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Prius 2 versus Prius 3 pricing

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by southjerseycraig, Jul 31, 2017.

  1. southjerseycraig

    southjerseycraig Active Member

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    There is approximately a $1600 gap in list price between the 2 and the 3. The 3 has some nice features, and I am wondering whether to go with the 3 when I trade in my 2010 Prius II. I'm wondering if the price differential is really greater than the list price. I would think that it would be easier to get discounts on the 2 than on the 3 because my guess is that there are more 2s provided to dealers than 3s, and so the dealers have a greater incentive to move the 2s. Any thoughts on this, or on whether the differences in features justify paying extra for a 3?
     
  2. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Well it depends on whether those features mean anything to you.

    • Automatic headlights (Two has Auto OFF only)
    • 7" Display Audio w/ navigation & App suite (Two has a lower resolution 6.1" display without nav)
    • 3-door Smart Key (vs. driver's door only)
    • Illuminated entry
    • SofTex-wrapped steering wheel (vs. urethane like your 2010)
    • Qi wireless charging (Androids for now. We don't know if the next iPhone will have it. It probably will)
    • Two-tone aerodynamic wheel covers

    Unless you really want nav or 3-dr SKS, the Prius Two is still better equipped than your 2010 Prius II with obviously the improvements and advancements of the Gen 4 (like standard TSS-P). I think BSM and RCTA were added mid-way through 2017 too. One compelling reason (for me) if I were choosing between the two is whether I want the AT package (HUD and moonroof). Automatic headlights and 3-dr SKS are features that I like (but it may not be worth it to you).

    So... I don't know your preferences but I guess, if you want the AT package, go with a Three. If you're looking at a base of each trim level, a Two seems well suited.
     
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  3. southjerseycraig

    southjerseycraig Active Member

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    Thank you so much. I am attracted by the idea of a navigation system, but does it really add much in these days of iphones (and, I'm sure, androids) that can speak directions? 3-Dr Sks is a nice idea, and 1-dr is clunky, but I have lived with it and can continue to unless there is something else that is really important.

    Aren't the radios different on the Two than on the Three, or was that just in 2016?
     
  4. pilotgrrl

    pilotgrrl Senior Member

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    I totalled my 2G Prius w/option package 9 and replaced it with a 2016 Prius Three w/ATP and TSSP.

    I had the smart key on the first one. If yours had that, you will definitely want to go for a model that has it. My 2G didn't have a nav, and it had the standard premium audio, there was no screen.

    Many people don't like Toyota's nav, but I do. I would be lost without it, as I moved not long after I got my 4G. Rerouting around traffic jams it's pretty cool, and it gets traffic data from the HD radio, no additional cost subscription necessary.

    The HUD and DRCC are must-haves for me now, I can't imagine how I drove without them. I really appreciate the TSSP, too. I paid for it, and it's not the full package, but I find it well implemented, without nagging, even at the highest settings.

    I do like the auto headlamps. The 4G has 3 door smart key and illuminated entry, which the 2G had.

    I could live without the moonroof, Qi wireless phone charging pad, and Entune, but I don't have anything bad to say about them. (I find the Qi charging pad a curious accessory, makes me wonder how many Japanese phones offer the feature. Samsung devices are pretty much it for Android. Nokia offered it on the late, unlamented Windows phone)

    Test drive a Three with ATP and see if the HUD is or isn't for you. Maybe that will help you narrow down the field.
     
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  5. 'LectroFuel

    'LectroFuel Senior Member

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    The One is $1200 less than the Two and only deletes a rear wiper and seat back pockets. I'm pretty sure no one would pay $1200 for seat back pockets. I'm not satisfied with my navigation or head unit. The JBL sound quality is good though. I'd go with the One (or Two if you need the rear wiper for $1200). The Three adds some nice things like Qi charging which is nice for Apple-haters (unfortunately I like Apple), SofTex steering wheel and console, Auto-on headlights, more Smart key doors, navigation with bigger screen. The One is a GREAT value mainly because of all the safety features standard. You'll be able to negotiate because Prii are not selling well.
     
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  6. some_guy

    some_guy New Member

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    I went with the 3 over the 2. Decision was based solely on my need for Nav and XM. And...
    I typically buy my new vehicles from carsdirect.com to avoid dealer hassle; however, I still visit the dealership to test drive. Got to talking with the dealer during a test drive, he offered to match the carsdirect price on the 3 (which was the same price the dealership had on the 2), so we took the 3 on the spot...
    Maybe see if you can leverage with an online car sales site.

    Edit: grammar

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  7. southjerseycraig

    southjerseycraig Active Member

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    Thanks for your comments, and I look forward to hearing from others. I know this is a stupid question, but what does the Nav do that Iphone "maps" doesn't do? I should mention that I'm in the north, and the rear wiper seems useful in snow or heavy rain. I don't think I'd go with the One for that reason.
     
  8. Since2002

    Since2002 Senior Lurker

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    Interesting question. NAV systems in cars existed before smartphones, and in their day were considered extremely high tech, and generally only luxury cars had them. Prius had built-in NAV as far back as 2002, but that was in an era when Toyota treated Prius as a technology showcase, for example HUD has been available in Prius since 2010.

    Back in the day, a few people (including me) used a portable GPS in their car, at a time when GPS was mainly used by hikers. My first GPS twenty years ago had only a crude map with major highways listed and didn't even have a routing function. Eventually portable GPS evolved to the same level as onboard NAV systems, some would argue they are even better. Smartphone apps for sure are better than onboard NAV systems.

    However onboard NAV systems have one big advantage, they are always there, front and center, ready to be used. Not everyone is comfortable fumbling around with a smartphone app while they are driving. And unlike a smartphone, if you want to see where you are, you just glance at the screen instead of having to reach for your smartphone and holding it up to our face

    Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is a nice merger of the two as it displays your phone's map route and upcoming turns on the MFD.

    Another disadvantage of using a Smartphone for navigation is that it drains your phone battery the whole time it's in use, so you have to make sure your phone is plugged in while using it. And if you were planning to recharge your phone on the way to your destination, the GPS usage will slow down the charging rate of the phone.
     
    #8 Since2002, Aug 2, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2017
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  9. hbark

    hbark Junior Member

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    I believe that the Two also adds the smart key for the driver door only, and a spare tire (instead of the tire repair kit that the One has)
     
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  10. 'LectroFuel

    'LectroFuel Senior Member

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    The One and Two have smart key on the driver's door only. Two Eco and above trims add the smart key on three doors. Of course with the Two Eco you also delete the rear wiper, but you get better MPG supposedly. The One does not have a spare, only a tire repair kit. Two and Three have a temporary spare.

    I'd use Google Maps or Waze on my iPhone all day long over the car's built-in nav.

    Google maps has predictive traffic that tells you the best time to leave your house. You can search places in a snap on your phone where on the car it takes minutes. The phone tells you when there is an accident, cop car, or hazard ahead of you reported by other people. I find the navigation in the Prius to almost be unusable. You actually have to type in the address word-by-word. It's extremely annoying. Why do we have to type the state?? The POI list is not nearly as good as our phones, which are always up to date. All this is why everyone wants Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the Prius.

    Cars just don't have good infotainment systems. They are simply not as good or easy to use as our phones. The only upside to the built-in nav is that it works if you have no service in your area and if you get the HUD you don't have to look at the screen for your next turn.

    The price from the Two to the Three is pretty small, so the Three is sort of a good deal because of the bigger screen, more smart key doors, and SofTex steering wheel. ATP is also available on the Three.
     
  11. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    It is different. The Two uses a 6.1" screen. The Three uses a 7" slightly higher resolution screen. (still WVGA).

    As for nav, it's a personal preference. I have a built-in nav in my 2010, a TomTom ONE New Edition (2006 model) and of course a smartphone.

    I use my built-in nav (deficiencies and all) because it's right there in the car and I don't have to plug-in my phone (using GPS on your phone drains the battery so it's wise to plug it in... preferably with a 12V car adaptor not USB as Toyota's USB is low-powered and you'll still lose charge, albeit not as quickly without plugging in, if you were to use the USB outlet).

    The built-in nav has clear instructions through the driver's side speaker (dashboard in my case, not the door-mounted speaker) and I don't have to mount my phone anywhere. The 2017 Prius Three has HD predictive traffic so it's a free service and embeds traffic information into your navigation. It's also a larger screen than your phone (7" vs. well 4-6" depending on the size of your phone).

    On road trips with a rental car, I will favour my TomTom over Google maps on my phone even though it's a smaller screen (3.5" lol). It has clear instructions and I can mount it in front of me like a HUD or mount it in the centre to allow the passenger to use it. Again, it saves battery degradation on my phone and if I'm the passenger, I can use my phone for other things like music or reading instead of powering the navigation system.

    But if you're the type that changes phone every 1-2 years, then battery degradation probably isn't a factor so go ahead and use your phone :).


    On the Gen 4, the navigation "upcoming turn" is displayed in the 4.2" MID so you don't have to look down at the screen if you need a refresher on where the next turn is. If you have a HUD (AT package), it'll display the instructions on the HUD right in front of you on the windshield.
     
  12. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    A very nice appraisal of the system, but I'm not sure that the Prius allow any facility to mirror link from a phone. AFAIK Apple Car Play and Android Auto will not work fully without buying expensive bolt-on kit.
     
  13. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    No but there are aftermarket solutions :)

    Beat-Sonic IF-02AEP Smartphone Mirroring Kit

     
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  14. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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  15. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    I missed out on the "expensive bolt-on kit" part of your message. Sorry. :(

    US$299 / £229 / CAD$378.
     
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  16. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    No problem. (y)
     
  17. WilliamP

    WilliamP Junior Member

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    The main reason I got the two over the one was the 2017.5 two came standard with Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (and emergency rear braking, and parking assist). I have used all of those features (minus the rear emergency braking) far more than I thought I would. I paid almost exactly $21,000+TTL. The threes seemed to be more like $2000 more ($23,000+TTL), and that did not seem to be worth it for the NAV and the rear hatch smart key (the only features that I would use at all). I'm also a little skeptical about the long-term prospects of the new Lithium Ion battery in the three.
     
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  18. southjerseycraig

    southjerseycraig Active Member

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    William P's last sentence particularly intrigues me. AFAIK, only the Two has the nickel battery, which is tried and true. Do we know about the reliability and longevity of the lithium battery?
     
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  19. 'LectroFuel

    'LectroFuel Senior Member

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    If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The One and Two have the nickel-metal hydride batteries and the Two Eco starts with the Lithium.

    I found this article: Lithium-ion vs. Nickel Metal Hydride Batteries - Lithium-ion Vs. Nickel Metal Hydride Batteries | HowStuffWorks
     
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  20. southjerseycraig

    southjerseycraig Active Member

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    Thanks for the article. I was feeling good about the Lithium-Ion battery until I read the paragraph about durability. I have never had the slightest trouble with the Nickel battery, so I'm inclined to stick with it.
     
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