There are many reviews of the Prius on the internet, so I won't bother to repeat the details that have already been mentioned. However, I'm going to point out several things that I noticed during my test drive:
1. Ride quality:
I test drove a Prius II with the Avid S33 tires. The ride is unusually firm for a Toyota. It actually felt a bit German-- firm, yet comfortable and well-controlled. It is definitely a significant improvement over the choppy ride of the previous generation.
2. Driving Position:
I am not impressed by the "new and improved" driving position. Here's why.
The driving position in the previous generation was similar to sitting on a distant park bench with a steering wheel that was a bit too far from the driver. This particular setup had the steering wheel either too high and/or too far away from the driver, depending on your height and your build.
For me, that driving position was perfect as it gave me plenty of room for my knees. I think the lower portion of my legs are quite long, therefore, on some cars my knees will come close to rubbing the steering wheel.
The new Prius has this problem-- my knees come pretty close to rubbing the steering wheel, despite having the seat all the way down. I understand that the new driving position will be better for shorter drivers, but I think the older setup was better for me. Still, it isn't a deal breaker as I fit fine, but I preferred the older setup. However, I must say the cloth seats in the new Prius are much more comfortable than the ones in the previous generation.
3. Improved drivetrain:
I didn't notice any difference. With four people in the car and the A/C running, the engine noise and engine performance seemed identical to the previous generation. The engine was just as noisy, and the performance, while perfectly adequate, was not any better than the previous generation. Sure, there's probably an improvement if you did the 0-60 test, but the improvement isn't noticeable at all during everyday driving. And this was with the car in power mode as well.
4. Steering feel:
It's still numb, but at least the steering now has a nice weight to it. The steering in the previous generation was a bit too light, and I appreciate the well-weighted feel of the new one. Still, I would prefer to have better steering feel, but I can't have everything, right?
5. Rear Visibility:
To be fair, I don't exactly remember how the rear visibility is in the previous generation. It has been a while since I last rented the Prius. I don't think it was great, but for some reason, the rear visibility of this new model seemed exceptionally poor to me. I could see out of the glass on the upper portion of the hatch, but visbility was very poor for the lower portion of the hatch. For me at least, the back-up camera option will be a must.
In conclusion, I think the 2010 Prius is still a great car. However, I don't think the 2010 model is a significant improvement over the last generation (2004-2009).
And for the record, my dad officially wants one. Great.
1. Ride quality:
I test drove a Prius II with the Avid S33 tires. The ride is unusually firm for a Toyota. It actually felt a bit German-- firm, yet comfortable and well-controlled. It is definitely a significant improvement over the choppy ride of the previous generation.
2. Driving Position:
I am not impressed by the "new and improved" driving position. Here's why.
The driving position in the previous generation was similar to sitting on a distant park bench with a steering wheel that was a bit too far from the driver. This particular setup had the steering wheel either too high and/or too far away from the driver, depending on your height and your build.
For me, that driving position was perfect as it gave me plenty of room for my knees. I think the lower portion of my legs are quite long, therefore, on some cars my knees will come close to rubbing the steering wheel.
The new Prius has this problem-- my knees come pretty close to rubbing the steering wheel, despite having the seat all the way down. I understand that the new driving position will be better for shorter drivers, but I think the older setup was better for me. Still, it isn't a deal breaker as I fit fine, but I preferred the older setup. However, I must say the cloth seats in the new Prius are much more comfortable than the ones in the previous generation.
3. Improved drivetrain:
I didn't notice any difference. With four people in the car and the A/C running, the engine noise and engine performance seemed identical to the previous generation. The engine was just as noisy, and the performance, while perfectly adequate, was not any better than the previous generation. Sure, there's probably an improvement if you did the 0-60 test, but the improvement isn't noticeable at all during everyday driving. And this was with the car in power mode as well.
4. Steering feel:
It's still numb, but at least the steering now has a nice weight to it. The steering in the previous generation was a bit too light, and I appreciate the well-weighted feel of the new one. Still, I would prefer to have better steering feel, but I can't have everything, right?
5. Rear Visibility:
To be fair, I don't exactly remember how the rear visibility is in the previous generation. It has been a while since I last rented the Prius. I don't think it was great, but for some reason, the rear visibility of this new model seemed exceptionally poor to me. I could see out of the glass on the upper portion of the hatch, but visbility was very poor for the lower portion of the hatch. For me at least, the back-up camera option will be a must.
In conclusion, I think the 2010 Prius is still a great car. However, I don't think the 2010 model is a significant improvement over the last generation (2004-2009).
And for the record, my dad officially wants one. Great.