Screen display and acceleration

Hi Justin,

1.There are audio and climate controls (and nav and bluetooth phone if your package has them) on the steering wheel. No need to look at the MFD touchscreen while driving (once you learn the steering wheel buttons you can operate them by feel).

2. The Prius is rated to deliver 110 HP (I've squeezed 114 HP from mine according to CAN-view). It's not a muscle car, but it's pretty peppy, and has more than adequate power for freeway merging etc. Take one for a test drive. I remember being pleasantly surprised by the acceleration when I first test-drove one 3 years ago.

EDIT: I've never heard of it shaking over 70 MPH. Mine's smooth. Sounds like someone had a wheel-alignment problem...

Paul.

 

1) Most of the frequently used controls are duplicated on my steering wheel. I don't know if that is related to which option package you have.
2) My Prius merges better than my 2.4 liter Jeep Wrangler. Not a ringing endorsement, I know. But I've pushed it pretty hard at times. And some of the drivers around me acted surprised at the acceleration I had available.
2a) No. I've had the car to 80 and never a flicker. It IS susceptible to wind buffeting. That might seem like a high speed shake to some..

 

oh boy.. i never realized that im running 93mph that really comfortable.. but dont do it. i got caught!

in regards with controls on MFD, its a matter of mastering the buttons on steering wheels. you get used to it.

 

The Prius is very peppy. I just traded in a 6-cylinder that was VERy get-up-and-go-to-town and it does much better than I expected, every bit as well as any other four-cylinder I have driven (many - 2 Toyotas, a Mazda, & several American cars). It can get up and go with the best of them.

I'm trying to file down my lead foot. I love speed. Always have loved to go fast. I love motorcycles (sooo much), race cars, sports cars, roller coasters, pretty much anything that goes fast. Too many speeding tix for me. Pruis is good for me, in particular, because it inspires me to save energy. As much as I love speed, I respect efficiency and good citizenship. I can still hit it when I want to, but, overall, it helps me to see that every move I make as a driver affects my gas mileage. This is a good lesson for me. Is it possible that even I can be tamed? Time will tell. If not, I will still be putting fewer emissions out there and paying less for gas. Gotta behave, though. My insurance company is like the Catholic school nun hitting me with the ruler. OWWWW...bad girl...cha CHING.

 

Cajoled, coerced, browbeaten into submission, but...tamed? Oh, let's hope not. :nono:
How do you feel about downhill skiing?

 

As far as looking down to adjust the temp. Ferget 'bout it! Unless I'm woefully mistaken (and often I am -- I have a Camry Hybrid), with the Prius, all you need to do is press the Microphone button (on the steering wheel) and say the temp you want ("80 degrees"). :director: It's done, hopefully.

Same thing with radio, use steering wheel buttons or just say AM/FM1/FM2/CD/etc.

 

In addition to the steering wheel buttons, you can speak voice commands on some packages.
Regarding to stability on highway, the 2006 and later models improved a lot.
I would like to recommend you to do your own test drive.

Ken@Japan

 

I ran my 2006 at well over 75 MPH on major highways during wind and rain and never felt it was a problem. Even pulling out to pass a slow truck in the right lane was effortless and the car still had high torque.

 

Sam you have to post a pic of you standing by your new Prius.

 

I set my cruise at 80 MPH with no problems in my Touring Model. The crosswind out here can be a bear on the open Intertate, but for the most part the car is tight and handles the speed very well.

 

I've found that the Prius has, and still is, resulted in a gradual change in my driving outlook. I don't want to go fast nearly as much anymore in large measure due to the visual evidence of what it does to my mileage. I drove it on a 2800 mile trip in early January, and had it up to 85 at one point, cruised a good deal of the time at 75, and never experienced any shaking or 'out-of-control' sensation, but this is a car that just likes to take it easy. It feels good to cruise along at moderate speed in the Prius.....and also in my Tacoma, in which I've installed a ScanGauge so I can see what my mileage is at any given moment. I've not yet put one in the Prelude, considered doing so but think it would not be a spiritually sound move on my part.