Touring model has darker-tinted windows?

Howdy 1x1

The Touring Edition has exactly the same windows as the Standard Edition. The differences in Standard and Touring are not immediately apparent: Larger rims with different tires, a little longer spoiler in the rear. Other differences include a firmer suspension and different distribution within the equipment 'packages.' It's been a few months since I traded my '04 Prius for a 2007 Touring, but as I recall, the base Touring includes the HID headlights + fog lights where the Standard does not.

Even having had 2 years driving my '04 Prius, I test drove both the Standard and Touring 2007 Prius for a comparison. I preferred the firmer suspension (seemed to lean less on curves and turns), liked the 16" rims with Bridgestone Turanza tires (a little more rubber on the road thus more traction), the HID (High Intensity Discharge) headlights provide better illumination and a wider pattern, the fog lights are 'decorative' but provide very little useful illumination. I am pleased with the Touring Edition differences.

Can't be sure about Toyota's "marketing" photos, but probably they 'pose' the cars for the best overall effect. Window differences could be due to position and lighting, placement of floodlights or orientation relative to natural light. (I have a photographic background).

 

Hello again...

The Halogen headlights are fine. At the time I traded for my '07 touring, the MSRP difference in price was only $270 and I thought the suspension, rims and tires alone were worth that. Actually, with the trade I made, I believe the $270 was absorbed in the 'deal.' One positive on the Halogen headlights, the bulbs are relatively easy to replace and aren't expensive. A burned out HID bulb runs around $250, they do have a long service life but are a bit tricky to replace, I've heard.

Good luck on your deal...Sounds you have a good one! You're gonna love your Prius.

 

I have an '07 Touring. Here in the Southeast Toyota (SET) region, SET installs the "factory" window tint. It's 35% tint according to the front side window stickers. I'm very, very pleased with it and highly recommend anyone in the SET market add the factory tint option if they can. (I'd think the other regions are also good, but can't speak from experience.)

The two "photos" you mentioned are actually drawings -- "renderings" if you will. I've never seen a Prius with tint as dark as that on the Touring rendering. It's much closer to what is depicted in the rendering in the lower left corner of the page. The base model rendering is probably shown without tinting. Search my posts for pics of my Prius for an idea of how the tint looks in bright sunlight; it's somewhat darker in person, especially in normal lighting conditions.

The HID headlights are wonderful! I haven't been in a Prius with the halogen lamps, so I'm unable to compare the two myself. Others have noted that the HIDs offer better peripheral light and are somewhat brighter overall.

The pooh-poohing of the fog lamps is undeserved IMO. They add a nice right-in-front-of-the-hood illumination that fills in what is otherwise a bit of a gap in coverage. I haven't driven enough fog to have a good feel for their utility in that role.

Quite honestly, if you can get a fair price on the Touring, it's probably worth it. You can eat up a lot of the base model savings just replacing the oft-hated, usually short-lived stock tires, whereas the Touring's Bridgestones are for the most part pretty well liked (I'm happy with them). Unless you have a killer base-only deal or simply don't like the Touring's ride, you really should give it another look.

- Justifyd