Tech or Business Edition

Nice summary of the features of the various models. It may depend on how much time you will spend in your car. Your assessment seems to suggest that you are happy with the Tech Edition, which would be a lower cost for you. As you point out, you get the Aux Input and may not need the CD changer.

For me, I found that it was not easy to always have my iPod with me. Therefore, I use the CD changer. Since the CD changer accepts MP3 disks, you can make music disks that hold a lot of songs, plus you can see the song names on the MFD. You cannot see the song names with the Aux Input, and have to use your iPod to change the songs.

You may want to see if you can sit in both versions of the Prius to see if you can tell if there is a difference in the sound quality with the various speakers. A number of people on PC can probably tell the difference, I am not one of them.

Good luck!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(InfideNino @ Jul 29 2006, 06:20 AM) [snapback]294251[/snapback]</div>

What is "TMC"?

 

TMC = traffic Message Channel.
It notifies the navigation system of closed roads and traffic jams.
It works nice in The Netherlands and if you are a lot on the road I believe you will love this function more than IPA. Just my opinion: I would (and did) go for the Bussiness Edition.

 

What's "IPA"? To me it means India Pale Ale which is a strongly hopped lager beer. Might not be appropriate in your Prius.

Many people here have disconnected the JBL center speaker (the 9th, in the dash) because it just seems to confuse and muddy the sound stage, so you only use the midrange/tweeter set in each door. The bottom end is thin without a subwoofer.

 

Intelligent Parking Assist... as I understand it, it's a magical thing to maneuver into a (parallel) parking space. I think I like the idea of an India Pale Ale, though... sounds good on a hot day.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bill Merchant @ Jul 30 2006, 01:33 AM) [snapback]294511[/snapback]</div>

I had not heard of that before - how is it done? Can it be done with a switch someplace so I can choose when to have that speaker in or out?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(InfideNino @ Jul 31 2006, 08:08 PM) [snapback]294993[/snapback]</div>

IPA is available in Japan but I don't think anyone actually uses it. If you ever tried it in Tokyo, you'd have half a million irate drivers angry with you because it takes so long to park - and one of those drivers could be a Yakusa so I don't think anyone would risk it. I'd treat it as a novelty...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(InfideNino @ Jul 31 2006, 01:08 PM) [snapback]294993[/snapback]</div>

I have Intelligent Part Assist (IPA) on my Prius for a couple of months now, and I never really used it in any real-life circumstance, and neighter did my wife. We both have no problems in parking "manually", so why would we use it?.

However, it's a fascinating piece of technology, and it works well but a bit slow. I always show it to friends, because the "wow" factor is guaranteed. It really adds to the high-tech image of the car...

What is more interesting is that the "Tech" edition (the one with IPA) comes with a back camera that is automatically shown in the central screen if you put it in reverse. What it really neat is that, at any time, you see the target trajectory of the rear wheels in overlay on the screen, depending on the position of the steering wheel. That is a nice feature, and more useful in real life than the IPA.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(InfideNino @ Jul 31 2006, 04:10 PM) [snapback]295049[/snapback]</div>

Believe me, that comparison is flawed...
If you know how to park, it's easier, faster and more convenient to do it manually. Using the IPA is more work and takes more time.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(InfideNino @ Jul 31 2006, 04:10 PM) [snapback]295049[/snapback]</div>

See also topic 'TMC on Prius 2006 IPA' (section ' Knowledge Base Articles Discussion')

I'm interested in buying a Prius and I'm really facing this 'Dutch Dilemma'. The TMC option of the navigation system is the major 'road block' at this moment to continue with the pre-sales process.
The BE has NO rear camera, at least not as an Toyota factory or dealer option. I don't want the (expensive) CD changer (one CD disc can hold an average of 10 hours MP3 music), nor do I want (to pay for) the JBL audio system. I don't need the higher power output and (as 'Rand Reed' already wrote) the user opinions are certainly not all very positive.

The IPA option of the TE can also be used (see reply 'vtie') as a 'passive' rear view camera and that's very useful. And if the automatic parking works perfectly or not, in practice you can't use that most of the time. When there is some traffic, then you are nearly always blocking the road and will get very soon some cars behind you. In that case you can't stay there for 20 or more seconds, but you should start the parking maneuver very quick.

It is very annoying and frustrating that Toyota don't offer the possibility to buy a Prius with a camera and a navigation system with TMC. And buying the standard (Comfort) version and using a portable navigation system, is a very bad idea. Imagine: a luxurious high-tech car with a large and impressive MFD and then somewhere at the dashboard such a 'lousy' tiny portable system !!!
Note. When I would buy a rather cheap portable navigation system, TMC would not be a very hot item for me. But now I have to pay a lot for this integrated Toyota navigation system, the TMC feature exists (in the BE) but is not available for the TE model, even not as an additional option. And to increase my frustration (a little more): the CD changer (that I don't want or need) is available for the TE as an option (for € 543,- !!).

What I like to know very much is: are there severe technical reasons for this Toyota policy or decision (not offering navigation with TMC for the TE). Maybe that can make it a little easier to accept the current situation.
So, if there is someone who knows where the key parts of the TMC (hardware) are located, please let me know. And a description or explanation of the whole navigation system (hardware and software/firmware) including TMC, would (of course) be a lot more informative.
And what can be interesting too, is to know which manufacturer is producing the radio units. I expect that inside this Toyota specific equipment, there are a lot of 'family' properties.

P.S. For those who don't know what TMC can do for you: take a look at http://www.john2211.nl/forum/viewtopic.php...ght=presentatie. You can see there a nice map (unless you're driving in that area !!) where the yellow lines along the high ways indicate traffic jam. Unfortunately, the discussion is in Dutch.
But you can look at http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=16294&hl=tmc for some explanation in English and links about TMC (at the bottom of that page and in the reply of Feb 18 2006, 01:39 PM).