Hi folks, I thought it may be fun to start a "difference" topic to differentiate between the different models of the 2004-current Prius. Having now got both an '04 and an '07 I've noticed a few differences. 1) The '07 nearly always lets you go into EV mode from cold. This is great as it lets us get to the faster local roads before spinning up the ICE and means the drive in our neighborhood is nice and quiet early in the morning! The '04 point blank refuses to go into EV mode until the Engine has been running for a good few minutes. 2) The '07 has the facility to turn off the button beeps when you touch something on the MFD. The '04 doesn't. (And the disable reverse beep won't work for me... perhaps it's because it's a UK model?) 3) The difference in trim is astonishing. The '04 models had really poor plastic-feeling trim. The '07 has trim levels matching the US '05/'06. The newest '08 models (which I saw yesterday) have that lovely light beige interior... (I want!) 4)As well as the obvious difference between the MFD resolution, the dash and instrument panel is slightly different. 5) Wash-Wipe functions are different. The '07 seems to have continuously adjustable timings on the intermittent wipe, while the '04 has four settings for timing. Are there any other big differences? Nikki.
- Advanced front airbag system (w/ occupant detection system) - Tire pressure monitoring system - Tinted headlight covers - Chrome grille - Chrome LED brakelight compound - HYBRID emblem - New dashhboard/door capping material - Rear seat lowered by one inch - Engine ECU updated (for TRAC) - 4 new colours - Classic Silver Metallic (Tyrol Silver Met.), Magnetic Grey Pearl, Barcelona Red Metallic (Vermilion Red), Silver Pine Mica (Verbier Green Met.) - Higher resolution screen for models with backup camera - Two extra pins in the headliner - Different sized EV and headlight aim button - In the 04, the wiper doesn't wipe automatically if you activate the rear washer. It does on 05+ models. - cassette player has been removed - the instrument panel has been rearranged (the fuel gauge and shift indicator have swapped places) That's all I can think of.
Oh boy, this could be a long thread, as the OP is in England. Be aware, the car is slightly different there, slightly different in Canada (Tideland and I are there), and slightly different in the US. Then there are a "few" other countries around the world as well, including Japan, where the car originated. So we have "country differences" caused by what the local distributor ordered, "year differences", and "model differences". SPREADSHEET TIME!!!!
Yeah I had to keep that in mind when I was noting the differences (hoping that most of them made to the UK too...)
Yeah, some of those seem to be carried over in the UK too. What I find amazing is that the car is made in the same factory, isn't it? Oh how I wish we could have got some US spec models (only RHD) a bit sooner! (In my humble opinion some of the US options and Japanese options rock!)
And the funny thing is that we feel the same way about yours! (opt. Alcantara, headlight adjustment and EV Drive Mode).
