I took in the entire upper floor of the D.C. Auto Show yesterday afternoon, which included the Toyota displays...Praise God, my relatively weak back and legs held up suprisingly well for those several hours on and off my feet, much better than I expected. As usual, Toyota had its Test-Drive circuit set up around the downtown streets. One of several new Toyota vehicles available for the test-drives was the new Prius Prime, the most expensive and sophisticated of the extended-range, plug-in Prius versions (and, IMO, a relative bargain for its 27K base-staring price).

Those of you who have followed my posts know that I've never liked the Prius's driving characteristics or road manners, but did like the solid construction of the 2Gen model, and criticized the 3Gen version for its lightweight, Cracker-Jack-thin materials and hardware, which was designed to save weight (and cost?). Happy to report, the new 4Gen version is a substantial improvement on both counts, if one can get past the ridiculous exterior styling, which reminds me of a Halloween mask.

Under the skin, though, this is easily the best Prius yet.....solid construction, noticeably better hardware and materials then the 3Gen, solid thunks when the doors and trunk-lid close, relatively comfortable seats and upholstery. Sure, the controls, electronics, and video screen were complex, but that is the case with all Prius models...complexity defines the very term Prius.

The brief spin around the city streets, in stop and go driving, was not enough for a true evaluation of the car's road manners (and certainly not enough for an MM Review). But it was enough to tell that it has a noticeably more refined feel, a relatively smooth ride over the rough city streets from the smallish wheels and higher-profile tires (more vehicles today, IMO, should have wheels and tires like this), relatively good handling, by Prius standards, from steering-input at low speeds, good noise isolation (the electric motor, of course, runs quietly), and overall much better refinement than before. Except for the Freddy-on-Elm-Street exterior styling, Munchkin-rear-roofline, and the usual odd and complex controls inside typical of a Prius, I was quite impressed and pleased with the new 4Gen version. It's also my opinion that IF Lexus wants to replace its existing CT200h, this would be a good basic platform to use...with better styling than the Prius.

 

my only main complaint with the prime is that the climate control no longer uses physical buttons apart from the temperature. one thing you didn't mention was that the prime can only seat 4 people instead of 5, which i'm hoping has something to do with a bigger battery and not just because they felt like it lol... i say to my boss, "is there any reason to get a normal prius now?" and his answer was "if you need 5 seats." whatever, not like i'm getting one soon.

in terms of handling it's basically just like the existing 4gen prius, still uses the new "TNGA" platform so there's independent rear suspension for the 1st time in a prius. honestly this current prius is annoyingly nice to drive lol... i want to hate it (because prius) but it really is a very smooth and comfortable ride. also in a non-prime regular prius, over the course of a 28 mile trip including a mix of highway and around town driving i was able to AVERAGE over 72 mpg... considering the window sticker says it'll average 50 mpg i'll give myself a pat on the back for that.

to me the best thing about the prime (besides being a plug in) is that EV mode is ACTUALLY USABLE now, whereas in previous toyotas EV mode would shut off if you even blew on the gas pedal or went above like 10 mph. in this it'll stay in EV mode until 80 mph and can go "up to" 25 miles on purely EV mode. even when you floor it completely it'll stay in EV mode which is nice, at that point it just feels like a slow tesla i'll admit i had some good fun throwing the prime around the neighborhood behind the dealership in purely electric silence lol... if i were to get a prius it'd definitely be the prime, not that i'd ever get a prius...

 

it couldn't be any worse...



that might be the most awful looking interior i've ever seen.

 

Can't wait to see this car at the dealers. I've been eyeing the Volt, but not sold on GM reputation.

 

Oh, I agree it's still an eyesore....that wasn't what I was referring to. The quality of hardware and materials inside are a noticeable step up from the Cracker-Jack 3Gen version.

 

I've seen several new (or newer) GM products that, for a number of reasons, I'd choose over their Toyota or Lexus counterparts. Perhaps the best example is the latest mid-size Colorado/Canyon pickup, which, IMO, beats the latest Tacoma in several areas.

 

I know what you (and your boss) are saying, but come on. Would you want to try and stuff 5 normal-sized adults into ANY Prius?. While not the smallest car on the road, trust me.....this is no Chevy Suburban.

Agreed. based on my limited test-run over rough city streets (which, admittedly, wasn't a real test-drive by my standards), I'd say it's the best road manners I've ever seen on a Prius. The softly-spring 2Gen version, with its tall high-profile tires, had the best ride quality (and good, solid construction)...but its Roly-Poly suspension cornered like a beach ball.

 

C&D recently compared the Prius Prime Advanced and Volt Premier and preferred the Volt by a good margin. The opening line of the Prime portion read, "Let's get something out of the way right up front: The Prius Prime is unattractive. How something so graceless, gawky, and odd emerged from a company as conservative s Toyota is shocking. The design is so off-putting it's almost an anti car statement."

 

Well, like I said earlier, IMO, I agree it's definitely an eyesore. But, unlike the flimsy 3Gen version, it seems to be a better-constructed, better-driving one.

I'll have to withhold comment on the new Volt, as I have not test-driven the latest version....b it looks good out on the floor. I do have a review-request for the all-electric Bolt, and will do so if and when they are available in my area.


To be honest, I haven't been impressed with the overall styling of a number of new (or newer) Toyota products. Do you agree?

 

I doubt many would attempt it, but for families with 3 kids, it will definitely be a factor. It's the only real negative I see with the Prime over the standard Prius.

 

No way I'd get this over a Volt.

Yep. It was an interesting comparison test- I didn't realize how slow the Prius Prime is.

​​​​​​​http://www.caranddriver.com/comparis...omparison-test

 

I have my doubts about how solid the TNGA platform is. There were quite noticeable shudders reverberating through the structure when I closed the door, similar to the current RX when I sat in both at the NY autoshow last April.

 

I have not driven either the Volt or the PP, but I like the previous Volt styling better. The new one looks too much like other GM cars.

 

I drove it over some typically rutted city streets, and did not notice any structural problems. The interior hardware, in particular, seemed better than before. But, not, it's not going to be like a Mercedes G-Wagon or Toyota Land Cruiser in structural solidness.

 

That's really not such a bad thing. Many components in newer aircraft work through a touch screen. When the screen fails, it's an easier job to swap out the screen, then it is to change 3 or 4 controllers in the flight deck. There's bound to be some cost savings by throwing everything on the one screen, and just controlling the HVAC, Audio, Navigation and vehicle settings from one central point.