Discussion
sherbertdip said:
I'm thinking about buying a 21 reg Prius (no I'm not a taxi/uber driver) so just popping to shops, odd longer journey, and odd trip to Netherlands and France. Does anybody have experience of these in terms of real world economy, comfort and general ownership?
We had a Prius plus from new in 2013. Cheap to run in terms of fuel but a a droning noise at motorways speeds. Loads of bits of plastic trim kept falling off and eventually got rid of it as the soy based wiring harness sheath used in the electrical system was much loved by rodents who chewed through the electrics causing £1000s to repair. I have a number of other vehicles - none of which have been invaded. Maybe we were unlucky but just Googling Prius and rodents will tell you more.Edited by arguti on Tuesday 5th October 18:53
I know a few people who bought the Prime version (I think that’s the plug-in one) just to get access to the express lanes here.
They haven’t had an issue, get used rain and shine but it’s just a vehicle. Not a bad one, as it’s decent in size, comfort and relatively generous in one the spec front. But it’s just a washing machine. My boss has one with close to 200k miles and it’s never skipped a beat. But doesn’t like it.
Just tires, regular service and make sure you don’t leave them in a dark car park, because that Catalyst will get stolen. There is a reason why they are used by taxi companies and Uber drivers around the world.
They haven’t had an issue, get used rain and shine but it’s just a vehicle. Not a bad one, as it’s decent in size, comfort and relatively generous in one the spec front. But it’s just a washing machine. My boss has one with close to 200k miles and it’s never skipped a beat. But doesn’t like it.
Just tires, regular service and make sure you don’t leave them in a dark car park, because that Catalyst will get stolen. There is a reason why they are used by taxi companies and Uber drivers around the world.
Go test drive one if you can (with an open mind) - the Prius from 2016 onwards is a vastly improved car from the previous generations on so many levels, especially in how it rides and handles.
I had the regular Prius hybrid from 2016-2018, and on 15 inch wheels, the ride was very comfortable. Nothing went wrong, no plastics fell off.
I also had the PHEV version for 24 hours and got about 30 miles from the battery once it was fully charged. I didn't find the driving experience was dramatically different than the regular hybrid in terms of ride and handling.
Powertrain in both versions is buttery smooth.
Both the regular and PHEV versions are ruthlessly designed for maximum efficiency. The flip side is that it's lighter and has less insulation etc, so road/tyre noise can be much more noticeable at motorway speeds (again, go test drive one to make sure you don't have an issue with that)
It's designed for urban use, that's where it shines.
Provided you are not looking to make rapid progress (in terms of flooring it a lot) and most of your journeys are at lower speeds in town/suburbs, the car drives fine. Yes, there is that silly droning noise from the engine if you do need lots of acceleration, but if you're wanting a car that you can drive rapidly everywhere, then find something else!
Regarding the risk of catalytic converter thefts and the Prius, thieves target the older models, not the ones from 2016 onwards.
The older versions (pre 2016) have much more of the precious metals in them that make them attractive to thieves, the risk to owners of the newer cars is way lower, plus the 2016+ cars have a different design too, so way more difficult to steal the converters anyway.
"Thieves are targeting the catalytic converters in older hybrid models, like the Toyota Prius, because the catalyst in a hybrid has a lower work load than in a non-electrified vehicle, meaning it is in better condition.
In more modern Toyota and Lexus cars the catalysts are of a different design and are not typically targets for theft as a result."
https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/manufacturer-news...
This is a useful thread on Prius Chat (and that's a good dedicated forum where you can find much more info from owners of the PHEV version, just go to the section that is for the Prius Prime)
https://priuschat.com/threads/are-catalytic-conver...
I had the regular Prius hybrid from 2016-2018, and on 15 inch wheels, the ride was very comfortable. Nothing went wrong, no plastics fell off.
I also had the PHEV version for 24 hours and got about 30 miles from the battery once it was fully charged. I didn't find the driving experience was dramatically different than the regular hybrid in terms of ride and handling.
Powertrain in both versions is buttery smooth.
Both the regular and PHEV versions are ruthlessly designed for maximum efficiency. The flip side is that it's lighter and has less insulation etc, so road/tyre noise can be much more noticeable at motorway speeds (again, go test drive one to make sure you don't have an issue with that)
It's designed for urban use, that's where it shines.
Provided you are not looking to make rapid progress (in terms of flooring it a lot) and most of your journeys are at lower speeds in town/suburbs, the car drives fine. Yes, there is that silly droning noise from the engine if you do need lots of acceleration, but if you're wanting a car that you can drive rapidly everywhere, then find something else!
Regarding the risk of catalytic converter thefts and the Prius, thieves target the older models, not the ones from 2016 onwards.
The older versions (pre 2016) have much more of the precious metals in them that make them attractive to thieves, the risk to owners of the newer cars is way lower, plus the 2016+ cars have a different design too, so way more difficult to steal the converters anyway.
"Thieves are targeting the catalytic converters in older hybrid models, like the Toyota Prius, because the catalyst in a hybrid has a lower work load than in a non-electrified vehicle, meaning it is in better condition.
In more modern Toyota and Lexus cars the catalysts are of a different design and are not typically targets for theft as a result."
https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/manufacturer-news...
This is a useful thread on Prius Chat (and that's a good dedicated forum where you can find much more info from owners of the PHEV version, just go to the section that is for the Prius Prime)
https://priuschat.com/threads/are-catalytic-conver...
I have an Ioniq PHEV which I believe to be similar, so try one of those too.
Very well equipped and very frugal when running on petrol (have see 80mpg avg on a journey)
Slightly less ugly than a Prius. It has a DCT do when using the engine it feels like normal auto and no constant pitch droning, also FLAPPY PADDLES!
Not particularly fun or quick although launching in sport mode is reasonably lively.
37miles on battery so great for commutes. Not had the Cat nicked yet and have left it in some quite edgy places.
My experience and others on the internet says it won't fall apart.
2 years old, no issues at all.
Very well equipped and very frugal when running on petrol (have see 80mpg avg on a journey)
Slightly less ugly than a Prius. It has a DCT do when using the engine it feels like normal auto and no constant pitch droning, also FLAPPY PADDLES!
Not particularly fun or quick although launching in sport mode is reasonably lively.
37miles on battery so great for commutes. Not had the Cat nicked yet and have left it in some quite edgy places.
My experience and others on the internet says it won't fall apart.
2 years old, no issues at all.
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