This is probably and old subject and my search has not really come up with much. Are there any commercially available sub enclosures for the rear passenger area of our gen 2 Prius? The ones I find have been fabricated by some talented forum menbers. Don't think I'm versed enough in the ways of fiberglass to attempt something like that.
I don't think there are, at least not that would fit in the cubbies, if that's what you're thinking. A decent audio shop would be happy to make one for you, but I doubt anyone has a stock of prefab units they could ship on order. A few people have made their own, and fewer still have contemplated doing a small run of them. There doesn't seem to be enough demand to justify the time and expense.
There are a lot of these hybrids running around now, and just seems like a niche to be filled. I would like to have a little more base performance from my sound system. I can't be the only one, right?
Yes, you're not the only one for sure! Keep searching to see what others have done with subs: under the seat, in the back with a separate box, in the cubby, in the tool tray. Lots of areas that people have tried but I agree with "Hyo", there isn't any pre-fabricated enclosure. If you're adventurous, there are instructions available to make your own!
I've seen some very impressive installations on this site. Looks like I'll have to dig out my 'adventurous' hat when it starts to get warmer here. The sound system really begs to be tweaked. Don't want a fancy megawatt system... I'm thinking more in the direction of upgrading the door speakers and adding a small powered sub to amp up the sound a bit. Prii are fairly quiet cars, if you find the right tire for it, so it can be a decent listening environment. Guess it's homework time. :ranger:
If you could get solid orders for at least 20 units, it would probably be worth the effort of making a mould and doing a small production run. Sharing the costs among even a few people helps, but a DIY one-off is cheaper and easier.
JL Audio is famous for their "Stealth" boxes - custom fit enclosures for specific vehicles: JL Audio Stealthbox System But no, they don't have one for the Prius. Either cubby is perfect for what they usually do so I keep thinking it's just a matter of time but I wasn't about to wait. When I first started looking at options a local shop quoted about $300 to do a cubby fiberglass job. Add that they wanted about $150 for a sub to go in it and it would have been $450 or more (I'm sure they would have gone over quote!). JL's Stealth boxes cost at least that much, usually more. In the end I spent less than that including the amplifier. But to be honest I like the left cubby installs better than mine. - D
Three hundred plus shipping is more than most people are willing to pay. And for that kind of money, they'd expect it to look smooth and shiny, like a gel-coated boat, not lumpy and discoloured. The biggest expense, and the biggest savings for those willing to do it themselves, is in the time.
