Prius Four vs Persona?

I would want the best gas mileage of the two along with which one has the more options.

 

The 17" wheels will lower fuel economy slightly (approx. 2mpg) with the OEM tires but once you replace them with aftermarket LRR tires you'll lose 3+mpg vs. the OEM LRR 15" tire and 6+mpg vs. a very fuel efficient 15" tire like the Energy Saver A/S. Handling will be much improved with the 17" tire but ride quality is much reduced. It's tough to have your cake and eat it too.

Another option is to buy the Four and change to 17" wheels when you can afford to do so. The adjustable heated seats are rather nice.

So if you want max mpg then get the Four and stick with 15" wheels. If you want style points then get the Persona. If you drive less than 15,000 miles a year then the mpg penalty of the 17" wheels doesn't really hurt much. It'll cost you maybe $100-$150yr in extra fuel.

 

Just to clarify a point for other readers. The OEM 17" tires (Toyo Proxes A20 215/45/17) are actually shorter than the OEM 15" tires. The 215/45/17 is 24.7" diameter and the 195/65/15 is 25" diameter. Taller tires are better for fuel economy generally speaking and 17" tires are just not very efficient yet compared to 15s.

 

Sure. Lower profile tires are going to be stiffer, all else being equal. They do look nice, though, I wish I could have got those wheels on a Four.

The Four also has JBL, which is a nice step up from the base sound. Make sure you sit in the seats of both, and validate comfort, especially lumbar support. The adjustable lumbar was a big improvement for me.