What I don't like about the 2016 Prius

There's silver on the gen 3 steering wheel I'm ok with, not sure why the diff, lol. Gloss white just seems jarring to me. Ah well.

 

While we're branching out here, I'll add that I don't love the horizontal swooshy thing that goes across the dash of the Gen 4 above the glovebox. The "tray" behind it seems useless, so I'm not sure what purpose (if any) it serves? I've gotten good at not looking at it.

 

i like the gen 4 cockpit much better than the 3. i think it's the best design they've come up with so far. the gen 2 and 3 had a lot more wasted space. and i don't like the small steering wheel buttons on the 3, but i haven't sen the 4 yet to compare. my wife's hycam has nice big solid buttons you can push with gloves on.

 

With the exception of the HUD and the multi adjustment power seat, There is nothing in the higher cost models that interested me.
But you have a good point. It will be interesting to see how fast Toyota responds and makes changes.

 

No. No, it truly wasn't.

I certainly like it better than the Gen3's flying buttress and craptastic graphic displays, and it's far more attractive than the uber-minimalist Gen2 vibe, but to say the Gen2 had more wasted space is just bizarre. Every nook and cranny had usable storage, all lost in the Gen4, with its middling single glovebox, ordinary armrest console, some minimal seatback pockets and door pockets, and virtually no under deck storage. My wife's still fiddling around trying to figure out where to put her stuff, and for some items there are no good answers. Looking hard now at one of those cupholder basket organizers to help out.

But back to the original point - the general dearth of storage aside, in what conceivable sense does the Gen4 use even its dashboard space better?

 

I believe the term you're looking for is "dust catcher."

 

Not sure whether this is mentioned earlier but car seems to have odd noise outside for pedestrians. So they notice car better. Check video for the reference( @6:00) :

Could someone confirm is this also in Euro-spec cars? Still waiting car to be arrived but already not liking this feature

 

Too early for me to not really not like something. However, an auto dimming passenger door mirror would have been nice.

LG-H901 ?

 

I never use the PWR mode on mine. It stays in ECO after shutdown. The Traction control shutoff is just to the left of the steering column.

 

Tesla also did the dark swoosh on either side of the instrument area. The new Prime, with its 11.6" screen, looks even more like the Model S, with their swoosh. Perhaps that is where the Prius designers got their inspiration? I don't like Toyota's version either. And when I finally sat in the car I disliked it even more so. I had no idea that it stuck out an inch or more and was plastic-y and hard. Totally useless and looks more like a knee knocker waiting to happen.

http://static.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/images/Auto/izmo/358124/2013_tesla_model_s_dashboard.jpg

 

Ok, after 90 days and 9400 miles I suppose I should be honest and admit the car is not perfect. So here goes-- I will share an unpleasant secret:

The windshield wipers do not automatically reset to the home position when you turn the car off.

I know, right?

Other than that, I have nothing to contribute on the negatives.

As for those who take issue with certain styling elements, I liken their reactions to those I expect many of us had when yoga pants first came into everyday fashion-- a great
shock at first, but something that over time one learns is rather acceptable (everyday normal). And a look that can easily be appreciated on its own merits once you become more accustomed to it.

That's been my experience, anyway.

 

Hey, I kinda like yoga pants.

Speaking of wipers, one thing our last Honda had that was dead great, wish other manufacturers would pick up on it:

If you set the wipers on fastest intermittent, they were intermittent when you were stopped, then changed to regular low speed operation, when you started rolling. This was great, exactly what I have to do, by hand, with our Toyota.

 

Side question to the video. At 1:53, he mentions that the front windshield is heat insulated. Does any one know of any Toyota references mentioning that? All I know is the lime-green Prius has special reflecting paint, but I don't think I've ever came across the windshielf reflecting infra-red. What about the door windows and back windows, do they have the same type of glass?

 

I don't even know what that means. If it is hot outside the car, the heat can't make it through the glass? Or is it UV filtering?

 

Sort of. Basically, there are tints that reject IR (infared) which is basically heat radiation. Some of these tints do not block visible light, at least not very much, so we cannot see them and they are OK for windshield use. I had some of this tint applied to my car's rear hatch windows. In this case, Toyota is probably including a similar material in the layer between the two sheets of glass that make up the windshield.

There are also tints that block UV light (glass itself blocks certain UV wavelengths) but UV is not heating the interior. Bleaching and deterioration of plastics is a greater concern with UV.

 

You're not helping.

Speed-sensitive intermittent wipers have been around on Mitsubishi cars for over 20 years. It's a great idea, I really like it on my i-MiEV. I wasn't aware that Honda did these as well, so I guess it's either not patented or licensed under liberal terms, leaving me to wonder why Toyota hasn't picked up on it.

. . . . along with deterioration of the flesh of vehicle occupants.