Teen Prius???

Keep in mind that EV mode will be limited to 9 mph, or may even be completely unavailable, until the engine has warmed. I cannot get it at all when the coolant temperature is below 68F, which in my climate is about 362 mornings per year.

Hills should be irrelevant when deciding for or against a Prius.

The factory fog lights I've ever had were just decorations meant to be legal in states where real fog lights are illegal. Only the aftermarket fog lights (including a Honda supplied kit) were actually useful, but the standard projector headlights on my Prius are superior to the combined pattern of the OEM lowbeam and foglights of any of my previous cars.

I can't help you on a choice between IV and V, but suspect that a used GenII would be better. While my parents also give me a car, it was used, and I kept it until a couple year's saving from a real full time paycheck had accumulated. Most college students ought not be rolling up enough miles to justify trading cars.

 

I'd say yes. Why? Because I AM A TEEN and DRIVE A PRIUS. I'm 18 years old, love my car, and take absolutely terrific care of it. I'm proud to say I drive a Prius, save money in my wallet, and at the same time the environment (not my reason for buying a Prius by the way). I don't have a whole lot of time to comment on everything you posted - however I'll give some of my input.

The flat land is heaven for the Prius. I get the best mileage on flat land - and I can still squeeze out great mileage in hilly terrain (which I live in).

EV mode is good - but only once the car has had a chance to warm up for a bit. Say if you arrive at a destination, and you have to move your car an hour after you parked it. Jam the EV button when the car starts, move your car without the engine being turned on. I could go on and on - the EV is most beneficial once the engine is warmed up though.

I personally have a Prius II - as far as your worries about the Prius getting hot - I tinted my windows, and bought a sunshade - the car's interior is dramatically cooler than it used to be, and I honestly think this will do without dropping the extra X amount of money for the solar roof (sure, the sunroof is cool). LED headlights are also pretty neat - I've seen them once or twice on 2010's around town. I've just installed some 5000K HID lights and I get that "crystal white" effect. For the fog lights - you can buy a kit here on Priuschat and install it yourself for much cheaper.

You're doing yourself buying a Prius. Not only will you save gas, but you'll be saving TONS of money in maintenance costs as well.


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Best car ever. I've had my Prius for about a year and 3 months. Loving every mile

Any questions? PM me.:welcome:

 

If you are 6ft4, then testdrive before you do anything. There is some guy on here that basically bashes Toyota for the seat/steering-wheel design because he is tall and doesnt fit right. Others fit fine, even Jeremy Clarkson fit in it but you need to find out for yourself.

As for being a teen, no worries. It is great that some people from our generation give a hoot.

It also seems like you have some of the false stereotypes about the Prius judging on your post. Hills having nothing to do with it. The acceleration is peppy and can keep up with the best of them, especially at low speeds. It is stable at over 100mph driving through mountain passes.

 

I'm in my mid 20s but get mistaken for a teenager all the time (the damn Asian genes). Young people driving the Prius is uber cool. Especially when you trick it out.

If you are into making the Prius 'your own' and doing some mods, I suggest you buy the lowest trim you feel comfortable and then upgrade certain parts yourself. It will look cooler and might be cheaper. For example if you ditch the V you can install your own aftermarket 17" alloys and lower the car. You might feel a little more guilty if you paid for the V but still wanted aftermarket rims; you'd be wasting the stock wheels. Of course there are some cool OEM features (mostly interior) that no mod could replace.

 

If I was a parent, I'd get my kid a Prius over a Civic. Just because it'll be harder to do "stupid" things in one like illegally street racing and showing off.

 

The Prius is less effected by hills than other cars, I some times get a 'natural pulse and glide' effect that increases my mileage in rolling hills, but you do not need hills to do well.

I tend to believe the EV mode is a gimmick and that it is rarely wise to use. One exception is to move from one area in a parking lot to another.

If it were my teen*, I would stress watching outside the car. I might put cardboard over the displays until I was sure she was not too absorbed watching the car to watch traffic.

Thanks for thinking of all the Earth. This is advice I would give any driver, a teen just means you have more years to follow this advice:

Run your headlights all the time. Not so you can see, but so others can see you. It may cost you 1/3 MPG.

There are no 'unneeded' turn signals. Give your fellow inhabitants of Earth** hints what you intend.

Duct tape your friends mouth while driving***, nothing they say is as important as focusing on driving.

Your cell phone should be an inert block of metal and plastic while driving, turn it on when you get there.

* I bought a 1989 Corolla All-trac so that when my daughter turned 16 in 2001, I could give her a beater she could not make uglier, that would take her anywhere, and was the least sexy car on the planet Earth, but I am a dad.****

** those on their own planet may do as they please, if you are on this one, please signal.

***Mentally, if that works for you. For some friends it may need to be physically to train them not to scream when they see SALE signs or a girl with Daisy Dukes. Screaming in your car should involve immanent death.

**** My daughter is on the left, when the car was new.

 

You're welcome.

Anyways, a girl I used to work with ran her Civic into the back of an 18 wheeler - I'm assuming after a party. She and her friend survived, but Hondas aren't known to be the car that protects its passengers during a crash.

Now, if they were in a Prius V with the Tech Package, the car would intervene before that run in with a big rig. Some people just need the electronic nanny(Pre-Collision System and I'm assuming the Prius VSC+EPS works in a similar vein to VDIM in Lexus) to look over them...

 

I would say, wait a year or two if you can
PHEV Prius will be out
Volt will be out
The Leaf
Sonta hybrid
CT200H
Fuison
What will the new Camry Hybrid be like

If you cannot wait a prius is a good car for almost anyone

 

The best car for you is one that does what you need it to do. No one can say for certain if it's a good first car for you or anyone else. Is the Prius a good car? Absolutely. But does that mean it is the best car? Not at all.

I think the poster that mentioned getting a lower model and putting your own wheels & tires on it may have hit on something. Keep in mind, that the larger wheels and lo-pro tires can produce a little harsher ride but will usually provide better handling/cornering. I noticed this in a Maxima I drove, where every little bump seemed to cause the CD to skip with the lo-pro tires but it was fine with the regular ones (I sold the lo-pro before I had to buy a new tire at $200+ each). I also agree with the fog light comment by others. Altho, we really don't get much fog in my area but I did get the blinglight ones from the PC shop.

As many others have said before, try to see if you can rent the cars for a week or two. That way, you have time to drive around town, on the highway, some back roads, etc. Then you can see how it feels for you (esp being 6'4" - I'm about 6" shorter but am just fine in the car).

Good luck with the search!

 

If you are worried about safety, the V with AT package includes PCS (pre-collision system) that instantly cinches the seatbelts and prepares and applies the brakes if it it senses an impending collision. It works remarkably well, using the same radar that makes the dynamic cruise control possible (which is both a safety and convenience feature). It also has lane departure warning and lane keep assist. The steering assembly on the V is also a significant upgrade from the lower models, with a tighter steering ratio (at the cost of a slightly higher turning ratio due to the wider wheels). If you are coming from a mustang, you might appreciate not having to give up quite so much handling.

All that being said, there will now be a raft of replies that say that's too expensive a car for a teenager, but that's all relative to your personal situation. Of course, if you really want to outrage the penny pinchers, wait a few months and get the Lexus CT200h compact, which should have even better handling (same size wheels, better suspension).

 

What's with all this talk about safety? You should see accidents as avoidable not inevitable. An alert driver with good handling skills will beat any pre collision system.

Im not saying that that technology is superfluous but you shouldn't be weighing it in your decision. What does that say about your confidence in driving ability, hm?

I don't know much about the '10 trims but I would get whichever lowest trim has the navigation screen. The basic radio looks ugly and so 1990. Almost all else is upgradable yourself.

 

and don't forget to disconnect the VCS and ABS while you're at it...

seriously, if it works and is not intrusive, why not use whatever tech will help keep you out of trouble? OP asked about differences tween IV and V, so doesn't hurt to point out the other differences. If he's dead set on spending the bucks, i like the V over the gimmicky sunroof any day, with or without AT.

 

EV mode is mostly a waste of time. Pretty much everyone agrees it is either a total waste of time or somewhat useful in a few cases, but do not, ever buy the car because of that. It should not influence the decision at all.

 

(and no my parents are not helping me one bit in purchasing this vehicle, well i am tradeing in the mustang they gave me, other then that im making this purchase on my own)

Sorry...I find that funny....

 

That didn't prevent some kid from going 115 mph.