Test drove 2021 Prius Prime few days ago, questions...

I believe mostly what being in power mode does it make the accelerator more sensitive to foot input. Or maybe better to say eco mode deadens the accelerator's response to input?

 

Back when I worked at the Buick dealership (latter quarter of the previous century) a "salesman" was only likely to actually know about a few "cool" features a car had, how many cylinders, maybe displacement.

Salesmen at a car dealership are typically just that - salesmen - NOT experts or even well-informed "car people". Their job is to sell you a car - not to know anything about the car.

Two weeks ago your car salesman may have been selling vinyl windows, siding, or worse yet - timeshares.

That said, occasionally, you do run into a guy who is more about the car than the sale.

 

"2. Is there anyway to adjust steering firmness as I felt steering to light even when on highway"
The tires are pumped up hard before shipping so the cars are more steady when lashed down on the car carrier ship. The dealership is supposed to correct the inflation pressure, but either the set up guy isn't directed to do so, or he isn't given the time to do it. I don't think these cars have a caster adjustment. If they have it, a wheel alignment where the caster is set to the allowable max will be more "aimed" down the road.

"He did not even know the car had different driving modes"
The accelerator "mode" is completely different and separate from the propulsion "mode." Shame on Toyota for using the same term for completely different things. As noted above, the accelerator mode is how much giddy-up you get from pushing the accelerator pedal part way. The propulsion mode is about when the engine runs.

 

I have been looking at hybrids since 2000. That's when they first showed one at a local dealer. They had a rule that no salesman could talk about the car except the specialist, and you had to book an appointment to see him. I bought my first one in 2002 from a salesman who knew less bout the design than I did. Since then I've checked out every new Toyota hybrid model to hit the dealer's lot and in every case the new car salesman knew only the basics. The used car salesmen were even worse.

As an example of ignorance... When the 2016 model came out, I visited the lot to see the new generation up close. The sales droid magically appeared as soon as I opened the door and sat down. I took the opportunity to ask him about the car, specifically, what was different with this model. He went on at length about the new colors. When prompted for technology changes he told me (with a straight face) that this model did not need to be plugged in and that it had regenerative braking. I pointed to my car (the 2002 gen 1) and pointed out that it was a hybrid that never needed to be plugged in, and that it was almost 15 years old. He looked a little confused. Then he asked what make and model my car was. He knew nothing about the current models and nothing of the older ones either.

 

Sounds like a GREAT way not to sell any cars!

If a "salesman" can't to more thant point to a car, grunt, and maybe identify the color - and you need an unavailable "specialist" for more technical questions - every potential buyer should say "That's BS!", walk out, and take their $$$ down the road to a dealer without such a stupid rule.

 

Yes and yes, if you consider the Normal mode to be the median.

 

A lot of us here forget or take fore-granted that everyone already knows, Prius and even more so Prime have a huge set of nuances. Locality, driver style and preferences, seasonal and weather related, traffic volume, history data keep in and / or taken from the ECU's and probably more beyond those, that can and / or do change the cars behavior significantly.

It's true that there is not really any way to change Prime handling as purchased, beyond reducing tire pressure. Don't most dealers perform that "service" at the first 5k freebie? edit: at least here in the lower 48 or 47

There are mods that will help move the handling feel around to better fit a drivers preferences. One example and a decent place to begin is found here.
Aftermarket Wheel Fitment Guidelines | PriusChat

the other two I'm aware of are Lowering springs (used by most who choose to switch to 18" wheels
and TRD chassis stiffeners.

Maybe the poor sales guy was trying to remember about Charge Mode? which is around twice as fast as Level 2 charging. edit: or was boning up on Prime standard/options available in Japan