Hi! I'm a total newbie here. I'm considering switching to a used Prius from my (very well loved) Subaru because I'm finding I drive a lot more recently. It's pretty cold here in Minnesota, so I'm hoping to find a Prius with both heqted side mirrors as well as heated seats for more pleasant winter driving. Do you know if this was typically sold as a package here in the States? If so, do you know which base level or package this would be considered? I'm also wondering what to look for in a Prius. I've heard I should look for stability control, but I'm looking at 2008 models or later, and I assume this was a standard option. Is there anything I should absolutely check for in a used Prius? Anything I should be aware of that is quirky to the car itself? Thanks for your help! MichelleRx
One more question -- I am often in an area with tons of pedestrians and bikers. I've heard that Toyota was considering adding a fake motor sound so people could hear the Prius coming more easily. Is this something that ever came to fruition? I actually would be interested because I potentially see this as a problem when driving through the main University area. (my friend's dog recently was a quiet Prius fatality while walking on a leash, so I'm a little more nervous about this now; I've also been surprised by quiet hybrids as a pedestrian myself...)
Hello and :welcome: to PriusChat! Heated mirrors are standard but heated seats were not offered until the 3rd generation (2010 model year) and even then, they were only available on models with leather seats so you will have to add your own heated seats. VSC was made standard in 2007 (along with side airbags and side curtain airbags) so yes a 2008 and newer will have those features. The "Vehicle Proximity Notification System" will be standard on all 2012 hybrid models so you will need to purchase a new one if you want that spaceship-y sound. Umm, quirky, quirky... other than the dashboard looks like a spaceship? The 2008-2009 models will have a rubber bladder inside the traditional metal fuel tank to reduce emissions. This can cause some uncertaintly with the amount of fuel inside the car (e.g. the car says it's low on fuel and there's still 3 or 4 gallons left). The 2010+ have a traditional fuel tank without the rubber bladder so the "low fuel" light is a bit more "reliable". It also has a Distance-to-Empty indicator. Most of the TSBs and recalls were done on the 2004 and 2005 models so the 08-09 should be ok. Just make sure you do the usual used car checks (e.g. take it to a trusted mechanic for a full inspection and check all service records)
You're welcome! Note that 2010 is when Toyota did the full redesign so the 2010 and 2011 will look different from the 2004-2009 versions.
VSC was only included in option packages 2 and above. My parents and I have 2007 package #1's without VSC. I actually like not having it myself. I'm used to controlled slides in older vehicles without any traction technology so I'm pretty sure VSC would just get in the way for me. I've never gotten the car to side-slide.
