Since there is no wiper in the back, how does it perform in snow and rain. Can you live without the wiper? With the gen 3 that window below the fun is always dry... But the back windshield always bothered me with rain and I can't see things clearly in my rear view mirror!
I too would like to know what folks that used to have a Prius with a rear wiper and upgraded to an Eco without a wiper feel. Snow and rain...? Thanks all
We are having heavy rain right now in the bay area, no problems here with my Eco, I have Lexus SUV's with rear wipers I have not used them in years.
Excellent point! I had a Gen 3 for 5 years. In rain I often didn't bother to use the rear wiper. In a light mist, it could get annoying because the wiper blade would skitter across the glass and make noise if not enough water had accumulated on the glass between swipes. This could happen even when the wiper was set on "interval". In snow, as long as I brushed off the snow before driving it was usually fine, especially if I turned on the rear window heater. I suppose in very heavy snow it might be useful. I wonder if there is some way to turn on the backup camera while moving forward???? Climate change may obviate all of this. Very little snow in the NE this winter.
The back window stays surprisingly clean as you motor along. Both the top section and he bottom section. If there is any utility to the wiper, to my way of thinking it is at startup to get the beads of water that have collected. The window cleaned by the wiper, is relatively small, however. As an aside, the front window has very well defined channels along rather side of it. Not sure why they were engineered into the design, but they might help direct the aIr flow over the back and help keep it clean.
It looks like the Chevy Volt doesn't have it either, I'm guessing for the same reason the eco doesn't, weight savings. This is the first car I've ever owned with a rear windshield wiper and I could definitely do without it. Rear defrost really takes care of snow as long as you clean off any snow first before getting into the car.
Forget about snow. The rear wiper just piles it up on the spoiler on Pearl S. Doesn't take long before you can't see over the pile. Who watches behind? You've already passed those idiots!
No, those idiots are passing me. That's why they are idiots. And because they are idiots, I try to keep a wary eye on them. Seriously, though, I like to know if there is any traffic behind me. If not, I drive whatever speed I want. If there is someone behind me, I try to go at least as fast as the speed limit on 2-lane secondary roads.
Sedans have even more sloped rear windows than they had in the past, and get by fine without a wiper there. I never turned the rear wiper on, and left it on. One swipe was usually good miles. The rear wiper is more important on wagons, hatches, and SUVs with a vertical back end. Moisture, along with dirt, accumulate faster because of the poor aerodynamics. That shouldn't be a big problem on the Prius.
This is true and the stuff really does work in the rain. I guess I should have asked or seen if anyone has experience with early morning dew that can coat a vehicle in some areas. Ie. not a full on rain and not snow..With the ECO is the rear window defroster with no wiper enough to clear off the morning dew and a light mist? Do the aerodynamics really clean off the rear window by way of the wind taking care of such along with the defroster? I'm thinking something like this: Thanks..
