Things that annoy me

'Lectro, my curiosity got to me so I went out for a high-speed test this morning. 73 miles of freeway driving. I tried to maintain 75 to 80 mph (traffic permitting) and briefly up to 83. I was very satisfied (and surprised) at how "planted" the car felt, even with the rain grooves cut into the pavement.

And the steering with my 15" Toyo tires felt normal... very nice... pretty much the same as if I was driving 55. (I have them inflated to only 2 or 3 above the recommended 36/35.) It was a good test, and I got 67 mpg "from the flag" during that 73 miles. Can't complain about that!

 

Quite the opposite of my experience. What tire pressures do you have?

 

36 front / 37 rear. My wheels might be out of alignment, but I doubt it. I've hit a couple parking spot curbs. I also might just be used to my 2005, which had no steering feel whatsoever. I like light steering over heavy, so I'm mostly happy with the steering weight.

 

From another thread...

While this came from TOYOTA UK or Europe, it's one of the best descriptions of the improvements I've read.
THE NEW TOYOTA PRIUSTHE REBIRTH OF THE PIONEER
Thanks Alan. I found this part very interesting, since I always use the PWR mode:

"Power mode gives emphasis to acceleration feel.
The new Prius benefits from a drive assist system to provide a more responsive driving experience. The adaptive system continuously monitors the vehicle’s G-forces to understand driver behaviour and habits, a function activated when the driver selects Power mode. The hybrid system responds to the driver’s desire for more sporty performance, adjusting engine braking performance and throttle response."

I wonder how it monitors the vehicle's G-forces to understand driver behavior? G-forces???
PWR mode even adjusts the engine braking performance?

I don't quite understand it, but my Prius sure seems to drive better and perform better.

 

Link to article, above, provided by alanclarkeau. Great article.