TCI Media Release - Canadian Pricing

Also now up on Toyota.ca
2016 Prius Overview - Toyota Canada

 

AND, doing "research" for another topic, I read "the hybrid battery may not start the engine if its' temperature is below -30C".
Hmmm! So no winter use here! If we ever get back to real winter temps. I wonder if we could install a "battery blanket"? Fun with winter!

 

Shouldn't be problem on the wet coast.

 

My impressions are:

• There seems to be some inconsistencies and information missing in the info
• I can find no technical info on batteries on Toyota.ca. Its hard to imagine they would not allow for temperatures below -30C across Canada and equally hard to imagine they wouldn't make Lithium Ion available on the West coast.
• There are effectively 5 models

• • Base
  • Base with Upgrade Package
  • Technology
  • Touring
  • Technology with Advanced

• I can't imagine buying the Base without the Upgrade package as you get important stuff for little extra cost

• There seem to be some important things missing in everything but the Technology with Advanced but if you get that you lose the spare which is a big deal to me. Some of the other missing things are also significant (8 way seat and HUD). Some were very convenient and readily available in the Gen 3 line-up (Garage door openers and autodimming mirror).

Maybe the picture will improve as more information becomes available, information is corrected and (if) Toyota Canada makes some last minute changes.

 

No JBL on the Advanced pkg but US market have it?

Also, wonder will they have the preview like 5 years ago from Toyota Canada?

 

Ohoh, the Lions Gate Bridge is in the background of the picture...

 

No mention of battery type anywhere I could find.

 

It seems the one I'd want is the Technology with Advanced Package, and the price seems decent enough. In fact, I would have probably already ordered one by now, had I not lost my poor Prius Gen II last year. Maybe I'll keep my current (used) Prius Plug-in that replaced it until the Gen 5 Prius comes out... or maybe I'll buy a Gen III Prius Plug-in if they make it decent and reasonably priced.

The Touring looks decent, but is missing some of the tech features like head up display and blind spot monitor. And neither have a heated steering wheel. Boo!

As for the lack of a spare tire, perhaps it's partially a space saving thing. I note that the cargo room of the Tech with Advanced is 27.4 cubic feet, but it's only 24.6 for the other models. That represents an increase of 11% cargo space for the Tech with Advanced model. And what about cost? Does a tire repair kit cost Toyota significantly less than a spare tire? I'm thinking it would (parts, weight, storage), despite the retail cost of these things.

I didn't realize this but aside from the US base Two, all of the US Priuses have Li-ion batteries. Even the Two Eco has Li-ion.

However, the cargo space doesn't seem to be related to the battery. Some of the Li-ion models have 24.6 cubic feet and some have 27.4. The ones with 24.6 all have a spare tire and the ones that don't have a spare tire have 27.4.

 

Aren't both battery types under the rear seat? I'm not sure on that.

 

All GIV traction batteries are under the rear seat. The vent intake is on the front of the seat far right by the floor. The emergency shutoff plug is to the left of the vent intake. The owners manual now says "do not use except in emergency" or something to that effect. I thought it used to be used whenever someone had to work on the car. Too many calls to help get it connected again?

No rear cargo tray on this model either. I'll have to drop in to a dealer and have a closer look.
With the warning in the owners manual of "if the battery temperature is -30C or below it may not be able to start the engine", I wonder if some plug-in heater is being considered. Then again, there would probably be, what, two or three cars to worry about. Pearl S sleeps overnight in an unheated garage, which rarely gets below -10C, and I'm sure there are few if any who would have to worry. I think Tideland parked his outside when he was in Edmonton.

The fuel economy ratings are rather poor, considering what the Americans are seeing. The new Canadian govt. standard is very conservative.

 

Yes to battery type
Yes to cargo space and spare. For my use, I value extra cargo space but I'd strongly prefer the spare.

Yes to battery location

 

12 volt is under the hood on the 2016:

 

Sorry, meant both hybrid battery types.

 

You may be right but it's not clear to me why you are concluding that all models with spare have NiMH. Of the 3 US models with spare one is NiMH and two are Li-Ion.

 

They kept the TPMS for the Canadian 2016 Prius. In contrast, we don't have TPMS in our 2016 RAV4 Hybrid. I was sort of happy not to have BTW, since it meant saving 300 bux when getting our new winter wheels.

 

You're not legally obligated to use TPMS in Canada, as far as I know.

Ask TC Road Safety - Transport Canada

 

Yep. As mentioned, based on the US ones I might have guessed most of the Canadian ones are Li-ion.

Yes I know, which is why I'm a bit surprised they kept TPMS for the new Prius in Canada.