Total Load Capacity Doesn't Seem to Match Interior Room

i've been on a diet since '04.

 

I think you hit the nail in the head there. This car was originally designed in Japan where the average weight is a lot lower.

Time for us to realize as society, we have a huge issue to deal with. No pun intended.

 

I had never looked to see what the car is rated at.

We loaded four adults [two well over 200#, and two in the 150# range] plus all our luggage; and we made a 4300 mile road-trip in March. We were very pleased with the vehicle's comfort, handling, response and MPG economy.

 

Many cars and "SUVs" are rated 800-900 lbs. It's clearly stated and not hidden. People should be able to do the match themselves.

 

The C6 Corvette has a load limit of 400 lbs. You might not be able to have two adults in this car.

 

I hadn't noticed that. Mine had a load limit of 423 lbs until I added 50 lbs of sound deadening and a 75 lb supercharger installation, so I guess I'm down to 298 lbs passenger plus cargo capacity. Fortunately, I find it easy to ignore those limits.

I did a track day with it and had an economy sized instructor in the car with me most of the day. The car was very controllable at the limits of traction and I didn't have any brake fade problems.

 

You should avoid doing a track day with your Prius loaded like that, other than that, no problem.

 

It is even easier to overload full size cars and SUVs. Their load ratings do not rise in proportion to their larger apparent size.

Remember the Ford Explorer / Firestone rollover fiasco that killed so many people more than a decade ago? Customers overloading their vehicles was one of numerous aggravating factors.

Ignoring load limits is very common, and it usually has no consequences. But if you are overloaded, don't also tailgate above the speed limit with underinflated tires on scorching hot roads for long distances. You will have no safety margin.

 

Stop carrying all those gold coins in your pockets, that you bought with the money you saved on gas, and you'll be OK.

 

To me, this is a Japanese vehicle trait (or rating practice). A Civic has a rated capacity of 850lbs. while a Jetta is rated at 1076lbs. Is this real or just the manner in which the manufacturers rate their vehicles? I don't think we'll ever know. My Volvo 850 wagon has a rated capacity of 998 lbs., 1110lbs. of which can be on the rear axle. Huh? Perhaps one rating is a safe-handling limit and the other is a structural limit or tire limit??

 

Has nothing to do with "Japanese" or any other extraneous excuse to hate or mistrust foreigners.

It's regulations. -American- regulations. Vehicle ratings must be done for the country you export to by -their- regulations.
The regulations (which are clearly out of date with reality) are based on a 150 lb "person". Ditto for aircraft. Still want to fly?

 

Hate? Huh?

If, as you suggest, the body-weight allowance is a factor, and if organizations like SAE/DIN/ACEA, and JASIC specify this differently, then the country of origin could be important since tests would be conducted with people (actually simulated people) of different weights.

Basing the ratings on safe handling with a full passenger/luggage load would make a lot of sense. This would explain the low SUV ratings where passenger and cargo loads are carried at a relatively high position. The epitome of a high load position with low chassis weight is the Honda Element with a load rating of 675lbs., but a towing capacity of 1500 lbs.

The low Corvette rating? Perhaps ground clearance?

 

Ok ok, poorly worded. Sorry if I offended anyone.

We should keep in mind the fact that the Prius is already very close to max. weight. That's why you can't have certain option combinations - it takes it over the limit. As already posted many "luxury" SUVs are even closer. Some of those "luxuries" are heavy! And the wheels! OMG!

I also have an FJ Cruiser. Just -try- to lift a wheel/tyre combo on that thing! Happy hernia time!

Anyway, the import regulations are what guide the manufacturer regarding how a vehicle is equipped. That and the market (desired equipment to compete in a selected area). The import regulations specify the weight to allow for each passenger. Those regulations are written by each country. As I said earlier, this also applies to aircraft, and even drug dosage. Wonder why one "xxx" pill has no effect and you have to take two to make them work?
And as I asked earlier, "still want to fly?"

So blame YOUR government, not some other patsy. Ditto for us in Canada.

 

I had nearly 1000 lbs. of family in the car for a short jaunt once. It wasn't pretty, but the two guys in the rear seat that totaled about 550 lbs. thought the legroom was fine. (The guys' granddaughter/great-granddaughter that sat between them didn't have much space, though.)

 

Below is the US regulation for labeling the load capacity of vehicles. The weight per passenger is indeed 150lb. and the "rated cargo load" is apparently whatever the manufacturer specifies.

49 CFR Ch. V (10–1–10 Edition)
3) ‘‘Gross Vehicle Weight Rating’’ or ‘‘GVWR’’ followed by the appropriate value in pounds, which shall not be less than the sum of the unloaded vehicle weight, rated cargo load, and 150 pounds times the number of the vehicle’s designated seating positions.

So, for the 5 passenger Prius model mentioned by the OP, the rated cargo load is 810-750=60lbs. The 5-passenger Audi A6 sitting in my driveway has a rated cargo load of 1212-750=462lbs. See attached label image. Knowing how these cars handle with load, I would say both ratings are realistic. It's just really important to know what your vehicle's ratings are.

As an aside (and off-topic) observation, the Audi's rating is more than many/most SUVs. The difference must be the much lower CG of the Audi, which suggest that emergency handling is a consideration in the manufacturer's ratings.

 

Prius will carry a heck of a lot more than what the sticker says it can and drive very well for thousands of miles. This is with the car loaded front to rear not all in the hatch area. 7 grocery carts full of stuff easily fits, along with 3 people, luggage for all 3 and a case of water It'll cruise down the Interstate at posted limits and still get 43 mpg tank averages.

Mike

 

Had 400+ lbs of horse and poultry groceries in the back split between the liftback area and over the lowered back seats to distribute the weight as evenly as possible. A friend could not believe the carrying capacity... this was when the truck was getting the brake line fixed.... the feed store guys laughed until I got everything inside and drove off....

 

I've had rental Prii stacked to the ceiling with 3 people & luggage in the car and it wasn't even close to bottoming out. They all drove excellent too. Prius can haul some serious weight. Seen a 2nd Gen in Wisconsin pulling a single sit down Jet ski. That'd be about 1000 pounds and 75 or so pounds tongue weight.

Disclaimer: you should never exceed a vehicles gross weight as posted on the door sticker

Mike

 

I just made sure there were no speed bumps in my travels - not sure I'd like being suspended with the tires off the ground when laden as such...