What exact model Prius did I buy? #confused

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by RockDaMan, Aug 18, 2020.

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  1. RockDaMan

    RockDaMan New Member

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    Hi all, total newbie post here. First: I am super happy I caved in after 10+ years without a car and bought a car, again. It helps me to escape the NYC concrete jungle in the weekends.

    I bought a "2009 Prius" and well, assumption would be that this is a Gen 2.

    However looking at some spare parts online, and especially the replacement dash vents for a "2003-2009" Prius, it occurred to me that my start button is in a different location.
    But it is also not a Gen 3, since the shift-stick on my car is on the dashboard.

    Carfax says: production date of car March 9 2009 (location unspecified) and first put up for sale on March 31 2009 in Massachusetts, USA.
    I have a 1.5L engine according to CarFax / VIN report. So that seems to still be a Gen 2 given that Gen 3 has 1.8L.

    Are there multiple versions of "Gen 2"? I Know that Gen 3 was introduced in 2009, so the year "2009" could be either Gen 2 or Gen 3 I suppose?

    Please help!

    Some pictures to help identify my car: My dashboard looks exactly like this one (not a picture of my own car, but found this online apparently taken from a 2008 Prius)

    dashboard.jpg



    CONFUSION: See below, If this is for a "2004-2009" Toyota Prius, then it should be for a Gen 2 Prius right? But my start button does not sit in the position (see the red arrow below that I added)

    dashvents.png
     
    #1 RockDaMan, Aug 18, 2020
    Last edited: Aug 18, 2020
  2. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    looks like you have a Gen 2 based on what you described.

    Keep in mind that other parts of the world don't use Model Years like we do in North America, but rather when the car was produced. So yes, that means 2009 could related to the last of the Gen 2s or the first of the Gen 3s since the Gen 3 was launched around the middle of 2009.

    The last photo you showed with the vents correspond to Gen 2 cars and the arrow is pointing to the shifter location. You can cross-reference that photo with the stock photo you posted - that hole isn't for the POWER button but rather for the electronic shifter.
     
    #2 Tideland Prius, Aug 18, 2020
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    the problem lies not in the stars brutus, but in the websites purveying aftermarket parts...
     
    #3 bisco, Aug 18, 2020
  4. donbright

    donbright Member

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    #4 donbright, Aug 18, 2020
    bisco likes this.
  5. egg_salad

    egg_salad Active Member

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    The arrow points to the shifter hole, not the start button hole.
     
    #5 egg_salad, Aug 18, 2020
  6. RockDaMan

    RockDaMan New Member

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    Ah right! Thank you, makes sense. So I have one of the last Gen 2 Prius models from right before when the Gen 3 was introduced.
     
    #6 RockDaMan, Aug 19, 2020
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