I'm a serious shopper looking for my next car...a Prius. My lease on the '07 Acura TSX ends Dec. The Prius 3 looks like it'll be the one and my only concern is this scary hill-roll problem I've read about in consumer reviews. How serious is this problem? I'd appreciate your comments.
:welcome: to PRIUSchat. Just what is the alleged hill-roll "problem?" If you post a link to the comments that you have read, or quote the text itself, we can see what's been said, and then comment.
There is no "hill roll" problem. With the Gen III, if you press hard on the brake for a few seconds you will hear a beep which indicates that the brakes will stay engaged for two seconds after you take your foot off the brake pedal. This gives one time to get one's foot to the accelerator and give power to the car before it starts rolling backwards.
Even on the Gen II there isn't a hill roll problem. The Gen III has an improved hill holder, but the Gen II does pretty well. Tom
Frankly I don't even know why they bothered to put a "hill holder" on the car. You are allowed to use your other foot on the brake pedal, or use the parking brake like they taught you in driver training. As Rokeby asked, what is the alleged problem?
What I saw were two references on Edmunds.com> Consumer Reviews for the 2010 Prius. The writers used the word "scary" in describing their experiences at the top of a hill. But J.D. Power had this info in their review of the 2010 Prius: Additionally, a Hill Start Assist Control feature holds the Prius still on hills while the driver switches from the brake to the accelerator, preventing the car from rolling backwards. That's all I needed to know! And I got good feedback from the Chat Room. Thank you.
