempted to try and voice dial. I'd rather just grab my phone. Way less hassel.

 

whats the hurry? isn't that what gliding is all about? you don't always have to use the voice activation..... I've been really happy with the whole NAV system and learning to search poi's while driving and finding the phone number there most of the time. If you are in such a rush go buy a porshe B)

 

I made my peace with it in 3 days, got to love it in a week. B)

 

Day 4 for me, and I'm still finding it difficult to overcome my 20-year habit of never, ever getting out of a car I've been driving unless I'm holding the keys in my hand.

 

i don't have an '06, but i do have the SKS and it's the feature i love the most! (well, aside from it being a hybrid). i've gotten so used to it, i feel awkward when i get in and start my old celica. :lol:

 

Hey, have had my 06 prius for a few weeks now (early delivery). Agree with the voice recognition problem you mentioned. Also like the smart key but the problem is not knowing where the remote for the gate is (attached to key ring with prius key in my bag) when I'm ready to drive off, then fumbling around to find it...am considering switching the smart key off (unless I'm trying to impress my friends!). Only ordered the car after confirming with Thule that they made roof racks to fit (two kids and their paraphenalia will NOT fit into the back for a trip away) but was horrified when the specified racks didn't fit! Toyota UK seems to have factory racks but the only options available in Australia are floor mats (and I'm still waiting for those to be delivered). Has anyone successfully fitted racks to theirs? Otherwise I LOVE the car and even my wife who is a technophobe thinks the sat nav is cool...although she's worried that reversing out of our driveway in 'stealth' is going to result in some pedestrian casualties!

 

SKS:

I have inadvertently left the engine running two or three times. I think it happens becase I hit the park buton rather than the power button.

The Prius will NOT let you lock the doors with SKS if the car is still on, and beaps to let you know something is not right.

Incidentally, the car does the exact same thing for a number of condittions. It ends up being something of a game to figure out what is wrong. The Prius has caught me doing the following:

Leaving keys in the car (multiple times, when both my wife and I have keys)
Door incompletely closed

Needless to say, I have wished more than once that the Prius would throw up a message on the MFD.

 

Uh key? What's a key? Oh yeah its that metal thingy I need to use to get into the house.
:lol:

 

I sometimes have trouble with the voice recognition. For example last night. "Home" ... "Setting 82 degress."

Maybe you were a bit too late in getting the car. The 04 & 05 Prius just had a quick beep for the prompt.

 

Got my Prius on Sunday, Jan. 1 and love it.

SKS - Love it! I got used to it in a matter of a day. So great not having to fumble around for keys especially in the rain.

The gear shift toggle and Park button takes a while to get used to. I did find myself using the toggle to put it into park a few times but that ended too.

I turned off the back-up beep and the seat belt beep. I drive around our nursery and get in and out a lot to take pictures and that fast beep got annoying quick. Was so glad I could turn it off.

The rear gate is easy to open with just a slight touch as long as you have your FOB (remote) in your pocket it works just great.

I have thought about turning my door locks to passive so they lock on their own after 30 seconds if I forget (which I do a lot) but here so many camplaints on here about so I am still unsure.

The two things that I really haven't gotten used to yet is 1. I, like another poster, can not see the front end and always end up parking a long distance from where I want to be and 2. The brakes make a little "stop stop stop" and the end of breaking I almost ways take my foot off the brake a little just before stopping to avoid this.

I wish the song title info on the audio screen displayed a few more letters than it does. It's not like there is not enough room for say twice as many characters. I know it's minor but still would like it more if it did.

I also wish there was a better sized compartment to store a few CD's a little better than stacked on top of each other in the center console or only two or three tilted in in the little spot under the stereo.

All in all I am so enjoying my Silver Bullet and also enjoying averaging 48-50 MPG on my 70 mile roundtrip commute every day. I love it!

 

Have any of you used voice commands for:
radio? CD? Satellite Radio? Changing from AM to FM? Saying "COMPASS" when you want to see a compass on the screen? Increase temperature/decrease temperature? These all work, and they are VERY impressive.

 

To turn off the voice command

This is from another prius user, I don't have a car yet so have not tried it

Menu
Setup
go to the 2nd or 3rd page of options (I think 3rd)
it is called something like "voice recognition prompt" or maybe "assistance"
turn this off

 

Ummm... for me thats my finger. I have biometric deadbolt on my house, SKS for Prius and RF badge at work. Only time I use a key now is to get my mail.

 

"Wow, like a bionic figure. NANANANANANANANANA"

 

The drawer in the center console! (I didn't know there was a drawer here!)

The Homelink! This is great.

The reaction of my co-workers!!

It rides better than my 2001 Chevy Cavalier.

SKS. Just touch the handle and the door unlocks! (I wish women worked like that!)

 

IS this available on an '06 #6?

I don't have a Menu button or a setup button on the MFD... I'd *love* to turn off the voice prompts for the phone, any tips?

 

Had my '06 for a day or so.

After reading about the SKS for 4 months, I am surprised how nicely it really works! Great engineering.

It's amazing, I don't find myself obsessing over the MFD as much as I thought I would.

Little surprises:

The drawer in the front of the console.

The clever use of space in the rear storage area.

A light and mirror on the drivers side

The adjustable shoulder anchor height of the seatbelt.

How quickly I would get used to having the steering wheel controls.