1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

With or Without Wheel Covers? High Res Comparo Photos

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by priusblogg, Nov 19, 2009.

  1. priusblogg

    priusblogg New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2009
    24
    5
    2
    Location:
    Ca
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
  2. Boo

    Boo Boola Boola Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2007
    5,051
    481
    97
    Location:
    Flushing, NY
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    [IMGLINK]http://priuschat.com/forums/members/priusblogg-albums-without-wheel-covers-high-res-comparo-pix-picture3271-1.jpg[/IMGLINK]

    [IMGLINK]http://priuschat.com/forums/members/priusblogg-albums-without-wheel-covers-high-res-comparo-pix-picture3272-2.jpg[/IMGLINK]

    Nice!

    IMO, from a distance it definitely looks better without the wheel covers. But up closer, it looks better with the wheel covers because of the unsmooth, unfinished, fat lip of the wheel at the end of the spokes.

    Note: One of the mods should probably move this thread to the Gen III forums.
     
  3. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,767
    16,014
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I thought it's the opposite. It looks better up close. From that distance, the naked ones look tiny. The covers make it look larger.
     
  4. going red baby!

    going red baby! still a n00b

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2009
    610
    96
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Although the whole car looks tiny in that second pic compared to the one with the covers.

    I vote for no covers, caps.
     
  5. DarrenG

    DarrenG Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2009
    138
    11
    0
    Location:
    Hampshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Isn't this a moot question? If the covers are installed to improve economy, why remove them just for aesthetics?
     
  6. rachaelseven

    rachaelseven New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2009
    616
    211
    0
    Location:
    Adams, MA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Hardly moot. I suppose it could be up for debate, but given the 1000's of posts on the forum about buying the center caps, it certainly cannot be considered moot. Personally, I have no problem getting close to 60mpg on summer tires without the fugly (imho) covers.
     
  7. johalareewi

    johalareewi Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2009
    393
    44
    1
    Location:
    uk
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Do the covers improve economy? If so, is it significant?
     
  8. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2007
    10,664
    567
    0
    Location:
    Adelaide South Australia
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Because they actually make no or little difference to fuel consumption. It would be unmeasurable if it made any difference.
    I added chrome wheel covers to my Gen II and they did nothing for economy but cost me money. Some people like their car to look its best and will even spend a little money to do it.
     
  9. DarrenG

    DarrenG Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2009
    138
    11
    0
    Location:
    Hampshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Perhaps 'moot' was a poor choice of phrase. What I meant was that Toyota fitted these for a reason, clearly there must be some benefit to them being fitted on top of the alloy wheels?

    Why would they fit them if there was no benefit? The only times we normally see plastic covers are where they are fitted to disguise/dress up cheap steel wheels.

    I'm on the fence about the aesthetic benefits either way but I would be interested to know why they exist if there is no benefit to economy?
     
  10. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2007
    10,664
    567
    0
    Location:
    Adelaide South Australia
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    To protect the expensive alloy wheels from curb rash. Hubcaps are (relatively) cheap.

    Toyota claim they improve the cD figures but I suspect it is a minor improvement. They would have made the wheels look as ugly as they do with the caps but alloy is heavier than plastic.
     
  11. DarrenG

    DarrenG Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2009
    138
    11
    0
    Location:
    Hampshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Thanks, I can see the merit in protecting the wheels but are they more susceptible to damage than other alloys?
     
  12. chrisj428

    chrisj428 Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2009
    680
    144
    35
    Location:
    Vernon Hills, IL
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    I like both looks for different reasons.

    The wheel covers make the wheels themselves look heavy-handed, whereas the nekkid alloys look much lighter.

    However (at least from the two photos in this thread), removing the covers gives the wheels the illusion of being smaller in diameter. Of course, I'm a little biased, given that I have the 17s...
     
  13. rrolff

    rrolff Prius Surgeon

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2009
    1,610
    246
    0
    Location:
    So Cal
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    ??? They are to protect the alloys ??? What next - plastic seat covers to protect the leather :rolleyes:

    They're just a low cost trim that was added for "looks".
     
  14. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2007
    10,664
    567
    0
    Location:
    Adelaide South Australia
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Yes, and I don't mean this to sound discriminatory, but Prius is marketed to over 50s men and women.
     
  15. codybigdog123

    codybigdog123 Got Mad and Left in a Tizzy

    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2009
    239
    29
    0
    Location:
    Chicago, Il
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV

    Crap, so does that mean I won't find any hot chicks in a Prius? :D
     
  16. going red baby!

    going red baby! still a n00b

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2009
    610
    96
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    As soon as I get mine you will. :cool:
     
  17. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,767
    16,014
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Perhaps as higher speeds? I'm sure around town, it will have limited effect. It is true that the covers are there for aerodynamic purposes. Ideally, it'll look like the Civic Hybrid (near solid with a few small pie slices) but that looks rather ugly. The next best would be alloy with a plastic cover to get the design they want because plastic is lighter.

    Besides, what other car has owner-customisable wheels? lol
     
  18. DarrenG

    DarrenG Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2009
    138
    11
    0
    Location:
    Hampshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Is that true? Seems to me that will all the tech on board it'd be rather daunting to the older driver and much more likely aimed at a younger age range, perhaps 40+?
     
  19. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2007
    10,664
    567
    0
    Location:
    Adelaide South Australia
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    No it doesn't, my girlfriend has been in my car a number of times.
     
  20. priusblogg

    priusblogg New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2009
    24
    5
    2
    Location:
    Ca
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Voted No Covers at Store by Customers

    I had to get a flat repair so had covers on one wheel (rear) and off on other (front) and the unanimous vote was Covers off by regular non Prius people. We actually grabbed people off the street!

    Bottom line is, BOTH are ugly as sin..... AND its still a Prius. The only wheels that look really good are the Stock Package V's. AND even then, at the end of the day, its still a Prius. I'm not willing to shell out $1,000 for those wheels, and certainly I bought fro MPG, so eating another 4-6 mpg to have 17's seems very counter productive.

    Toyota has gotten a lot of flack for making boring vehicles. Hopefully they'll start looking at Tesla's 4 door sedan, etc., and get back on track.

    I love the car, but... its still silly looking, just 100 times less than the previous model. Honda's new C Coupe Hybrid is right on the money as far as style. So is Hyundai's upcoming Sonata Hybrid design.

    Toyota? Listening?