New Prius – everything you need to know
July 27th, 2009 Simon Rutherford
You may have noticed that we have introduced a Q&A section on toyota.co.uk.
This was partly inspired by the huge variation of questions raised by customers during the last few weeks. We also introduced a facility for customers to ask their own question, and these will be posted below, along with the answer from Toyota.
On 5 August 2009, we announced the introduction of the LED Technology pack option here. Check it out if you have any questions about this pack. For everything else, this is the place.
The following topics have already come up:
PRODUCT:
- Customisation: options, availability and costs (including audio; roof rack, cycle rack, towbar; leather)
- Difference between second-generation Prius and new third-generation Prius
- Wheel size
- Miles per gallon
- Satellite navigation
- Bluetooth and phone sync
TECHNOLOGY:
- How a full hybrid works
- Battery charging
- Battery lifespan and replacement
COMFORT:
- Heated seats
- Cold weather driving
MAINTENANCE:
- Servicing: frequency and costs
GENERAL:
- Delivery lead times
- Depreciation
- Warranty
- Road tax
- Insurance
Thanks for all the interest in the new Prius.
Tags: Accessories, Customer Comments, Prius, Questions, Specifications
I drive an ’08 prius. WIll this be recalled?
Hi Luci,
The recall only applies to third-generation Prius, which was launched in 2009. Here is our official statement in full.
does the t spirit come with a DAB radio?
Mrs Smyth,
A DAB radio is not a standard feature, but is available as an optional accessory.
ordered 4 jan 2010; delayed?
when do Li ion batteries come in?
David,
Li-ion batteries are currently being tested but aren’t expected to go into production models for quite some time.
I am considering the New Prius as my next company car.
The pre-budget statement said that electric cars would be exempt.
Will this include the Prius?
The Prius is not solely electric, it is a hybrid, so it won’t qualify for electric vehicle exemptions.
However, as a company car as the employee you benefit from a low 10% benefit in kind on which you pay tax, and the company gets 100% relief against profits for tax.
Hi Keith,
Ref a Prius as a new car. The 10% tax will stay for at
least another 2 years. I have a fully funded company Prius along with fuel which is provided and I am currently saving almost £200 per month on my monthly BIK tax bill compared with my previous VW Passat diesel.
Steve
Have you considered whether the fuel is actually costing you more in tax than it would if you paid for the private fuel yourself? That is often the case, unless you are doing high private mileage, and taking into account the fact that the Prius uses it so efficiently so paying for private fuel wouldn’t cost you as much anyway…
Brian
Hi, I took delivery of my new Prius on Friday and I’m very pleased with it with the exception of not being able to connect my Samsung G600 using the bluetooth connection. Any idea why and what I can do to fix the problem ? Thanks.
Have you checked the bluetooth compatibility here:?
http://techdoc.toyota-europe.com/Bluetooth/search.aspx
Thanks Brian. Looks like I’ll have to get a new phone to go with my new car
I want to know I order my prius in december 2009, but is it too late now to fit the LED lights with dusk sensor or LED PACK
Safraz,
You should consult the dealer from where you purchased the vehicle for an accurate answer on this.
Hi, I have recently ordered Toyota Prius. 2009 Model. and the delivery date is first week of March
I want to know does this Model also has the same braking problems or gas pedal problems like what is happening with current new modes, as Toyata recalling lots of its cars in Japan???
Muhammad,
Look at the front page of the blog for latest information on this topic.
http://blog.toyota.co.uk/
what are the features? is their heated seats? does it have a cupholder? that sortastuff. because i am doing a review of it . thx laurax
How can you be doing a review of it if you don’t have access to one to be able to answer these questions yourself?!
Their is four cuphoders and two plastic bottle holders and all sortsastuff, Laura.
Your readers probably don’t need to know much more than that.
I thought it was 8 year warranty
Jane,
Looking at the website, I see:
Five Year Hybrid Powertrain warranty
Three year / 60,000 mile mechanical warranty
Three year unlimited mileage paint warranty
Twelve year unlimited mileage anti corrosion perforation warranty
Hope that helps.
I have seen on the internet, that there is a radar based cruise control. Is this available in the UK, and If (as I plan to ) order the T Spirit, is this standard ?
Thank you
Paul,
Adaptive Cruise Control is not available on any Prius models in the UK.
can I put cycle a cycle carrier on a 2010 Prius?
Yes, roof bar mounted (including Toyota branded) or boot mounted (currently only from third party manufacturers). See here http://blog.toyota.co.uk/new-prius-everything-you-need-to-know/comment-page-1#comment-7922 for more details
I have some winter tyres for my Corolla Verso and was wondering if they could be used on a Prius; tyre specs are Firestone Winterhawk2 205/55 R16. Thank you
Craig,
The Prius is available with 15″ or 17″ wheels, so i can’t really see a 16″ tyre being of much use to you.
Can anyone help. I took delivery of Prius T Spirit last Thursday. Did not notice until this morning that the “T Spirit” lettering grade is missing from the back of my car. All I have on the left hand side is the lettering “Toyota”. Rang the dealer and he said it should be there as it is factory fitted. Oh dear…quality control at its best. How can the dealer miss it in the PDI as well? Any Prius owner having similar issues??
Thanks
I was at the Dealership yesterday, and I understand that it is new policy to omit the model number on all models not just Prius. This is being done by other motor manufacturers as well.
Hi MK
See comments from Phil Shenton below (dated 3rd Feb)
Thanks Alan and John. Your replies have re-assured me of Toyota quality and piece of mind for me. Shame my dealer sale person haven’t a clue of the new badging policy.
Cheers
I’ve heard that “hybrids” are town cars and unsuitable for regular motorway use. I do 12-15000 mile pa inc 6-7000 motorway. Am I better going for a 2.0 Diesel? John
Your question is obviously subjective, so no-one can give a definitive answer. “Better” can be measured in so many ways. However, a number of Prius drivers on online communities who do a lot of motorway driving are more than happy with the results, not only in terms of efficiency but also the smooth, relaxing drive that the Prius is.
John,
I think you partially answered your own question. You clearly believe that motorway driving applies to no more than half of your mileage, so you do most of your distance on “urban” roads which are more suited to a hybrid.
With mostly motorway driving, my father in-law gets about 60mpg out of his.
just bought a prius can i drive it the police say i can’t cause of the problems that have been found and my insurance will not cover me
Hi Barbara
Please see this post.
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) have categorically confirmed that “motor insurance policies will continue to cover Toyota owners affected by the recall of certain models”.
Well said Peter G.
I entirely agree with your comments and hopefully if other owners also take the trouble to add support the Press may begin to take a balanced view rather than supporting the mass hysteria that is being generated at the moment.
will a recall in uk happen for Prius brake pedal as requested in USA?
Hi Ray, please see this post which we have posted today. This is the latest information that we have – we hope to have some more next week.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do call Toyota GB Customer Relations on 0800 1388 744.
when will the front parking sensors be available for my Prius Spirit ?
Surely that’s a question for the dealer you ordered it from?!
Goodnesss! Your MD took a hammering on the Today Programme. In the interests of moderating the issue I’ve emailed this to them:
.
I have a 4 month old Prius. The issue with the brakes is that when decelerating gently, the car uses electric regenerative braking. On encountering a slippery patch, the car switches to mechanical anti lock braking. The driver feels a slight lurch and a change in brake pedal feel as this happens.
.
I found this slightly odd the first time it happened, but soon got used to it. It does not occur when braking hard because in that instance the car is using its mechanical brakes anyway. It does not affect the car’s overall stopping distance.
.
I’m not worried about having it fixed, and if offered a fix I would want to be reassured that the car’s ability to generate electricity from wasted braking energy is not compromised by earlier intervention of the mechanical brakes.
.
Peter Gledhill
Peter,
I was aware of this phenomenon well before I got my T3, basically the prius chat forums in US were buzzing heavily since January 09 regarding this topic. Also I agree with your view that this is something we can live with if regeneration capacity is compromised when fixed.
However, Toyota Motor Corp. spokeswoman Ririko Takeuchi’s admission that they discovered (and fixed) an issue with ABS makes me wonder whether there was another issue. Furthermore, during snow last month, I did notice that ABS was not as effective as it should be, certainly my parners 3 yr old nissan micra seem to be much better. So I think what we require is a proper clarification from Toyota UK regarding this.
I do however understand Toyota UK would be overwhelmed with support issues these days when every dick & harry who wanted to get at Toyota (for making superb cars like the Prius) seem to be making a big fuzz over the recall.
Thanks
Jay
Jay, as you say, it’s typical of modern journalism to give the hype but not the facts. I’ve read at least one article that says the problem is exactly as I’ve described, but others that are much less clear.
.
Performance in snow is probably not the best comparison of anti lock systems as snow introduces several confounding factors. I have to say that when braking hard, the Prius has the most powerful brakes of any vehicle I’ve driven.
Is there any news regarding the update of the navigation data on the new Prius?
Hi Al,
Yes, there is. An update has been released and should be available to drivers soon. For more information, please see here.
Very interested in the PRIUS but very disapointed when I read that in EV MODE and with a fully charged battery is onlt 1.2 miles. Is there any method to increase this distance. Surely this is a priority city millage with zero immisions.A lovely car but to expensive reduce spefication alittle offer them as extras and I would buy one tomorrow
You need the new plug in prius which has just been released but only a limited number in the UK for evaluation.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/car-manufacturers/toyota/6833552/Toyota-Plug-In-Prius-review.html
Or you could get a gen2 prius and a third party after market conversion (for example)
http://www.reuk.co.uk/Amberjac-Plug-in-Prius.htm
Can you have CRUISE CONTROL fitted to a PRIUS T3 by a dealer and hoe much would it cost.
MR ROY ENOCH,
The Prius brochure states that cruise control is not available on the Prius T3.
I am worry about the problems toyota is having and the braking problems on the prius
Hi Aston,
All the latest information on this can be found here. If you are worried, please call Toyota GB Customer Relations on 0800 1388 744.
is it 100% write down for Ltd Co
Yes, for tax purposes
Is there a choice of interior colour? If not, is the light grey and black combination shown in your website gallery the combination on offer? Is it possible to get a Spirit with 15@ wheels but without the solar sun roof? And is it possible to get dusk-sensing lights without buying the LED package? Thank you.
do I need to contact my suplier about my prius Toyota !
Hi Norman,
Please see this post for the latest information we have. If you are in any way concerned, please call Toyota GB Customer Relations on 0800 1388 744.
Hi Melissa,
I am very keen to know your reply to part 1 of Stephane’s question regarding Toyota UK’s ETA on fixing Prius ABS issue.
Thanks!
Hi Melissa,
“Toyota Motor Corp. spokeswoman Ririko Takeuchi said Thursday that Toyota discovered there were design problems with the antilock brake system and corrected them for Prius models sold since late January, including those being shipped overseas.”
Which is a good news for new owners… but communication seems far far more evasive about retrofitting the fix to car affected… I know that the recall/customer relation department is very busy for the moment but do you have any ETA for a recall regarding this issue?
Now on something completly different, I noticed that UK T Spirit are currently delivered with (at least) GPS 2009/2010 Ver.1 and CDDB 01727. Any upgrade for earlier adopter stuck on 2008/2009 Ver.1 and CDDB 01029?
Also, while GPS update once/twice a year is totally acceptable, new CDs are released weekly and CDDB, by definition, is a very dynamic database. Any chance of Toyota release a self upgrade mechanism (via the Firewire port behind the screen, or a self burned DVD for example)?
Thanks,
Stephane
Hi Melissa,
Another question about the Toyota management of the ABS issue. Why Toyota denied any knowledge of the problem for so long, until pushed (hard) by US and Japan authorities, while in the background have developed and released a new ABS for car shipped from January…
It dents the trust relationship between customers and providers. Cars are full of electronics, codes have bugs, problem happens. We all know that, and I don’t have any problem with it as long as my provider tell me (regularly) “We found that issue, fix released, come and upgrade”. What we need to re-establish trust is transparency not denial… (Just my two cents)
As part of the TV news reporting of the recall on several Toyota models as a result of instances of accelerator sticking mention was also made of a potential brake problem with the Prius. Can you confirm that this is the case, if so which models are involved and if I need to take my car to the dealer immediately for a check of the braking system?
Brian, my apologies for the very late reply to your question. You should have now received a letter notifying you of the voluntary recall. Please let me know if not. If you have any questions or concerns about the recall, please ring our Customer Relations team on 0800 1388 744.
Sorry once again for having missed you.
Has anyone else noticed that in Toyota’s latest TV advert it’s a case of “don’t do as Toyota does, do as Toyota says”. The Prius shown in the advert has both the solar roof AND alloy wheels, something that Toyota says is not recommended!!
Having now done over 3000 miles in my Prius, I’ve managed to quieten most of the rattles and other unwanted noises. Fuel consumption is c.58 mpg overall and is usually better in “normal” mode than economy (by anything up to 2 mpg) which, in turn, is better than using the cruise control (when conditions permit), again by another 2 mpg or so (based on averages from multiple similar journeys over the same route).
Are you sure the alloys were the 17 inch ones? Even the 15 inch wheels provided on Tspirit with solar roof (and the T3) are alloy under the plastic covers. Maybe they took them off for the advert?
can roof bars and a load be carried on the prius please?
Yes! This has been covered already on this blog, if you use CTRL+F. There are official Toyota bars, and if not already available for the new Prius no doubt the manufacturers of generic bars available in Halfords, etc will soon have fittings suitable for the 3rd Gen as they did for the 2nd.
Can rear parking sensors be added to a T Spirit by the dealer after delivery.
Graham
They are a dealer fit item anyway, so I’m sure the answer will be yes
Thanks Brian
Or you could look at third party fitted sensors. Or fit your own if you feel confident. These have been mentioned on the toyota owners club forums
http://www.parkingdynamics.co.uk/
Hi Graham
Yes. it will be fitted by the dealer. I finally collected my T-Spirit this afternoon. Got the reverse drive beeping to one quick beep and once near an object, the parking sensor takes over.
accelerator problem. what is status?
Hi, please see our Recall Page for the latest news. You can leave your details with us on the page and we will then contact you by email. We will let you know at the earliest possible opportunity if your vehicle is affected.
The new prius doesn’t have an accelerator problem.
Your question
What is the max speed of this car (Toyota new prius)
Already referred to on this thread more than once – CTRL F is your friend!
(112 mph is the answer)
Your question
What is the max speed of this car (Toyota new prius)
Finally collected my new prius T spirit with the a moon roof after waiting 6 months. Noticed no model badge on the tailagte, Reported to the dealer who said Toyota no longer fit the Model badge. Thought this was strange but would like confirmation of this new policy.
+
I need a conformity certificate for my Pruis to renew my Alternative Fuel dicount with TfL. I seem to remember being abl to donwload it last time. What is the simpest way of getting one please?
What weght can the car carry? 4 adults plus 4 golf bags and small bags of clothes will fit in space but will combined weight be too much?
Peter
When we go camping we have 2 adults, 2 children, back seat and boot stuffed as full as possible, loaded roof box and bike rack strapped to the back with 4 bikes. It takes a bit more energy to get & keep the car moving(!) but it still copes fine with motorways, hills, etc. Admittedly we haven’t done it with the new 3rd gen Prius yet, but did a number of times with the 2nd gen.
Thanks Brian, your assurance welcome.Peter
Do you have hybrid cars in small sizes?
Sayyid
I believe that a hybrid Auris was unveiled stateside last month, expected to be available in the UK around the end of the year?
what is the max towing weight of the prius? and how suitable to tow trailer tent mgw 1000kg ,thanks d harrison.
Hi David,
As posted several times already (Ctrl+F does miracle!), the Prius has no towing option.
I have a recommendation for the next generation Prius.
I’ve found a minor but annoying design fault in the rear window wiper. It’s snowing here in Scotland at the moment and when I wipe my rear window it just pushes the snow down onto my back spoiler blocking my rear vision. If the wiper moved from bottom to top instead of top to bottom the snow would be wiped completely off the vehicle.
Hello,
Due to the likelihood of car tax increases I am toying with replacing my 10 year old Corrola which has never let me down
with a Prius, which in body shape is the spiritual successor.
My budget won’t stretch to a new one, so I am thinking of one around 3 – 4 years old. The intelligent Park Assist is something that impresses me and I am aware that it was standard on 2007 and later T-spirit models. I am also aware that it was an option for 2006 T-Spirit models. Unfortunately there seem few around where the original purchaser selected this option. I see that the question was asked on 24 January 2010, but no answer has been forthcoming, so I’ll ask again, is it possible to retrofit IPA please?
Hi John, according to our Technical Department it is possible. However, they warn that the total cost of adding IPA may be prohibitive. You may be better off seeking a car with IPA already fitted – although I do understand they are hard to come by.
Thanks for this – so I take it that means more than the £400 for the option when new?
In many cases the jump in price between 2006 and 2007 models puts the latter over my budget – probably because of IPA. I am in no immediate hurry and just plan to keep looking until the right car comes up. Hopefully those planning to upgrade their Prius in March won’t be put of by what seems to me overhyped negative press coverage regarding seems to be a software glitch, meaning increased choice for me
What is the annual road tax?
Hi,
The road tax is zero, nada, nothing!
could you please give me a price for th Prius T Spirit with solar roof for export to North Cyprus, will not be driven in UK, thank you.
Hi Chrys,
Apologies for the delayed reply. We represent Toyota in the UK only, so I’m unable to answer your question I’m afraid – please visit Toyota Cyprus’ website.
what is the BIK value for the Prius at the 20% tax band please?
Steve
The BIK will be 10% of the list price of the relevant model, including whatever extras are fitted.
For a 20% taxpayer the tax cost will therefore be 2% of the total list price.
And of course an employer would, under current legislation, be entitled to a 100% tax allowance on the purchase of a new Prius. The same applies to a Sole Trader.
In reality a sole trader is unlikely to get 100% tax relief, because there will nearly always be a restriction for private use of the car. Only if they could show that they never used it for private purposes would they get 100% relief.
Having said that, they will still get a business use proportion of 100%, rather than a business use proportion of 20% or 10% which would be the case for most cars in the year of purchase
I have a caravan weight 1104kg would this vehicle tow it legally
Legally, not a problem. Mechanically, there are major issues; the Prius can’t tow.
This thread is getting a bit unwieldy, but if you press CTRL+F then type “tow”, your browser’s search function will reveal the previous 52 references to the word
Pete
I got 52 plate toyota Prius which I can’t get it started I think HV battery needs recharging. Can it b recharged or do I have replace HV battery. What would you suggest could go wrong???
Thx..
Javed,
The high voltage battery should be recharged during normal driving. Consult with your local dealer if you feel you have any specific technical issues.
Ben
This raised a question in my mind. If the HV battery is “flat” can the car be “started” using the conventional 12v battery so that the car can move and then start to recharge the HV battery ? Or does everything revolve around the HV battery ?
Graham
Hi Graham,
Apologies for the late response on this. The answer is yes: the car will start using the 12v battery if the nickel hydride battery is completely discharged. As you thought, driving using the 12v battery and engine will then charge the nickel hydride battery.
it is true that after 100 000miles the batery must be replace for new ?
No. It isn’t true.
Thanks, Alan – no, Bill, this isn’t true. The hybrid battery should not need replacing.
What is the boot capacity in litres ?
If you keep reading through this thread, you will soon find the answer (and many others!!).
http://blog.toyota.co.uk/new-prius-everything-you-need-to-know/comment-page-1#comment-7971
we have seen a futureistic new shape prius on the internet
when will it be avilable?????
are you able to tow a trailer with the hybrid, and if so what is the towing wieght limit.
No. Use your browser to search this thread for ” towbar” for more reasons
Can I purchase mud flaps for my 2010 Prius and get them shipped to the U.S.A.? Toyota does not stock or sell them here. Many thanks!
Check this thread on the Prius chat forum where you can find some information…
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-accessories-modifications/67338-2010-prius-mud-flaps.html
Does the T4 Prius have only 1 reversing light or has one broke?
Yes, just one reversing lamp – and just one rear fog lamp.
2nd gen had two of each – a regrettable cheapening of the Prius!
Crash tested?
.
Well, not sure if I’m the first to try out the Gen3′s crumple zones, but yesterday, I was following a large van at about 30mph when the van braked sharply, then immediately put his reversing light on and reversed briskly in to the front of my Prius.
I later learned he was collecting charity clothing bags that people leave on their doorsteps. He was driving along looking at doorsteps, and had spotted a bag, overshot, and then reversed to be in the right place to pick it up, having not noticed I was behind him. The driver is a gentleman who doesn’t speak English and has only been in the country for a few weeks. His boss tells me that he says I drove in to him, so the insurance claim is going to be messy, but I do have a witness, a man who would have been stepping out to cross the road if my Prius hadn’t been in his way.
Back to the Prius- I didn’t feel a thing- the front bumper absorbed the entire impact of a large van dong 5mph. The van’s rigid steel bumper was undamaged. It hit the Prius across the grille, just above the main part of the Prius bumper structure, but despite this the damage was contained in the front plastic moulding. No lights were broken, the bonnet still opens and shuts. the headlamp beams appear to be still more or less aligned.
It seems the brochure’s claim that the car is designed for minor collisions to be easily repairable is true, although North Herts Toyota are preparing an estimate at this moment, so I’l let you know what transpires
Pete
£840.48… It could have been worse!
Sorry to hear about your prang Peter!
Do you have a list of mibiles that are compatable with the Prius T Spirit navigation system?
Jean,
This should answer your question.
http://techdoc.toyota-europe.com/Bluetooth/search.aspx
can you get this on motability/
Phill
Try CTRL+F then “motability” – you’ll find that this question has been answered a couple of times already on here
Is it OK to buy a Prius at this time – Several other Toyota modals have been recalled.
Hi there,
Although a number of models have been recalled in the USA, the UK models affected have not yet been confirmed. We will post further information when it becomes available. For the official Toyota GB statement, please read this post.
I believe that the problems affect models manufactured in the USA and Europe. All UK Prius are currently built in Japan.
As environmental impact is almost soley measured by CO2 emission, what is the total CO2 produced by the production of a car like this? Disposale of a car like this must be hard without causing damage. Please could you let me know why I should buy one of these rather than a secod hand audi a3 1.9 tdi 110.
As I understand it the car has been designed so that as much of it as possible can re reused/recycled at the end of its life. There is probably something explaining this on the Toyota website. Also a lot of the internal plastic on the new model is recycled rather than new, reducing oil consumption.
The Prius is built at the Toyota eco-factory in Japan.
http://blog.toyota.co.uk/prius-tsutsumi-eco-factory
Also check out the myth buster topic over at Prius chat..
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-main-forum/26050-prius-myths-their-rebuttals.html
what is price of roof rack system for Prius 3 and how is it fitted/removed?
Check with your dealer. Mine quoted £200.
There are brackets that fit inside the top of the door frames and are tightened with a special hexagonal key.
You have confiremd that a tow bar cannot be fitted. Can a bike racks be fitted to the back? or only the roof
Robert
See here: http://blog.toyota.co.uk/new-prius-everything-you-need-to-know/comment-page-1#comment-7922
Can you put a roof rack and cycle holder on the roof?
Yes, in fact anything you can fit to roofbars!
We have just ordered a Prius T Spirit and want to know if Digital Radio is standard, dealer fit option or factory fit only and how much please?
Regards
Anil
Assuming that you mean DAB radio, it is a dealer fit option
As for how much, the fitting cost will vary between dealers, so ask your dealer (you would have probably been better off asking before you placed your order!)
I understand that there is no towbar available at the moment. Is this situation going to change.
I am looking at the prius as a company car dur to the low Co2, does it qualify at 10%
Robert
It is highly unlikely that will change with the current model, since it is the drive/control system that prevents the Prius from towing.
On the company car side it is most definitely within the 10% band, and is likely to remain so for the life of the car, even if the band gets lowered. The threshold for 10% charge is currently 120g/km, new Prius 89 or 92g/km depending upon model!
Do Prius owners need to be concern regarding the recall of the accelerators?
Hi MK,
We’ve posted all the info we have here – we’ll update the blog just as soon as we have more.
On Prius Chat, the USA recall has not included any prius models. Seeing how UK prius are made in Japan like the USA ones, it is possible there will be no Prius recall here either. Watch out for official UK information from Toyota.
Prius Chat topic here…
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-main-forum
/75056-latest-toyota-recall-includes-no-prius-models.html
Is the new Prius ‘Plug in” available to buy? I saw one in the Westminster car scheme
Susanne,
Not yet!
What is the luggage capacity in Litres (i can only find dimensions) so I can compare to other brands
Colin
According to my brochure, it’s 446l, 1120l with the rear seats folded down
However these figures in the brochure refer to the luggage capacity up to the roof – so the rear window would be obscured…
Could you please tell me more than your given data does about the Atkinson Cycle engine is?
Have a look at http://www.hybridsynergydrive.com and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atkinson_cycle.
Briefly, it’s a petrol engine whose inlet valve stays open until half way up the compression stroke, which effectively gives an expansion ratio larger than the compression ratio.
Compared to a conventional petrol engine, it is less powerful for a given capacity, but with greater efficiency which approaches that of a diesel engine. Atkinson engines have very poor low speed torque, which is why they never caught on until paired with an electric motor to fill the gap in their torque curve.
It was invented by James Atkinson, from Hampstead, in 1882.
What are the company car tax rates for the Prius T Spirit for the next few tax years (based on latest government budget information)? Does it stay at 10% or rise to 15% in 2011/2012? Thanks.
It will continue to be 10%, based upon CO2 emissions of below 120g/km
what capital allowances\annual investment allowance is available
on a toyota hilux hybrid pick-up?
I don’t think there is such a thing yet, is there Stewart?
What are the peronal tax implications if provided as a company car?
Peter
Scroll down to here:
http://blog.toyota.co.uk/new-prius-everything-you-need-to-know/comment-page-1#comment-7867
There is alot of technology in this Prius. What if a breakdown. How reliable is it?
Peter
There have been very few, if any, complaints about reliability on the Prius-UK yahoogroup, and in the JD Power UK Customer Satisfaction Survey the Prius came first overall in 2007 and 2008, and second overall and top in the ‘upper-medium’ size category in 2009.
So the short answer is probably “very”!
Where are the cruise control buttons on the Prius T Spirit?
On a satellite on the lower right of the steering wheel (about 30 deg below wiper controls)
Hi
We have a 2007 Prius and are thinking of buying a roof box-could you tell my the height of the car and roof box together to see whether we will be charged extra to travel through Eurotunnel .
Thanks
Sam
That’s going to depend upon the height of the roof bars and the roof box that you have/get! If it’s important though then you should use that as part of your criteria in researching which box to get.
If you need roof bars for a 2007 Prius then I have some second hand Toyota branded ones…. halfords also sell generic ones with fittings for the 2nd gen Prius.
Hi everyone,
Sorry we’re a little behind in replying to you all – it’s been busy here at Toyota HQ. I’m going to try to get back to as many of you as possible today.
Thanks for your patience.
What is the company car tax
see Ano’s question two below yours!
Sorry, I meant “Ano, see Paul Ellis’ post two below yours!”!
what type of fuel
unleaded petrol
Company car tax details
10% benefit in kind (and full 100% capital allowances in the first year for the employer)
I’m interested in the Prius T-Spirit model but not sure whether I need the optional ipod dock. without the ipod dock how does music get loaded onto the hard disk drive? Is there a usb port somewhere?
Hi Phil,
iPod integration kit (which I think is what you may mean by ‘dock’) or not, the only way to get songs onto the HDD is by transferring them from CDs in the CD drive. USB ports are only built in on the T Spirit if the iPod integration kit is ordered as a factory-fit accessory, but as I say, you can’t transfer music to the HDD via USB.
The iPod integration kit’s functionality is to allow you to control your iPod via the steering wheel controls and, if applicable (as it is in your case), the navigation screen. The iPod will play through your speakers; no music is transferred. If all you want is to be able to play the iPod through your speakers (i.e. you don’t mind not having steering wheel and screen integration), all Prius grades have an aux jack as standard that you can use to connect your iPod.
I hope that clarifies things, but feel free to get in touch again if not.
Is it possible to add bluethoot, SatNav and iPod deck on Prius T3 model and what is the additional cost per item?
Thank you.
These weren’t an option on my T3. The T3 doesn’t have many options at all. You need to get a T4 at least for bluetooth. Have you tried the main toyota uk website for the options on a prius?
http://www.toyota.co.uk/cgi-bin/toyota/bv/generic_editorial.jsp?navRoot=toyota_1024_root&edname=PS3_Home&catname=%2ftoyota_1024_root%2fmain_nav%2fpageTopNav%2fZone+NG+Prius&menuid=9582&zone=Zone+NG+Prius&id=MSR_PRIUS
Thanks Alan, but that link won’t necessarily work. Lara, just go to toyota.co.uk/prius and then click ‘Equipment’ at the bottom. Your dealer will have a list of all the prices.
Also, the iPod integration kit should be available as a option for the T3.
DAB Radio with Prius.
The Prius \brochure says you can enhance your toyota radio to receive DAB broadcasts, but the configurator and price list do not list this as an option
It’s a dealer fit option. Although the European Toyota site has a full online configurator, on the UK one it only includes the main options, not all the dealer fit options.
The button on the T-Spirit’s radio that is labelled “AM-DAB” sits facing you as you drive. The fact that it doesn’t actually activate DAB reception unless you have paid extra to have the dealer fit DAB receiver is a bit annoying.
what are the fuel economies for Prius and Avensis in mpg please
Hi there,
The figure for Prius is 72.4mpg, and for the Avensis it is 43.5mpg. To compare other aspects of these cars (and others), you can use the Toyota Comparison Calculator.
Hello,
I recently purchased a 2006 T-Spirit Prius (GJ06WDT) and I had hoped that I would be getting the Intelligent Parking Assist but sadly after purchase I realised I only have sensors. Is it possible to retrofit the IPA kit? Where? At what cost please?
On a cold morning does the heater in the saloon work? Does the car have windscreen heaters and electric mirrors?
Yes on all counts Ken. It also has heated wing mirrors.
I have an automatic Aygo still less than two years old (by 4 weeks0 and twice within the last two months, not realising but now understanding, reading other queries, that my accelerator pedal stuck. Once in a town and just lately travelling down a 1 in 12 winding hill in Devon, car showed ’5th gear’. The only way that I could slow down was to keep pumping the brakes.
If I take this in to the service dept can I be assured that this part (sealed unit) will be changed? If so, will I then be given a further warrenty on this?
I was q uite frightened by the whole experience and feel now quite unsafe in the car.
I only visit this site as a prospective Prius owner but I feel that I must reply…..
What you describe sounds like quite a serious fault, if it were my car I would get it to a garage as soon as I could.
Hi Brenda,
Thank you for getting in touch about your Aygo, and I’m sorry that you’ve had a frightening experience.
I’d like to refer you to Toyota’s Customer Relations department. Please call them on 01737 367 600 and tell them that you’ve come via the blog. They will be able to answer your questions on the parts and warranty.
What percentage of the time does the prirus run on the electric motor?
Thank You
William
William
That is impossible to answer because it constantly changes, depending upon driving style, terrain, journey speed/acceleration/deceleration and state of charge of the battery.
Hi William,
Brian is right in that there is no specified proportion of time that is spent driving using the electric motor. You can opt to drive using only the electric motor (EV mode), but you can’t drive like this for long stretches: the battery provides you with enough charge to drive up to 1.2 miles at a maximum speed of 31mph, and to recharge this battery you must switch out of EV mode and drive using the engine again. The percentage of time you are able to drive using the motor, then, varies depending on driving style and all the other factors Brian listed.
I hope that answers your question and isn’t too confusing. Let us know if you need any further detail or clarification.
hi,
taking deivery of Tspirit on friday
in econamy mode at roud about or junction, will it be SLOW to pick up acceleration or perhaps slow to react. Thus a differant driving attetude. Would appreciate an honest answear to this .
Regards John
The ECO and PWR buttons do affect the response of the accelerator. I suggest start driving in normal mode (PWR and ECO off) to get used to the Prius. You will find acceleration fine. You can then experiment with ECO later if you so wish. If you floor the accelerator, you will get full acceleration regardless of which mode you are in. The Prius is pretty economical in any mode so you don’t need to do everything in ECO. Some USA posters have discovered that PWR mode can give more mpg than ECO mode in the right conditions.
Agreed. My peculiar work routine involves about a dozen journeys of half to one mile per day. The car insists on running the engine’s warm up cycle for each, even if I try to do the shorter hops in EV mode. PWR mode gives me better economy figures than ECO. I think this is because the extra load on the engine allows it to warm up more quickly, so it can then switch off and complete a greater proportion of the remaining distance on electric power
Pete
Is it free to use in congestion zone and road tax,how much
Hi Alick,
Both are free! However, in order to avoid paying the Congestion Charge you do have to register for an Alternative Fuel Discount via the TFL website. This costs £10 a year.
This car doesn’t have any gears, so how do you change from forward to reverse?
Hi Ken,
Sorry for the small delay. Prius is, in this respect, like a standard automatic: there is a ‘gearstick’ with Drive and Reverse positions.
The “gearstick”, doesn’t change any gears, it’s actually a switch. The car reverses simply by sending a reversed current to its main electric motor/generator. The petrol engine is unable to apply drive directly when reversing, although if the battery is flat, the petrol engine will run the second motor/generator to produce electricity.
If you put your foot down, the car silently whooshes backwards very briskly!!
how to open the boot of toyota prius t spirit?
Hi Reena,
I’m not sure – perhaps a current owner would be able to help?
If not, I’ll have a chat to the product team and find out for you tomorrow.
Above the number plate, under the lip is a button which you press to open the boot. Car has to be unlocked first. If you have the full SKS system, you can unlock the car from the boot too otherwise you have to use the keyfob (or drivers door).
Brilliant – thanks Alan.
how fast can you go in mph before the petrol is used as the source of fuel
Hi Naveed,
Although you can only go up to 31mph on battery power alone, the only limit to how fast you can go using the engine is the top speed of the car, which is 112mph. You should be able to drive 715 miles on one tank.
715 miles on a tank of fuel.
has anybody managed to achieve anything near that? my best was 505 when the final block on the fuel gauge started blinking. Computer MPG was 69
When the last bar starts flashing, I have managed to do a further 50 miles before chickening out and filling up. There is usually still some fuel left in the tank. If you have nerves of steel (or a spare tank of gas), you could try for a 100 miles on the flashing bar although running out of fuel is not recommended.
Alan,
From experience (as I had to have my fuel tank drained to satisfy Toyota whilst looking int o my engine miss firing) I can confirm that the flashing light starts when there is 10 liters in the tank, who would drive much further once the warning blinks start?
My 505 miles at 65 MPG was on a long trip to Germany, all motorway driving, I got 37 Liters in the tank and the computer read 68.9 MPG. my last 25 miles was on flashing fuel gauge.
Note. You won’t get 715 miles from a tank at 112mph! You can get 500 miles from a tank at 60-70 mph and going easy on the throttle.
Does the new Prius still have the “handbrake” in a position to be operated with the foot? Does it have “hill start assist”?
Hi Lyndon,
Yes – new Prius has both a foot-operated ‘handbrake’ and the Hill Start Assist function.
Do you have a car swapping scheme with this car
Unfortunately not, Chris. Here’s some more about Toyota Swappage.
I currently own a 2007 prius and my only disappointment was no heated wing mirrors otherwise the car is perfect and I will be upgrading to the new model at the end of the year. Does this have heated wing mirrors?
Hi Geoff,
I’m happy to report that the third-generation Prius does indeed feature heated wing mirrors.
If you’ve any other questions about your perfect car, please let us know!
I NEED TO FIND OUT THAT CAN ALL GARAGES REPAIR PRIUS HYBRID IF YES DO THEY NEED ANY SPECIAL EQIPMENT OR IS IT DEALERS ONLY HOW MUCH A FULL SERVICE WILL COST APPROX.
Hi Narinder,
This depends on what you need repairing. If in doubt, I would visit an official Toyota Centre. I’m afraid I can’t give you an indication of how much a full service costs as it varies Centre by Centre.
Can the Intelligent Parking Assist on the Prius be used at night or inside a multi-storey car park? What view would the rear camera give in such conditions?
Hi Geoff,
Brilliant question. I’ll look into it and get back to you.
The camera gives a very good image with the light from the reversing lamp. This being the case, the automatic parking function would probably work but I haven’t tried it.
is the new prius available in manual as well as automatic?
No, because technically it isn’t automatic anyway.
‘Normal’ cars have a series of fixed gears, usually 4 or 5, that can be changed between either under the control of the driver (manual) or of the car in accordance with predetermined criteria (automatic). In both those cases it is changing between fixed gear ratios.
The Prius does not have fixed gear ratios, it has “continuously variable transmission” – that means that there is no changing of gears to do, whether manually or automatically. it is a result of the hybrid drive having three components connected together – engine, wheels and motor/generator(s), whereas conventional drive systems just have the first two. The combination of all three, and the fact that the motor/generator(s) can rotate in either direction to send energy to or from the batteries, is what gives such flexibility and negates the need for fixed gear ratios. There are animations on the internet which show the sun/moon/planets gear system in action.
As a consequence there is continuous acceleration throughout the speed range of the car, particularly useful when tackling steep hills.
I thought I’d re-submit this as it seems to be have been hopped over ”Seeing as in 2011 , daytime running lights and Tyre pressure monitoriny systems will be mandatory , when will these facility become standard on the new Prius .”
Many Thanks
Paul
Reply Seeing as in 2011 , daytime running lights will made mandatory Also Tyre pressure monitoriny systems mandate is also just round the corner , when will these facility become standard on the new Prius .
Many Thanks
Paul
Reply Seeing as in 2011 , daytime running lights will made mandatory Also Tyre pressure monitoriny systems mandate is also just round the corner , when will these facility become standard on the new Prius .
Many Thanks
Paul
Reply
The new Prius has TPMS and DRL in countries where this is mandatory. It’s not mandatory here so they aren’t an option.
That was not what I asked , I asked when these features would be available in the uk ..like a bit more specific than …’when it becomes mandatory ‘is it in the next couple of months or the end of the year or in 2011 even ?
Hi Paul,
Sorry I haven’t been able to answer your question yet – don’t worry, you haven’t been forgotten about.
I’ll have a look into this for you and get back to you as soon as I can.
How long before the driving batteries need replacing and how much?
Hi Michael,
The hybrid battery should not need replacing. If it does need to be replaced, the cost is £736.38 (ex. VAT and fitting). It’s also covered by a five-year warranty.
What can I do about those ghastly T3 plastic wheel covers ?
Take them off! There are alloys underneath. See pic of my T3 with covers off. http://www.fuelly.com/driver/johalareewi/prius
Hi Alan
I take it that that photo is the one of the T3 in the snow ?
I cannot see the wheels up close and they do not look like standard alloys.
Could you – or anybody – send me a closeup picture of a T3 15″ alloy without the orrible plastic covers ?
Some on the Prius Chat forum
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-accessories-modifications/72309-without-wheel-covers-high-res-comparo-photos.html
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-main-forum/62096-15-alloy-wheels-w-center-caps.html
I have just bought a new Prius tSpirit. I occasionally want to carry bikes – where can I get a a bike carrier for it?
Halfords, or a cycle shop? I have had 2 boot mounted racks on my 2nd gen Prius, and although I haven’t tried fitting to the new one yet the shape is very similar so don’t anticipate any problems
Hi Russell,
Thanks for the question, and congratulations on your new purchase! Sorry for the delay in replying.
All rear-mounted Toyota bike racks are mounted on a tow bar, and Prius does not have the capacity to tow. However, you’ll still be able to carry bikes on your T Spirit: there is a bike holder that fits onto the roof rack. I’ll be able to come back to you with the part number later this week, but your dealer should be able to help you out, too.
Hi Russell
What Michelle says about rear mounted racks is incorrect. There are racks that strap onto the boot, for example this: http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_251011_langId_-1_categoryId_165515 and this: http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_251011_langId_-1_categoryId_165515
(assuming that those links work)
I had the Halfords one on a 2nd generation Prius, and now have a 4-bike boot mounted rack (which I haven’t yet tried on the 3rd gen Prius, but was fine on the second and they are very adaptable so there shouldn’t be any problems).
What you need to be aware of on these is obstructing the rear lights & number plate, since as has been noted somewhere else on this blog the Prius is not wired for an external lighting board (and I don’t think it can be).
Oops, I posted the same link twice – the second one should have been http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_751003_langId_-1_categoryId_165515
Brian (and Russell),
I assure you that I’m perfectly correct in stating that no Toyota-manufactured rear-mounted bike racks are suitable for Prius. Toyota is of course unable to comment on or endorse any third party’s offering. As I said previously, there is a bike carrier that mounts onto a roof rack, both of which were designed and built specifically for the third-generation Prius and both of which are currently available.
True, but Russell’s question was about suitable bike carriers, not just Toyota branded ones!
Hi.
About to order a Prius T Spirit… could you please tell me whether they come with floor mats and mud flaps?! Can’t see anything on the site.
Thanks.
Jon
They are accessories and are not supplied as standard. Haggle with your dealer if you want some (or pay list price).
Hi best to barter, had mine fitted as part of the deal, they are not cheap if you have to buy them. You could buy the mudflaps and fit them yourself. worth a haggle
Hi Melissa.
Can your tech team confirm which oil dealers should be using for a Gen3 Prius oil change? The owners manual says 0W-20 but there are reports that some dealers are using the cheaper and more easily available 5W-30 oil. Will this invalidate the warranty? Should dealers be using the oil specified in the owners manual? See also http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=105613
Hi Alan,
Someone asked a similar question on the blog a few months ago, and a discussion on oil followed. Click here to read it. The short answer is: don’t worry, you’ll be fine using 5W-30!
Interesting posts. But the owners manual says “If SAE 0W-20 oil is not available, SAE 5W-30 oil may be used. However, it should be replaced with SAE 0W-20 at the next oil change.” Does this mean I should ask the dealer to use 0W-20 oil if they can?
Hi again Alan,
Going by the manual and the information provided by the technical team (given in the thread I linked to): yes, I’d use 0W-20 if it’s possible.
Melissasd,
Why “If possible”?
The manual clearly states that 0W20 should be used and if not then it must be replaced at the next service.
If the dealer uses other oil on the annual service then are we allowed to return and have a full oil change free of charge?
Surely all dealers should be using correct oil and there should be no additional charge (I have read that some dealers are charging more for the correct oil to be used). Otherwise, we could be talking about invalidating warranty.
Some good, valid questions there, Kev. I will double-check and come back to you on these.
I said ‘if it’s possible’ as Alan had said ‘if they can’. My meaning was, ‘Yes, do ask the dealer to use 0W-20 oil if they can’. Sorry this wasn’t clear.
Mellisa,
Any feedback on the question of what oil dealers should use on service (0W20 being stipulated in the handbook).
Presumably, any service costs should include the correct oil, incorrect oil could invalidate warrenty and the handbook states that incorrect oil should be replaced at the next service which I would assume,should not be at the owners expence as the dealer has not followed correct proceedures. Surely, we should not have to ask that the correct oil is used.
Hi again Alan,
I am now able to give official confirmation of the recommended service grade for third-generation Prius: 0W-20. All Toyota Centres have been issued with revised guidelines outlining this.
For further detail, please see this reply. Thanks.
How much is it to pay monthly and for how many months?
How much is the deposit?
Hi Tori,
Please see the AccessToyota Finance Calculator on toyota.co.uk to get a quote. For more detail, the best thing for you to do is speak to a dealer. I hope that helps!
In the brochure for the new Prius the size of the luggage compartment with the rear seats up is given with it filled to the roof (446 litres)
What is the capacity of the luggage compartment when it is filled to the level of the luggage compartment cover i.e. without the luggage obscuring the rear window?
Good question, Robert – I’ll find out for you.
Why do the MPG figures differ from those quoted for the same vehicle in the United States -
US Figures MPG: 48 mpg Hwy, 51 mpg City
UK 72.43 mpg
Please explain the very large difference
Ivor
Hi Ivor,
The answer’s actually very simple: it’s because the test criteria in the US are different. I can’t speak for Toyota Motor Sales in the USA, but I can confirm that 72.4mpg is the correct figure in the UK.
The real answer is that UK gallons are bigger than US gallons so you can go more miles on a UK gallon than a US one.
Actually both of the above answers are correct !
Hi Ivor,
The main reason is that an US gallon is not an Imperial (UK) gallon.
The UK one is 4.55 litre and the US only 3.78 litre. So obviously you make less mileage (with less petrol…)
1.200 949 925 5 gallon
I cannot seem to get much better than 60 mpg using the conversion maybe I am missing something – about 12 mpg at the moment – Maybe there is a difference in the length of an American mile to a UK mile – Please advise.
Ivor
Ivor
It is quite likely that the standard tests used to determine the consumption figures are also different.
Yes, 50 miles per US gallon is almost exactly 60mpg per Imperial Gallon. The US test methodology is also different, and in many people’s view, more akin to real world consumption. You have to drive very carefully indeed to get 72mpg, but 60 is a much more realistic target.
P
would like descriptions and prices of electric cars not kidies cars
I find search engines very useful http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_cars
Hi Gillian,
The Prius is a hybrid – that is to say, it uses a combination of electric power and a petrol engine. Currently, Toyota has no electric vehicles (EVs) that are available commercially, though concepts such as the FT-EV II exist. There’s also the plug-in Prius which can be charged by literally plugging it into an electricity supply, but it’s still a hybrid.
We’ll keep you updated on all hybrid- and EV-related news via this blog.
Hello
I cannot find the model name of your latest Prius on the website. Could you please tell me if it’s a 1.8vvti T-Spirit Hybrid CVT 09 ? thanks
The new 2010 prius has a 1.8 petrol engine where as the previous prius had a 1.4 engine so yes the one you mention is the new 2010 model (gen 3)
Hi Michelle,
That’s it, yes. The T Spirit is the grade of Prius – there are two other grades, the T3 and T4. All have 1.8l engines and CVT transmission.
Just to clarify: in the US, the current, third-generation Prius is known as the ’2010 model year’ Prius. We prefer not to use this term because it tends to confuse (the car was released in 2009, not 2010), plus the US grades are different from the UK’s. Rest assured, all information you find on toyota.co.uk will be up-to-date and accurate, and refer to the latest Prius.
At last I am the proud owner of a new Prius, I picked up my TSpirit on Friday and so far, so very good. I have had a tinker with my iPhone 3GS and it connects via bluetooth with no problem and gives full access to telephone functions, including importing contacts with no difficulty at all. It also connects as a bluetooth player – you have to register it as a bluetooth music player through the audio setup menu (in addition to registering the phone on the telephone system) but it’s quite straightforward. Using the bluetooth connection for music, the car’s navigation/audio screen only allows play and pause interaction, but the sound quality is very good. Receiving a call disconnects the bluetooth player but making a call doesn’t (the system simply switches modes to return to music after the call finishes). Reconnecting the player is a simple press on the connect button on the bluetooth audio screen. If you were last listening to the iPhone as a music player and don’t switch the radio off, when you get back in the car the system switches on the iPhone’s iPod and starts playing so you open the door without a key, start the car without a key and get your music with your phone still in your pocket – it’s quite a trick.
Lucky you Martin…I am still waiting for my T-Spirit since August 09. I guess the long wait must be due to solar/led/protection packages added to it.My car should arrive at the dealer any time tomorrow as I was inform. Happy driving all.
If it’s any comfort mine was also ordered in August with solar and LED so you’re only a couple of days off the pace. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed…
Dear Toyota,
Am thinking about purchase of a Prius T spirit but may end up with very low usage if I have a knee replacement operation (I currently drive a manual) Will low use cause battery life problem ?
Need an automatic and always had the Prius on my wish list – but is it wise if it is not driven for a while if I end up having a knee operation. The problem is that I do not know how long it will be before the operation is needed and it might be 2 years away. So is low use in two years time with maybe stopped for 20 weeks going to do the battery in. Look forward to a speedy reply as I have a dealer waiting for me to place an order. Many thanks
george
I’m sure they recommended turning the engine on every week or 2 with the previous gen prius and I am not sure the current prius has the same recommendation. I would always have the car engine on for a few minutes every 2 weeks on the drive way.
Dear George
Nice to speak to you earlier. The response to your question comes from our Technical Team:
“If a New Generation Prius is left unused for 20 or 30 weeks, the 12V Battery will become discharged (flat), as any other vehicle’s 12V battery. A good practice would be to disconnect the 12V battery, provided that the vehicle is garaged in a secure location (as the vehicle’s alarm system will not work if the 12V battery is disconnected).”
I hope that gives you a clear answer?
Regarding your question on Auris HSD, this is an exciting development for us – not least because this is the first full Hybrid to be built in Europe. We can forward your more information (including engine details) as this becomes available towards the launch of the car?
Regards
Simon
I don’t know if this will help but I had this problem when I used to use a motorcycle during the summer months.
I used to just leave my car (Can I say XJ6) sitting on the drive.
Following a few flat batteries I fitted one of these dashboard trickle charge solar panels to keep things topped up.
Following an accident I went to use the car again this month…. It started first time – not bad after standing 7 months with alarm etc left switched on.
I will be fitting this to my new Prius so the 12v battery is kept topped up.
Hope this helps – good luck with the knee.
Paul F.
This will not work I am afraid as it seems the car cigarette lighter socket to which most solar chargers fit, is only active when ignition is on in the gen3 prius. I am contemplating checking with my dealership whether I can have the socket hard wired to battery as in most other cars.
Sorry didn’t make it clear, I’ve hard wired this solar panel to my last three cars without problems. Always make sure you have a in line fuse protecting the car/solar panel. If in doubt get an auto electrician to do it for you.
It even kept a bad battery topped up so is a winner for me.
Anyway just thought I would pass on something that works for me.
Can you please let me know the space available for transporting luggage in the Prius if some of the seats are removed.
Can you fit a tow bar to a prius T4?
I also would like to fit a tow bar, but you can’t, the car isn’t built to use one.
If you look through the previous posts you will see it explained in more detail
Am I correct in thinking that the built in Sat Nav comes as a standard ftting in the Spirit.
Can a Spirit be ordered without the Sat Nav?
Driving in snow? Going up slight hill car came to a stand still, could not spin wheels to get grip vsc. What does one do in this situation?
I do not understand your problem, we drove our (wife’s) Spirit all the time in the last snow/ice period and the car was superb driving between our home and office up and down hills, felt more like a 4 wheel drive…………..much better than my BMW 730d which is absolutely hopeless in the snow! My tip….just be gentle with her – just like the wife!!
Spinning your wheels in snow will just make the ice under the wheels more slippery! The Prius stops because traction control decides that it is unable to get any grip. Two possible approaches are: 1) turn the steering wheel from side to side whilst applying GENTLE power (putting the car in ECO mode helps!)
2) put some old car-mats under the front wheels!
Can the NiMH batteries be repaired or boosted in some way over time as my NiMH rechargeable batteries usually loose their storage ability after a certain number of recharges!
why has this Prius technology not been put into a diesel version?
Are the batteries chargeble
They are charged by the car when the engine is running.
For a full explanation go to the Toyota web site
when my car was returned by the dealer following a service my remote locking no longer worked although it works 100m up the road. Did something happen during the service ? Advice please. Thanks
Brenda,
Remote locking?
How did you get that?
Kev
Kev
It’s standard on all models, even the T3, and was on the 2nd generation also.
are we talking about the doors locking when you drive off?
I’ve had that in previous cars but never in my Gen 2 T4 or Gen 3 T Spirit
No, just locking with the remote control on the key fob
Regarding the sudden fault with my remote locking. It has solved itself. Last night and this morning it wouldn’t work when parked on my drive. Tonight when I returned from work it worked again. Strange but true !
Brenda
There was certainly an issue with 2nd gen Prius where interference from certain radio devices could prevent the remote locking from working. I had this happen a couple of times. One way that a number of people found to open it was to hold the remote fob at different places around the car while trying to unlock it, including under a wheel arch! Failing that the mechanical key, although very stiff, can be used to unlock the door, although (if it’s the same as the 2nd gen) the car needs to be started to reset the alarm.
Brenda, If your key fob lock does not work, it can sometimes be an indication that a door or the tailgate is not properly closed.
Alan
The key fob battery may be going flat- this problem usually presents itself with reduced range, intermittent operation, or a reluctance to work when the key has been in a cold place
Hi Mellisa,
Is there any chance of cleaning up the blog.
It is so difficult to fine original comments to track any answers
I would agree, but with a further suggestion.
I access this blog by using [http://blog.toyota.co.uk/new-prius-everything-you-need-to-know] I notice that it tells me that certain questions have been asked.
Why can’t we click on those headers to view those topics?
Howmany \prius ”make? Doe the petrol engine work aany time during a drive ?
Seeing as in 2011 , daytime running lights will made mandatory Also Tyre pressure monitoriny systems mandate is also just round the corner , when will these facility become standard on the new Prius .
Many Thanks
Paul
I am considering purchasing a Prius and want to know if the Blue tooth provided supports Blackberry blue tooth?
Hi Andrew,
I am thinking of upgrading to a Blackberry mobile and I tested one out on my Prius Bluetooth and it worked perfectly.
Transferred all of the contact date etc at the press of a button. So go ahead and get one.
I have aNew T Spirit Which Mobile telephones are compatable with the blue tooth connectivity please?
Bluetooth compatibility info is here:
http://techdoc.toyota-europe.com/Bluetooth/search.aspx
How does the Prius provide heat on a cold start-up slow/local journey of only a couple of miles in the kind of weather we have recently had?
The windscreen demist has a small electric heating element, but the main heat for the cabin is, like any other car, provided by hot water from the petrol engine’s cooling system. The petrol engine does switch on and warm itself up at the beginning of every journey (even if you don’t want it to, as when choosing to do a very short journey in EV mode). The engine has a few novel features to facilitate a quick warm up and retention of heat when running on electric power, so the heater provides warmth to the cabin faster than in many other cars.
P
petrol or diesel
has already been answered on this thread – Petrol
is this car avalible yet
Yes, since August 09
Forgive me if this has already been asked.I am interested in ordering a t-spirit prius and i understand that the solar roof can only be ordered in on 15”wheels and no spare . Why is Why is this and what would be the results of fitting 17” wheels after purchasing the car .
Thanks
Paul
Hi Paul,
This has already been asked, but not to worry at all! It’s a weight management issue: the solar roof weighs 25kg, which when combined with the 17″ wheels makes for a significantly heavier car. At this point the fuel consumption is affected. Consequently, Toyota does not recommend fitting 17″ wheels after purchase.
Can i get a USB/IPOD intgration kit for my T4 prius 2010 model and much does it cost me including fitting.
Will it work on T4 as it does not have atouch screen?
Will the integration kit allow me to control music on a USB stick from the steering wheel controls?
thanks
Hi Shanker,
Yes, the iPod integration kit is available for and compatible with all grades, whether or not you have a screen. I can’t tell you how much it will cost including fitting as the labour costs vary from Centre to Centre, but excluding fitting the cost is £138.90.
You will definitely be able to use the steering wheel controls using an iPod. I’m not 100% sure whether you can play music from a USB stick, but I will check this out for you. I know that music cannot be transferred to the HDD on a T Spirit via USB stick, but on a T4 this should be no issue.
I hope that’s clarified things. I’ll be back in touch about USB sticks soon.
how long do the batteries in a prius last and the cost to replace them?
James
See response to Hugh’s question here:
http://blog.toyota.co.uk/new-prius-everything-you-need-to-know/comment-page-1#comment-7081
I own a 2010 Prius in UK bought few months back. I would like to add the dusk sensor feature to my car. Any suggestions please
Thanks
Hi Vasu,
Unfortunately the dusk-sensing headlights are only available as part of the LED Technology Pack which cannot be retrofitted. Sorry about this. Thanks for getting in touch.
I have a new Prius on order – a T4 Spirit. Is it front wheel drive, rear wheel drive or all wheel drive. I’ve rung the dealer and they just don’t seem to know. I can’t find any information in the brochures. Can you help?
Hi Peter,
I certainly can: all Prius grades are front-wheel drive. Sorry you’ve had trouble trying to find this out.
Are there any plans to re-introduce the previa into the UK?
I’m seeing plenty here in China but find no reference to them on your Web pages.
Regards
David Walker
Hi David,
Apologies for the late reply; I’ve been chasing down some info for you. I can tell you that there are currently no plans to reintroduce the Previa. The current UK model it is most similar to is Verso.
I hope to have some more information for you soon – do bear with me.
I WANT TO KNOW..THIS STEERING SYSTEM…WITH RACK.OR WIRE TIPE.OR .WIRE LESS..OTERWISE WHAT IS THE ADVANCED..SYSTEM
Hi Chamila,
There is a rack and pinion type steering gear assembly, plus vehicle speed sensing type electric power steering (EPS). This system assists your steering by generating assist torque using a power steering motor and a reduction mechanism. The EPS system only activates the power steering motor when you turn the steering wheel, thereby reducing energy consumption when driving straight, which in turn should improve your fuel economy.
The torque sensor, power steering motor and reduction mechanism are all in one compact structure, and the EPS system lacks the pipes, vane pump, pulley, and power steering fluid of hydraulic power steering systems. These mean the EPS system should prove very reliable and serviceable.
I hope that’s answered your question – let me know if I’ve misunderstood!
how efficient is heater in prolonged cold weather
I am about to purchase a second hand 2007 prius. I have had the car checked by the RAC and have been told that the service history has been lost from the car computer, likely secondary to the battery going flat. Can you tell me how to get the service history programmed in the car computer again, and how much, if anything, this might cost? THe paper copies of the service history are available; the car has always been serviced by toyota dealers.
Hi Sophia,
This is a very good question. I imagine that a Toyota dealer would be best placed to help you here – have you asked one? In the meantime I’ll look into this for you.
Does the new model prius have roof bar capability and if so would they be different to the last model as I have an 06 Prius at present
Hi again Ian,
Yes, the new Prius does have a roof rack option, but because the shape of the roof has been changed the rack for second-generation Prius will not fit a new car. The new roof rack costs £139.36 plus fitting.
Does the new model Prius have the option of a dog guard for the boot area
Hi Ian,
For this I would consult your local dealer – they will have full and up-to-date accessory lists.
Melissa
I saw on a US site that the Solat roof will only operate the fans above 65F ..about 18C ..is this this correct. (Summer seems a long way off)
regards
Is the new Prius the same length as the previous model
Hi Tony,
Yes, the new Prius is longer than the second-generation model – but only by one centimetre!
Please send details including photo of roof rack system for 2010 Prius
Thank you
i am starting a buisness up and was told if i buy a pruis, i could claim the whole amout back from the tax man due to 0 emmisions etc, is this true ?
No, not quite – that would mean that they were giving the car away to all businesses! You can claim 100% tax relief though, i.e. you can get relief for the full cost against taxable profits in the year of the expenditure. (As opposed to either 20% or 10% for most cars, depending upon emissions).
If the car buyer is a sole trader or a partnership there is potentially a much greater tax break that could actually pay for the car alongside the tax/NIC saving.
This tax break is called Working Tax Credits plus if applicable Child Tax Credits.
It all depends upon how much %age business use the car has and the overall business profit plus very importantly overall family circumstances.
Here’s a rough example. A couple have 2 children. The normal family income is £25,000 pa. Normally no tax credits except standard Child Tax Credit of £545 a year.
Spend £20k on a brand new (important: NOT s/hand) Prius. It gets used 75% for business and 25% for private use. So, £25,000 x 100% x 75% is deducted off the profit. This equals a £15,000 deduction off profit. So the £25,000 profit falls to £10,000. At this level of family income the total tax credits (WTC + CTC) entitlement is £8,155 -ie. £7,610 more than had they not bought the car. A quirk of the tax credit system is that if the next year’s family income is no higher than £25,000 more than this year that they buy the car, then *again* they get £8,155 of tax credits!
So, tax credits in total of £16,310 potentially available for buying a car for £20,000. And don’t forget the tax/NIC savings too, ie. 28% of £20,000 x 100% x 75% in this case, ie. £4,200 for just one year.
So in this example the business person (not a director, but rather a sole trader or partner) gets £4,200 off his/her tax bill one year plus extra £7,610 x 2 in tax credits off HMRC TCO. A total cash bebefit to the family of £20,510 – which, amazingly, is only £420 short of the cost of the car!
For more information (Tax Credit rate) see HMRC WTC2 booklet and advice along the above lines an acccountant who understands tax credits (NB. many qualified accountants don’t as its not part of their exam syllabus!).
NB. The figures will be very different for higher or lower income figures and
essentially Tax Credits are based on *the whole family* income. The Tax Credits I quote are *not* applicable to limited companies, but in perhaps a smaller scale could apply to the directors of a Ltd Co.
Information from the horse’s mouth is here: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2008/bn11.pdf If self employed or a company purchase, buying a Prius reduces your taxable income by the cost of the car x percentage business use, in the year of purchase, so for a 40% tax payer, a £20,000 Prius will knock £8,000 off this year’s tax liability if business use is 100%, or £6,000 if 75%.
As David has pointed out, the benefits may be even greater if buying a Prius pushes your taxable income down to the level where you qualify for child tax credit.
The other group that will score heavily from next April is people earning just over £113.000. As well as paying 40%, the six and a half thousand pound personal allowance is taken away on a sliding scale between £100,000 and £113,000, so using a Prius to reduce your taxable income from, say £114,000 to £99,000 would get your personal allowance back as well as the 40% tax relief.
P
Ignore the reference to company car purchase in Peter’s response above – treatment for company cars is very different for sole traders. The company can claim 100% deduction against its taxable profits, and the employee is taxed on the benefit of private use, valued at just 10% per annum of the list price of the car (most cars are between 15% & 45% based upon emissions).
For individuals the personal allowance recovery between £100,000 and £113,x00 means that the effective tax saving is 60%
Sorry not to be clear, for companies I was referring to the benefits for the company purchasing the vehicle, not for the company car driver.
P
The other group I forgot to mention is self employed people earning over £150,000. From April those poor people will be in the new 50% tax bracket, so for them buyng a Prius will attract 50% tax relief
Please send me a list of Bluetooth enabled phones that are available in UK and work with 2004 Prius. Are profiles other than A2DP and AVRCP utilized ?
Hi Eugene,
Because this concerns the second-generation Prius it’s a little harder to find out. Hopefully I’ll be able to get back to you soon.
how much is the car? and could you make it any cheaper?
Hi Shannon,
The price depends on the grade and options you choose. All Toyota Centres should have full lists of options and prices, but the T3 starts at £19,504.
With its full hybrid powertrain, the new Prius is one of the most technically advanced cars on the market. Even though Prius comes with high standard equipment levels, it is competively priced when compared to rival D-segment vehicles.
Running costs for Prius are low thanks to the high mpg, low CO2 emissions (meaning Prius has £0 road tax and is exempt from the London Congestion Charge), and low insurance grouping. Plus your maintenance costs would be low, too: the Hybrid Synergy Drive technology has proved to be reliable as well as advanced, with Prius having the lowest warranty claim level of any current Toyota model.
Do get back in touch if any of that is unclear, or if you have further questions.
Will these cars tow a trailer?
Hi Jan,
No, Prius cannot tow a trailer I’m afraid. For a explanation of why, please see this comment. Thanks.
Is the Prius 4 wheel drive pleae?
No, it’s front wheel drive.
No true if you are reversing.
What is the MPG around town??
That depends on a number of things, and similar questions been asked before on this thread – search for mpg. For a previous comment of mine see here: http://blog.toyota.co.uk/new-prius-everything-you-need-to-know/comment-page-1#comment-7244
Taking delivery of my new Prius 1.8 T-Spirit in Feb 2010.
Conflicting information from Toyota & Dealership. Does the T-Spirit have fitted as standard a USB connector for my Ipod classic or not.
In the centre console does it have a USB Aux socket or not, can this not be used for an Ipod or not.
Do I really have to spend 299.00p on a Ipod Interface kit or not, to work with the cars Sat Nav,Radio,Cd/HDD. YES or NO
Please help
Hi Charles, this isn’t going to be any help directly but Melissa may be able to follow things up. I have had a basic query unanswered since last August about what the ipod/iphone integration kit does and no-one has managed to answer, either here or at the dealership. I have cancelled the kit for my new TSpirit on the basis that £300 is a lot to pay for something when nobody knows what it does. Good luck with finding an answer…
Thanks Martin – yes, unfortunately the iPod/iPhone integration issue is a long-standing one which we’re still looking into. Sorry that you’re still in the dark on this but it hasn’t been forgotten about at this end, I promise.
Charles, hopefully I’ll be able to answer the rest of your questions later today.
Mellisa Couldton
Since my blog to you with regards my February delivery of Prius T-spirit, question re Ipod Interface kit.
Your last blog 11th Jan stated you would be back in touch later that day, as yet not heard. I am aware time is ticking away as the dealership have ordered this kit for me at a cost of £299.00p which is alot of money on top of cars RRP.
Some of the comments on the blog suggest these are a waste of money some say they already exist erh erh.
Toyota do I cancel this kit not !!
The dealership will not be happy with me if I either cancel it or they start installing this kit for no reason.
Charles
Charles, there is a standard 3.5mm socket as standard at the base of the rear of the central sliding console. Provided you have a suitable lead (3.5mm male to male for ordinary headphone sockets) audio from any mp3 player/phone/handheld/or even personal cassette player(!) can be played through it.
Obviously it doesn’t give control integration, but allows you to play through the car’s own speakers.
Hi Charles,
I would go against it, it’s very expensive with very little advantage (very limited control, just going up/down playlist without any proper display/feedback). I had the bad idea to order it and don’t use it, the 3.5mm jack (or Bluetooth) a lot more practical…
Hi again Charles,
Apologies for the delay – I’ve been trying to get back to everyone as quickly as possible, but hadn’t realised that your issue was quite so time-sensitive.
The T Spirit does not have a USB connector as standard – it is added at factory level if you order the integration kit. There is an aux-in jack located in the central console as standard, which, as Brian rightly states, can be used to connect an MP3 player to play music through the speakers. (Note that you cannot transfer any data or files, including MP3, to the HDD via any connector.)
As you know, the advantage with the integration system is that you can control the music via the sat nav display. Ultimately it is entirely your decision as to how important this functionality is to you, and so whether you go ahead with the option or not.
Perhaps you could clarify whether this factory fit
interface is actually the full ‘USB Interface” which
is factory fitted as standard to U.S. models with
navigation? This give full control and display of
iPod and USB drives from the navigation touch screen.
Or is it still the old UK dealer fit iPod interface with
strictly limited functionality (it emulates a CD changer)?
When will the full “USB Interface” upgrade kit be
available in the UK for the TSpirit? In the U.S. it has
been available as an upgrade for earlier built cars
since it became standard fit in September.
Thanks,
A very good question, Richard – I’ll endeavour to find out.
Hi Melissa
I picked up my Prius T-spirit yesterday Sat 14th February 2010 from the dealership,after your reply to me on 12th January 2010 with regards to the iPod Interation kit.
I whent ahead with the purchase of this Kit £299 after what you had said, this was supplied by Toyota and fitted by the dealership and does NOT work, nor do they know why it does not work.
I traded in my Auris T-spirt which I bought the iPod Interation for as well.I left this in the Auris.
I took out my iPod ” classic” when I got there,they stated just a few minutes job after connecting the iPod USB and a couple of controls it should search and they connect.
After 40 min,s it had not connected, dealership when’t away scratched a few heads, then read the iPod intregration kit user manual. Then then stated that my iPod will NOT WORK, as it is not a NANO, NANO G2, and iPod generation 5.
Somewhat confused as the iPod manual is dated September 2008 bar code PZ420-00266-me. This is long before the launch of the 2010 Prius 1.8.
As I checked this out with TOYOTA and the Toyota dealership before I whent ahead and ordered this kit, I would have not entered into this sale. I should have been informed at the onset my iPod will NOT WORK.
The dealership stated I should consider buying an iPod NANO, as my own iPod “classic ” is only two (2) year old and cost me £190 I am not very happy.
Nor am I happy to spend yet another £137 for a iPod Nano which may or NOT work, considering that I have already spent in excess of £23,000.
please favour me with a reply.
Regards
Charles Lea
Ps There are a lot of negative comments on the Toyota ownersclub website about this iPod intergration kit for the 2010 Prius T-spirit NOT working.
Hi again Charles,
I’d like to refer you to our Customer Relations team. Please ring them on 01737 367 600. They will do all they can to help.
How does the battery get recharged ?
See replies to an earlier query here:
http://blog.toyota.co.uk/new-prius-everything-you-need-to-know/comment-page-1#comment-7165
can you tell me the cost of the DAB radio option on the Tsprint
Hi Paul,
Yes – it’s £378.90 plus fitting on all grades.
anybody experienced the loud ICE noise and vibration. it seems to be happening quite a bit in the US and I have experienced it on three occasions since Sept (4000 miles)
Example is available on you tube under “2010 prius engine knocking”
How many years warranty is there on a Toyota Prius
Hi there Adrian,
Thanks for your question, and for your emails. The warranty on all hybrid components of the Prius is five years, while the warranty on other part is three years (or 60,000 miles), which is standard across all Toyota models. Of course, extended warranty packages are also available. Please see this section of Toyota.co.uk for further details.
I am thinking of getting a new Prius, does Toyota have a Towbar as a option
No – if you search this thread you will find that this has been answered many times already, including some explanation of why.
Hi Dave,
I can confirm that Toyota does not recommend towing with a Prius, so Toyota therefore does not manufacture a towbar for it. Here is the explanation Brian referred to.
Hi Just done an oil change on my 2010 T Spirit at 1296 miles just after running in mileage. It was very easy but you do need the correct tool to get the oil filter casing off, the filter kit has a paper filter also an O ring and a sump washer, these comes in the filter box, The Toyota part number is 04152-37010. the oil you can get from
http://www.japarts.co.uk/shop/ 0 20w the price is about £39 but is a good oil also has the recommended specs, it comes in 4LT. containers I bought 2 as the engine holds 4.2 LT so I will have some spare. The special tool you can get from here http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B001I6CH4M/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&qid=1262430954&sr=1-2&condition=new Cost just under £7 free postage it works great but is a tight fit on the filter housing which is a good point, just put a small amount of grease on the inside of the tool and it fits good and can be pulled of easy when done.
I can see that a TPMS system is mentioned in the forums but there is no mention of it in the UK specs. Is TPMS available for the UK?
What is TPMS?
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Think it is USA only? Definitely dont have it on my T3
Had hoped it would be an option for the UK market…
Hi Paul,
TPMS (correctly identified as the Tyre Pressure Monitoring System – thanks, Alan) isn’t available on UK Toyotas, I’m afraid. Often the forums have originated in the US, hence you will sometimes get discrepancies in specification cropping up.
I have an 07 Prius – looking to change to new model asap – took test drive and found the new central console to have significantly reduced leg space in the front. After driving for a couple of hours I found it very uncomfortable due to contact points on the leg from the console. I’m 6ft 4 and found the previous model is much more open at the front giving more space. If I order the new car can anything be done to make any minor amendments to the central console to give a bit more room? Thanks.
Hi Graham,
Sorry to hear you didn’t find the third-generation Prius as comfortable when you had a test drive. I’m not aware of any padding that exists specifically for the central console I’m afraid. However, I do know that there are some tall Prius drivers out there – is anyone able to offer Graham any solutions?
I have current Prius – having test drove the new model to change I have found the introduction of the new central console restricts leg room resulting in contact points on the side of the leg. In essence it’s enclosed the “cockpit area” and reduces lateral leg room. Can anything be done about this such as fitting of padding to enhance comfort from contact points? I’m fairly tall at 6 ft 4in so maybe this is not a problem to everyone but the new model just didn’t feel as comfortable? Many thanks
How do i deice my car on the drive. With my car i can run it and make sure it has clear windows before i set off.
You can do the same. The Prius is a petrol/electric hybrid so when you want lots of heat to defrost the windows, the petrol engine comes on and generates heat just like a normal car.
Hi With mine I put a small electric heater in the car 15 mins before I need to go, this makes the car nice and warm as well as de icing. This is a mains heater 1000 2000 watts soon does the job
Hello,
im interested in buying a “green car” but i was wondering what the fuel consumption is, also how much is the road licence? Thanks
Fuel consumption depends upon how you drive it, type and length of journey, but the quoted figures in accordance with the standard tests will be on the main Prius website. Remember that because these are produced in standardised conditions they are almost invariably for all cars higher than can normally be expected in the real world.
Personally I have actually achieved an average of mid 50s in October/November, and low 50s even in the current cold (which reduces the mpg) and with a roof box on.
Road fund licence is free!
It does depend a lot on how you drive it. In September I took the car from Coventry to Luton airport and as it was brand new I wanted to know how many digits were on the head up display. I can tell you that the display can display 3 digits… However I did manage to get 69.9 mpg on that trip and no points! In the cold I have noticed it has decreased quite drastically but now that I have *checked the tyre pressures* the mpg has returned to the high 50′s. T3 model.
Hi Lauren,
The official combined fuel consumption for Prius is 72.4mpg with 15″ wheels and 70.6mpg with 17″ wheels. These figures are certainly achievable – a number of people have reported back to us on the impressive mpg their Prius is achieving – but mpg certainly does depend on factors such as temperature and driving style. Making good use of Electric Vehicle mode (which uses no fuel and causes no CO2 to be emitted), for instance, will really help your fuel consumption. And yes, the road licence is £0!
Thanks for your questions. Feel free to get back in touch if there’s anything else you’d like to know.
The general consensus amongst owners about use of EV mode is that it is overall more efficient, under normal circumstances, to let the car decide when to turn on the internal combustion engine and when to use battery only.
Having said that, there are circumstances when you know what’s coming better than the car does and so would want to use EV mode – such as a short journey or just moving the car a little when the engine shouldn’t be needed at all, or a journey that is predominantly downhill and can therefore be done on battery/gravity alone. Also when in a stop/start queue and it is unnecessary for the engine to start.
is prius front or rear wheel drive
Front!
Please can you advise how I can override the VSC on my Prius. It is stuck in snow and will not move as whenever I press the accelerator the orange vsc warning light comes on and the car loses power. My ten year old corsa has no problem moving on the same road on the snow – why does the petrol engine shut down completely when any slight imbalance is detected – this is very dnagerous.
I don’t think you can. You need to be very gentle with the accelerator and try to creep to get going. I’ve found the third gen much less liable to the traction control kicking in when you don’t want it to than the second gen model.
I had the same problem yesterday trying to car the car on to the drive. It may sound obvious but turning the steering wheel a small amount left / right helped and gave me enough traction to move the car front / back to get the car out of the dip. I was driving in the Scottish mountains earlier this week on untreated icey roads and I can let you know that the traction control was fantastic. Don’t try to switch it off, it isn’t dangerous it was a life saver.
do you have a prius estate model – ie with a boot suitable for a dog
Nope, but rumors of Hybrid Avensis are in the mix….
Although the Prius Gen3 is a hatchback, it is more like an estate because the loadspace floor is level with the rear sill and you have cargo hooks (handy for bungees and dog leads). We get two dogs in the back of mine . Have a look at one or see some online pictures like these…
http://www.hybridcars.com/toyota/prius/photo/060/rear-cargo-from-front-seat
Thanks for that, Alan!
Toyota does not make an estate version of Prius and has no current plans to develop one, but like Alan says, the boot isn’t small. The rear seats also fold flat which should give you plenty of room. I hope that helps!
why has the garantee on the drive train and batteries been reduced to five years from the previous models 8 years
I believe it is because, now it’s in it’s third generation it is no longer risky technology,and has proved it’s reliability. Five years is Toyota’s standard term.
can you get this car on mobality.how much up front do you have to pay.
Hello Mr. Vivian,
Are you referring to Motability? If so, then yes, Prius is available. For more details, including how much you have to pay upfront, please call 0845 602 1727 or visit this page. Thanks for your question.
What tyres/snow chains do I need for this weather
My dads Gen 3 seems to be fine with the normal tyres you get with the car, he was really impressed when it slid and the traction control came on got it out the skid.
If you fitted snow tyre for estate roads they would work fine but when used on gritted/clear roads they would not only wear quickly but give you less grip.
More or less the same with tyre chains, great on snow covered roads but on clear roads they would hurt the tyres. You would have to greatly reduce your speed as well.
Your normal road tyres will do fine.
(I am speaking of UK roads here)
Coming to the party a bit late but it seems that Paul is talking about studded tyres and doesn’t know much about winter tyres. Check out http://hanlonblog.dailymail.co.uk/2010/12/winter-tyre-mystery.html and do some research on proper winter tyres (not studded tyres). Starter for 10 here…
http://back-2-03.webmichelin.com/corporate/actualites/en/actu_affich.jsp?id=26583&lang=EN&codeRubrique=58&actu=true
what is the top speed of this battery powered car please answer i am keen
The Toyota website is full of useful information. http://www.toyota.co.uk/cgi-bin/toyota/bv/generic_editorial.jsp?deepLink=PS3_Specification_new&nodiv=TRUE&fullwidth=TRUE&edname=specSheet_PS3&carModel=Prius&imgName=/bv/specSheet_images/Next_Prius_Hatchback_5_Door.jpg&zone=Zone NG Prius&navRoot=toyota_1024_root
Top speed of the 3rd gen is about 110mph I believe (the 2nd gen was 104mph) – certainly more than you’ll ever need on a UK public road!
Hi George,
We like keenness!
Brian is right about the speed. However, just to confirm: Prius is not an electric vehicle (EV) but a full hybrid, meaning it can be powered using the engine, a battery-powered motor, or a combination of both. Using the hybrid battery alone, the top speed you can reach is 31mph.
Keep an eye out for the plug-in Prius, though, which is also a full hybrid but thanks to its lithium-ion battery is able to travel at speeds of up to 62mph using battery power alone. Trials are starting soon and it should be available commercially in 2012. And we’ll be the first to let you know if the FT-EV II, an EV concept car with a top speed of over 60mph that was launched in Japan last year, is going to be produced commercially and sold in the UK.
Thanks for your question, and don’t hesitate to get back in touch if you have any further questions.
Hi,
My name is Shane Richards, I am doing the Level 3 Engineering Diploma for South Leicestershire College at Lutterworth College. My teacher has asked me to Email you about the task he has set me wondering if you could provide me with some help. I have been set a task that I am struggling on and I was wondering if you could possibly help me by providing the answers you can for the questions that I have sent in the attachment? If you could help me out, it would be greatly appreciated. The Topic I have chosen to designate on is the hybrid cars, as it is a new technology that is trying to save the planet so I think it is very important to the world.
Regards,
Shane Richards,
Lutterworth College
does the prius come with electric heated door mirrors
Yes. Al the Prius Gen3 trim levels (T3, T4, Tspirit) have heated door mirrors.
Having owned my Gen 111 since Sep 09, I was pleased to be achieving up to 70mpg during the first 2000 miles. However I now struggling to achieve 60mpg on similar runs.
How much of this drop would you realistically expect as a result of the cold weather over the past few weeks?
Regards
Kev
Yes it is. Pop over to the Prius Chat forum to find out more.
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-fuel-economy/
That,s better than my experience. My Prius 3 only returns 50mpg which is no improvement on the mark2
Wow, how do people only get 50 or less from the Gen3. My gen 2 was achieving 55 min and eventually 65 per tank when I got rid. My best ever trip was 70mpg on a run from Chesterfield to Skegness and back.
A lot depends on driving style & speed and length of journeys, but unlike Peter I’ve certainly found it better than the 2nd gen I had previously. Over Christmas, in the cold (when it is less efficient) and with a roofbox on I still got mid 50s.
I realised I didn’t actually answer your original question – yes, it is usual for consumption to be worse in winter (and was on the 2nd gen). One reason for this is that the ICE has to run more to get it up to the minimum operating temperature
Cheers Brian,
Can’t wait for the weather to improve. The Gen 3 seems to be effected more by the cold weather.
I agree the gen 3 mpg is better than the gen 2 by about 10-15% so I’m expecting to hit high 70′s eventually
Kev
What is the life span of a Prius battery
Hi Ron,
The nickel metal hydride battery should not need replacing – it is designed to last as long as the car itself does.
im interested in buying a new toyote prius in near future ,is there any chance to order this car in left hand drive specification ?
Plenty of them in Europe and the USA/Canada. If you want to buy a LHD in the UK, have a word with your Toyota dealer or two.
availableon motability ?
Hi Whiley,
Yes, Prius is available through the Motability scheme. Please see here for more details.
please can you suggest where I could get roof bars and/or a roof box for 5 door 2005 T3 Prius and how much theye would cost. Thanks.
Hi, good to be able to post comments after a few weeks of problems.
I have a T Spirit Gen 111 which periodically is creating a very loud engine noise and extreme vibration when started. Not possible to identify in advance, when it is going to happen but it seems to be when the car has been unused for a few days. The local dealer is being very helpful offering to store my car for a weekend, giving me a courtesy car and then having me present to start the car after a few days. Hopefully the noise will happen again.
Has anybody else experienced a similar problem?
This is not uncommon in the cold weather but it is a mystery. Check out the Prius Chat forum.
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/
Mmm, cold weather does not appear to be the problem as the first time it happens was early Oct.
It has only happened two other times, both on cold mornings, but the noise is very very loud.
The second time it happened, my neighbor was in her car reversing from the drive with windows closed. She stopped and checked her car as she thought she had a problem. Imagine how loud that must have been
Hi Kev,
Sorry for the late reply, but it’s great to hear that you’re able to comment again (we had the web team look into it for you) and that your dealer is providing you with a courtesy car. I am however sorry to hear about this problem. Let me know what the dealer says/has said and if it remains a mystery, we’ll look into it further.
Hi Kev,
Had the same problem a few days ago. Immediately turned the car off, tried again with same result. Turn it off again immediately (don’t want to make any damage).
Then switched it on in EV, drove it a few meters, switched off EV. Seemed to have done the trick, or might just be pure coincidence… Hope I won’t be able to confirm any time soon.
Melissa, could you please try to dig this a bit further? Is it investigated by Toyota Japan?
Thanks,
Stephane
My dealer was able to recreate the noise by removing one of the cables to one spark plug. Effectively, they say that the engine is miss firing.
Toyota have said that it may be bad fuel and have suggested draining the fuel tank, cleaning it out and then refill the tank. Personally I think this is a bit of a fob off by Toyota as it has happened three times on three different tanks of fuel, but has not occurred on other tanks of fuel.
Anyway, I’m running the car nearly dry, carrying spare fuel in the boot just in-case the timing/fuel gauge are wrong, and will let you know what happens.
Stephane, can we correspond ref the engine noise. I have a feeling that this might be a gen3 problem and I am trying to find others with similar experiences so that I can pursue the problem with Toyota if they do not come up with a solution.
my email is Kevin.hobson3@btopenworld.com
Hi again Kev,
I spoke to someone from the technical department this morning. He agreed that it sounds like the engine is misfiring – the source of the noise is the engine’s connection to the hybrid transaxle. He said that there are a range of possible root causes that could result in an engine misfire but that if your dealer had pinpointed ‘bad fuel’ (which I take to mean poor fuel quality), then that is probably correct. Can I just check: does the noise occur when you’ve used a particular brand/kind of fuel from a particular petrol station? If so, it may be worth shopping around.
The specialist also confirmed that Toyota is not aware of any manufacturing defects that could result in engine misfire on the third-generation Prius.
If I find out anything new, I will of course get back to you.
Hi Melissa,
The dealer has identified bad fuel as a “possible” problem and by draining the fuel tank and starting from fresh they hope to prove or disprove this idea. However, I have used 4 different petrol stations (Morrisons and Tesco different locations all at 95 Octane) on 8 different occasions.
I’ve identified two stations I had filled up from from which the noise occurred about 3 days after filling up. However, I have used the same stations without problems as well.
The dealer has advised me to use a non supermarket brand, which I certainly intend to do, but I’m finding it hard to believe that three separate tanks of bad fuel are the culprit, especially as I am hearing of others with the same problem who have used Shell and BP fuels with the same octane.
I will let you know how things go in the future, but om not feeling to optimistic.
Regards
kev
Hi Melissa,
I doubt the “bad fuel” explanation, or the Prius might be over-sensitive. I had the problem using a tank of BP Ultimate, Kev using standard 95. I’m aware of a few other peoples on Prius UK forums who had the same issue.
And there are (long) lists of affected people in the US too (see http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/70128-rough-engine-start.html for example).
Could you please pass me the detail of a technical product manager so we can centralise all the experience and try to progress the problem, it might just be an easy to fix software glitch.
Thanks,
Stephane
Hi Ian,
Sorry for the late reply. Have you tried your dealer? They may stock the roof rack, or be able to source one for you. The shape of the roof has changed so the roof rack for new Prius will not fit a 2005 Prius, but as a guide, the roof rack for new Prius costs £139.36 plus fitting.
what is the current reccomended price per private mile for a company car driver as prescribed by H M Customs and revenue for the Prius?
Here’s HMRC webpage links which should have the information that you require:-
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/rates/travel.htm
and
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cars/advisory_fuel_current.htm
The way I usually see it work, if we are talking about a company car driver is that NO private fuel is provided. Instead the company car driver records business mileage and is then tax-free reimbursed at the prescribed rates for fuel. The prescribed rate for Prius 3rd gen is currently 14p per mile (per second web page link).
As the recommended fuel mileage rates are based on engine size and fuel type, disregarding the hybrid fuel saving, there is scope to make a *tax-free* profit out of the 14p per mile rate in the circumstances that I outline.
Hi Emma,
I checked this out with the fleet team, and the second link that DavidMG provided – ‘Company cars – advisory fuel rates from 1 December 2009′ – gives the correct figures.
overall length and hight & width of the car Price range and if possible value of Trade In of Honda Civic Executive 03 reg milage approx 90000
Length – 175.0
Height – 58.7
Width – 67.9
Clearance – 5.6
Suggest you use – http://www.glass.co.uk/ for car trade-in values….
Hi Bryan,
Just to confirm the official dimensions from the brochure (all figures are in mm):
Length: 4460
Height: 1490; T Spirit with solar roof: 1505
Width: 1745 (not including wing mirrors – please see this thread for more on this)
In terms of price range, the T3 starts at £19,504, whereas a T Spirit with metallic paint, leather seats and a solar roof (for instance) costs £25,925.70. There are also some option packs available across some or all grades (T3, T4, T Spirit) which I haven’t included here. All Toyota Centres should have full lists of options and prices.
As for the trade-in price, no-one at Toyota HQ can calculate this for you but your dealer can.
I hope that’s clarified everything. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hello, I am currently a third year student at Coventry University studying Automotive Engineering. I’m writing my Dissertation this year about Hybrid Powertrains in Spark Ignition vehicles, and am just wondering if you could provide me with any information regarding the hybrid system used within the Prius, and historically in the older Prius. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Gavin Smith
Gavin
Have you seen http://www.hybridsynergydrive.com
Is fitting a towbar an option with the new Prius? If so what is max towing weight?
No. This question has been asked more than once already on this page.
i would like to know about the servicing of the toyota priusand charges
Hi Alun,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. The service schedule is as follows:
After 10,000 miles: intermediate service (30 minutes)
After 20,000 miles: full service (one hour),
After 30,000 miles: intermediate service (30 minutes)
and so on.
The costs vary Centre by Centre. These timings (and the costings you would be quoted) apply to a standard service, so if any additional work was required then there would be additional costs involved.
Thanks for your question!
I am out of UK for 3months at a time I leave my present vehicle on charge during this period what action would I have to take to ensure the Prius would be fully charged and ready for the road on my return
Hi Archie,
The 12v battery is like any other car’s 12v battery, meaning that it may go flat if left for a length of time, though you can use a trickle charger (I assume this is what you mean when you say you leave your present vehicle ‘on charge’ – unless you have a PHV or EV?). The 12v battery operates entirely separately from the hybrid battery, which is charged as you drive and shouldn’t go flat through lack of use. Either battery can be used to start the car. In short, then, there are no special considerations to take when leaving a Prius as opposed to a non-hybrid.
What is the expected life of the batteries and cost of replacement if needed?
Hi Hugh,
The nickel metal hydride battery should not need replacing – it is designed to last the lifetime of the car itself. If you ever do need to replace it, it will cost £736.38 (ex. VAT and fitting). The 12v battery, on the other hand, is the same as in any other car, as will be its lifespan.
how is non petrol energy produced
From surplus energy from the internal combustion engine, whether by driving the generator when the engine is running, or recovered from the momentum of the car when coasting/braking.
Thanks, Brian.
Tony: this website explains all elements of the hybrid system in detail, but if anything is unclear, please do get back to us.
Can you supply me with more information about the sun roof/solar panel ventilation system on the new prius? Considering the extra cost there is very little information available about it, including from our local dealership. I would ideally like to see one on action on a demonstrator
Just waiting to collect my new Prius which has the solar roof. It’s stuck in the snow at the moment, but as soon as I get it I’ll let you know what I think of the roof. Should be before next weekend, I hope…
Hi Liz,
Sorry for the delayed reply, and that you’ve had trouble finding authoritative information on this.
The functionality of the roof is demonstrated clearly in this video from Toyota USA. Not mentioned in this video is that you can switch the air conditioning system on remotely using your key fob up to three minutes before getting in, providing the hybrid battery has some charge. You don’t need bright sunlight to use it, either – it should work fine unless the car is in shade or the roof is very dirty.
Unfortunately I don’t think any of the demonstrators have a solar roof, but I’ll double-check for you.
please outline the differences in power, size and performance between the initial 1.5 prius engine and the recent 1.8 engine. Please also detail the sicomparative sizes of the different vehicles – is the 1,8 bigger? Thank you.
Hi there Craig,
Sorry for the delayed reply to this. I’m not sure if you mean the actual engines themselves or if you’re instead looking for a comparison of the second- and third-generation cars, so below is a brief comparison of the cars. Let me know if you’d like to know anything more specific. (You can also request a Prius e-brochure here or compare the third-generation Prius against other Toyotas and other manufacturers’ vehicles here.)
MPG (combined): G2 65.7; G3 72.4 (15″ wheels), 70.6 (17″ wheels)
CO2 emissions (combined) (g/km): G2 104; G3 89 (15″), 92 (17″)
Max. speed (mph): G2 106; G3 110
0-62 mph (seconds): G2 10.9; G3 10.4
Drag co-efficient: G2 0.26; G3 0.25
Max. torque (Nm/rpm): G2 115/4000; G3 142/4000
Vehicle length (mm): G2 4450; G3 4460
Vehicle width (mm): G2 1725; G3 1745
it my test it asked me how electric cars still pollute the air? could you please tell me the how they do.
Electric cars and pollution.
The current on sale Prius is NOT a plug-in model.
It’s batteries are recharged by two means : firstly regeneration when braking and secondly the petrol engine.
The overall “pollution” of UK cars is generally measured by CO2 emissions from which you’ll see the Prius is extremely low for the size of car.
Regarding other Electric cars, ie. the sort that you plug in to charge (including some Prius out on test at the moment) the pollution from charging depends upon the power station that supplies the energy. It is generally accepted that treating pollution at source (as in the Power Station) can be more effective than treating it at source of consumption (ie. the car).
Hi Dean,
DavidMG is right in that the third-generation Prius currently on sale is not an electric vehicle (EV), nor a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV) but a petrol hybrid. For clarification and a detailed explanation of how regenerative braking charges the hybrid battery, please visit this page. (This whole site is very informative and clear – I’d recommend reading through it all if you want a full understanding of the hybrid system.)
DavidMG is also correct in that the CO2 emissions for Prius – 89g/km (combined cycle) – are exceptionally low for a full-size D-segment family car. (To see how Prius compares to other Toyotas and other manufacturers’ models in terms of CO2 emissions, performance and running costs, try out the Toyota Comparison Calculator.)
However, there is a significant difference between EVs and PHVs. EVs – such as the FT-EV II concept unveiled last year – run on electric power only and so emit no CO2 through driving. In this way, electric cars do not pollute the air. PHVs, however – such as the Prius PHV which is being tested this year, as DavidMG quite rightly says – are still petrol hybrids and so still emit CO2 when driven using the engine.
There are two main differences between Prius PHV and the current petrol hybrid Prius to bear in mind with respect to your question. The first is that the PHV can be charged by plugging it into your domestic electricity supply or designated charging point. The second is that the PHV is equipped with a lithium-ion battery instead of the current petrol hybrid Prius’ nickel hydride battery, meaning that the PHV can be driven further on electric power from a single charge – 14 miles instead of the one mile that the current Prius is capable of. Because of this, the overall CO2 emissions are much lower: a predicted 41g/km.
However, the emissions over the life cycle of the vehicle may be taken into account too. This video concerns the life cycle of the current petrol hybrid Prius (so please ignore the third ‘driving’ section as it won’t apply), but it outlines the kind of processes that go into building a car and the considerations taken by Toyota.
Apologies for the late response but I hope that’s clarified everything and answered your question. Do get in touch again if you have any other questions. Thanks.
Note that the toyota comparison tool mentioned by Melissa only has data up to May 2009. The data for the Prius seems to be more Gen2 like (99 BHP?). Maybe Melissa could double check?
Hi Alan,
99 DIN hp is actually the correct figure (second-generation was 77). I’ve double-checked and all other Prius specs are correct, though the costings are to be revised. Thanks for bringing this to our attention, though – we’re looking into getting more recent data.
Isn’t 99bhp just the petrol engine? When combined with the electric motor, don’t toyota quote something like 134bhp?
can the seat fixing mount on a new prius be moved by toyota to allow extra legroom for a 6ft 10″ driver?
Hi again Russ,
By ‘seat fixing mount’ do you mean the mechanism that allows you to move the seat forward and back? As I said in my last reply, the amount you are able to adjust the seat position is increased in the third-generation Prius. Beyond this, however, Toyota HQ has no ability to adjust specific seats on specific cars. I would contact your dealer as they will know exactly what can be adjusted at both factory and dealer level.
Alternatively, I know that there are one or two regular users of this blog that are taller than average – would anyone be so kind enough as to tell Russ how they make the most of the Prius’ driver’s space?
do you have a cellica
Hi Lorna,
Sorry for the late reply. Toyota stopped making the Celica in 2006, but some dealers may still have used Celicas available for purchase. You can search for used cars in your area here.
Do let us know if you have any further questions.
how much more drivers leg room in the new model compared with the previous model
Hi Russ,
While the driver’s legroom hasn’t been increased in the third-generation Prius, the front seat travel is longer and the steering wheel has telescopic reach and tilt – both of which should mean more flexibility and comfort in terms of driving position. In addition, the front seat redesign means there is 2cm more rear passenger legroom. Any Toyota Centre will be more than happy to demonstrate these changes during a test drive.
Sorry for the late reply, but I hope that’s answered your question.
how is the insurnce on this car ? (prius)
Hi Dany,
Apologies for the late reply.
The insurance group differs across the grades: the T3 is in group 6, while the T4 and T Spirit are in group 7. You can compare this to other Toyota models and other manufacturers’ models using the Toyota Comparison Calculator.
How much electricity is used when charging?
None. See http://www.hybridsynergydrive.com/en/mechanism.html for details of how the hybrid system works
Thanks for this, Brian. The hybrid battery is charged as you drive normally. This is not to be confused with the Prius Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle, which can also be charged using a normal household electricity supply.
I hope that’s all clear – do let me know if not!
how many litres oil per 100 km?
Hi there,
This is a good question – I’ll find out and get back to you.
mr’ng,
Oil consumption will vary greatly as it’s affected by engine speed, ambient temperature and other factors. For example, lots of short journeys will create a very different oil usage pattern when compared to long journeys.
Whilst you should always monitor oil level, as indicated in the owner handbook, using the dipstick; it’s unlikely you will ever need to top up the oil outside of the standard service intervals of the car.
i recently purchaseda new Prius. it shows Aux connection on the radio but how do i connect an Pod or other MP3 palyers to rdio? thanks.
There’s a standard 3.5mm socket at the base of the rear of the central sliding console. Provided you have a suitable lead (whether 3.5mm male to male for ordinary headphone sockets or via adapters for awkward/proprietary devices) audio from any mp3 player/phone/handheld/or even personal cassette player(!) should be able to be played through it.
can i order left hand drive version of Prius ?
Hi Thomas,
Apologies for the delay over the Christmas break.
I’m afraid that all UK Prius are right-hand drive.
do haver less 1.8 l ban new
Hi Jannes,
Apologies for the late reply. If you are asking whether there is a choice of Prius engines, the answer is no: all grades of the third-generation Prius feature a 1.8l VVT-i petrol engine. Do get back to us if that doesn’t answer your question.
I bought a 2007 Prius T-Spirit but am having trouble finding an infant car seat that fits. Can you tell me which brands can fit in the car?
Hi Venetia,
Sorry that this reply has come so late. Toyota HQ doesn’t have a list of approved seat manufacturers, I’m afraid, though your dealer might have more experience in this area. Alternatively, we’ve found that Mothercare states that it has advisors who are trained to check the fit of car seats. Hopefully you’ll find one that fits!
That surprises me. We had a number of different seats in our 2nd gen Prius, from very wide/tall ones to simple boosters, and never had any that didn’t fit. The only thing that we needed to do was remove the car’s own headrest.
In what way did the seats you’ve tried not fit?
how do i charge my new tomtom in the car?
Charging of independent Sat Navs like TomTom.
The current (3rd generation) Prius has two 12v sockets – one is inside the centre storage console and the other is front centre ahead of the console low down below the dash. This is an improvement over the previous model (2nd gen Prius) where only one 12v outlet was provided.
My £60 (from Morrisons)NavTech / NavMan SatNat is kept inside the centre console and plugged in there and is kept charged this way. It only comes out of the console to be used when necessary.
Hi -I have a Dec 2007 registered Prius. and wondered whether any update is now available for the Sat Nav, and how much this would cost
Hi Stuart,
Apologies for the late reply. Things have been quite busy since Christmas, as I’m sure you can appreciate.
Updates are released every 9-18 months, I believe, so one should exist for the system on your two-year-old Prius. Please visit http://www.toyota-mapupdates.eu/, or contact your dealer. If you have any problems, don’t hesitate to get back to us. Thanks.
cab both the back and front passenger seats fold flat to make use of the full car legths for long item carrying?
Hi Keith,
Sorry for the delay over the Christmas break. The back passenger seats definitely can fold flat, but I’m not sure about the front one – I’ll ask for you and get back to you soon.
I have two questions about the Prius.. 1. Can you set the interior temperature with the solar panel system. 2. Does the car have remote start. (ie from my house when it’s -3 outside to get the car warmed up)
Found out
1. Its just a fan you can’t set any kind of thermostat to control the temperature.
2. Yes
Does the Prius T3 come with front spots in the bumper as seen in the T4 Spirit?
Spot lights.
The current (3rd generation) Prius T3 grade DOES have spotlights (unlike the previous 2nd generation model).
how long does the battery last if you stay below 31mph
Hi Andy,
If the battery has a good enough charge, you should be able to drive for 1.2 miles. Then, Prius will automatically switch back to the engine.
Hi, will I be able to fit 2 child seats and a mid size adult on the back seat? Mny thanks, Maxim
Hello Maxim,
Huge apologies for the late reply. It’s been pretty busy here post-Christmas.
This is a very good question. There are isofix points on both left and right passenger seats, so it is possible in theory to install two child seats and have a mid-sized adult in the middle. However: the feasibility and, more importantly, the legality of this depends on the size of the child seats. If either child seat rests on any seat belt buckle, or interferes with the middle seatbelt in any way, then they do not meet safety requirements and cannot be used. I would advise taking both seats to your dealer and fitting them in a demonstrator to test this.
Thanks for the good question!
What petrol do I need to use in a Prius
Hi Beth,
I’m so sorry for the delayed reply – there’s been lots of catching up to do since the Christmas break. The Prius takes unleaded petrol.
If you have any further questions, do get in touch – I should be able to get back to you much quicker in the future!
Please tell me (us) why questions are answered out of sinc. I asked 2 questions on the 16th with no answers yet, but a question asked on the 21st has been answered already?
Hi Mike,
Sorry to have kept you (and others) waiting. We answer all questions as quickly as possible: if we know the answer to a question and can answer straightaway, then we do; if we can’t answer straightaway, then we put questions to other teams at Toyota. Others still must go to Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan. We still respond as soon as we get the answer. This process can take some time unfortunately, but I’m not ignoring you, I promise!
To answer your questions:
You’re right about the different layouts. I just went out in the snow with the Prius brand specialist to check our Prius, and can confirm that the correct steering wheel layout can be seen on page 30 of the brochure, whilst the correct gearstick is shown on page 13. Well done for spotting these! Apart from being right hand drive, the layout should be exactly the same as in those shipped to Europe, so this shouldn’t be the source of brochure inconsistencies. (Also, please note that page 41 shows a T4 that has been fitted with a nav system; it’s slightly different to the one that comes with a T Spirit.) But thanks for the brochure feedback – it’s always useful to hear, and will be passed on.
As for the hatchback door, we think this can be done using the key fob, but unfortunately we cannot test this at the moment. I wonder if any current T Spirit owners would be kind enough to confirm this?
Irregular use and short journeys won’t adversely affect your car in any way. In fact, the car should excel on short journeys: hopefully you’ll get to use EV mode a lot, and achieve high mpg.
I hope that answers your questions. Do let us know how you get on with your Prius when it arrives!
From Alan Stockley, via e-mail:
“I’ve just been out to my G3 T Spirit. The key fob opens all doors including the hatchback door when operated from outside the car. It also operates the ‘smart entry’ system to open all doors when appropriate contact is made with a door handle or hatchback door. The fob also carries a key but there is no key slot in the hatchback – only on the front doors.”
How much tax does it attract as a benefit in kind?
Hi Paul,
BIK is 10% on all grades. To compare with other cars in the Toyota range and with other manufacturers’ cars too, try out the Toyota Comparison Calculator.
Can you explain to difference between the Toyota Prius 1.8 VVTi T Spirit Hybrid CVT Auto 5dr and the Toyota Prius 1.8 VVTi T Spirit Hybrid LTH CVT 5dr Auto? what does LTH stand for. Thanks
Hi Lance,
I was as puzzled as you, but actually it’s very simple: it’s the same car with leather seats. These can be added as a factory-fit option on the T4 and T Spirit grades for £1395 (inc. VAT but not fitting).
How much will i save if i was to change from my current car which is a honda civic 1.8 sport 06 plate to a toyota prius t spirit 06 plate?
Hi Asea,
It’s difficult to compare used models, but a quick search on WhatGreenCar shows that the second-generation Prius emits less CO2, has lower VED and better fuel economy than the 2006 Honda Civic. The new third-generation Prius improves upon all of these factors, with band A VED (i.e. £0 to pay) and no Congestion Charge if you live in London (plus, it won WhatGreenCar Car of the Year awards on both sides of the Atlantic this year). Consequentially, you should definitely save money on running costs if you switch, but how much it is hard to say.
To compare current models, check out the Toyota Comparison Calculator.
Does this model have Automatic transmission, if so what is the cost please
Hi there,
Prius is automatic, in a sense: it has CVT transmission (Continuously Variable Transmission). This enables a smooth transition between the motor and the engine. For a fuller explanation, please see here.
when stopped which battery runs the auxillary electrics, aircon, radio etc and for how long.
Hi Matthew,
The 12v battery runs these, as it would in any other car. The high-voltage nickel hydride battery is a part of the hybrid system and does not affect these processes nor the status of the 12v battery.
I hope that’s clear, but if not, do get in touch and let me know.
how often do i need to charge the batteries and how do i charge them
Hi Steve,
The nickel hydride battery (the hybrid battery) is charged automatically through regenerative braking and engine heat that is stored as you drive. It functions completely independently of the normal 12v battery, so even if the hybrid battery is out of charge you will still be able to start the car, for example. The hybrid battery can supplement the engine or, when in EV (Electric Vehicle) mode, propel the car using electric power alone. You can drive for up to 1.2 miles at speeds of up to 31mph in EV mode. The frequency with which the hybrid battery requires a charge is dictated by how much you drive in EV mode, therefore.
All the above applies to the current third-generation full hybrid Prius, but there is also a newly-launched plug-in Prius. This can be charged by plugging it into the household mains. Plug-in Prius is not yet available commercially but more information on it can be found here.
I hope that’s clarified things, but please do get in touch again if you have any further questions.
need a new key as old one has broken
Hi Mr Hussain,
Sorry to hear that. Your first port of call is a Toyota dealer – you can find your nearest one here.
Hi. I haven’t taken delivery of my car yet and I was wondering…as a retired person I dont drive my car every day, and the journeys I do make are usually short…between 6 and 20 miles. Will this iregular use and short journeys adversly effect the car in any way?
What is the list price for a 1.8l Petrol Prius – brnad new and what is the C02 emisson?
On the 3G T Spirit, can the hatcback door be unlocked from the outside?
i have a one year old prius – is it front or rear wheel drive – an issue in in the snow!! thanks
Hi Anne,
It’s front wheel drive. Good luck driving in the snow!
i understand that the Prius runs on petrol and battery power. How long is the battery life and how much would it cost to replace the betteries? If I have this all wrong can you please explain.
Hi there,
You are correct in that the Prius can run on petrol, battery/electric motor, or a combination of both. The high-voltage nickel hydride battery is charged as you drive and so should never go flat. With a charged battery, you should be able to drive using battery power only for just over a mile, at speeds of up to 31mph. There is a normal 12v battery too, so you’ll be able to start your Prius regardless of the amount of charge in the high-voltage battery.
In the longer term, the high-voltage battery should not need replacing – it is designed to last as long as the car itself does. However, if ever you do need to replace it, it will cost £736.38 (ex. VAT and fitting).
Hopefully that’s clear – let me know if you have any further questions.
Why so many inacuracies in the `New Prius` brocure? Different steering wheel layouts (Pages 13 and 30) Here too we see the gear stick showing different layouts. Come on Toyota, lets have a dedicated brocure for the UK market.
how far will it drive on electrec and does it have to warm up first?
and what can I expect out on the open road with M.P.G.?
and will it revert to electrice after a journey through the next city.
when will the all eclectric cars be ready in UK.
Hi Johnny,
The Prius will drive for approximately one mile on electric power only, at speeds of up to 31mph. You don’t have to be warmed up to use it, though some people have reported that it works better when warmed up (see here). You do need to have charge in the high-voltage nickel hydride battery to use the system, however. The battery is charged as you drive normally using the engine. In other words, no matter how far you have driven, if there is charge in the high-voltage battery (clearly displayed) then you should be able to drive in EV mode
The mpg figures depend on the wheel sizes. For motorway (extra urban) driving, these are:
15″ wheels: 76.4mpg
17″ wheels: 74.3mpg
As for when electric cars will be on sale in the UK: this is a very good question! This week Toyota announced that a plug-in Prius will be available as a commercial vehicle in approximately two years’ time. The FT-EV II, a smaller concept, was unveiled earlier this year and a brand new Toyota hybrid concept will be revealed at the Detroit motor show in January, so there’s plenty to look forward to on the electric vehicle front – hopefully some of these concepts will make their way to the UK in their commercial forms in the future.
I notice in the Prius brochure that a DAB radio is an option – however i can not find a price of this option or indeed request it during the configure programme on the Toyota website. Can you confirm that a DAB radio is available for the new Prius and what the price is?
Hi Mark,
Sorry for the confusion! I can confirm that a DAB radio is available as an option on all grades, and costs £370.85 inc. VAT but not fitting.
The website doesn’t list the full complement of options, which explains why you didn’t see the DAB radio in the car configurator. For the full list and pricings, you’ll need to visit a Toyota Centre.
I hope that clarifies things, but let me know if not.
In the 2010 Prius is there a choice of colour for the seats (cloth) ? (UK car)
Hi Mike,
Yes, though it depends on the exterior colour. Seats come in a dark grey with all exterior colours except Orion Blue, which has light grey seats. If you opt for leather seats in the T4 or T Spirit, these come in a dark grey also, though other colours may be released soon. I’ll keep you up-to-date on that.
Just to clarify: the third-generation Prius, released in the UK in August, is referred to in the USA as ’2010 Prius’ (DavidM-G gives his view of this here).
company car tax savings
I am interested in buying a new prius 2010 and wonder what the safety factor is in comparison to say the Rav4 4wd. Is the height of the Rav 4 a factor in causing roll-overs in comparison to the Prius??
Hi Don,
I’ll have to ask the RAV4 brand specialist about that, but in the meantime I can tell you that Prius has a five-star Euro NCAP rating (click here for more information and a video).
Hi again Don,
I just spoke to the RAV4 specialist, who told me that the RAV4 has a four-star Euro NCAP rating. In addition, All Wheel Drive, Traction Control and Vehicle Stability Control all help to stabilise the car. There is no data we are aware of that shows RAV4 is more likely to roll over than Prius.
I hope that helps, but do get in touch if you have any further questions.
What brand is the satellite navigation system in the Prius (for ordering additional discs)?
Hi there,
The maps are Navteq, but you cannot order additional discs as the data is stored internally on the car’s hard disk drive. Map updates are released by Toyota Motor Corporation every 9-18 months, and are installed at a Toyota Centre by a qualified technician. However, no updates have been released for the third-generation Prius as yet. I hope that helps.
Hello again,
I’m pleased to tell you that an update has now been released and will be available to third-generation Prius drivers soon. For further information, please see here. Thanks.
How long does a highbrid battery last for?
Hi Ridz,
The battery doesn’t go flat – it is charged when you brake or drive using the engine, and is designed for regular charge and discharge. You should be able to drive drawing power from the hybrid battery alone for about 1.2 miles, at speeds of up to 31mph.
As for the lifetime of the battery, it should last as long as the car does and shouldn’t need replacing. The warranty covers all hybrid components for five years.
I hope that’s answered your question. Please do get in touch again if not.
your site mentions presafe and active cruise control (radar) – can you confirm the car has this or is this a mistake?
Hi Rupert,
No, Prius does not feature active/adaptive cruise control. I’ve put someone from the web team on it, but could you also reply with the link so we can double check? Thanks!
Any news on the new forum? This comments blog is becoming unwieldy!
Hi Alan,
Not as yet, no – but watch this space!
Does anyone have a Gen 3 with bluetooth and a LG Cookie phone that works with the car? I am looking at purchasing this phone for my dad since he cannot store contacts on the cars HDD, but have been told by the car phone warehouse that they don’t offer refunds or exchanges if it won’t work.
I don’t own either (YET!) but according to http://techdoc.toyota-europe.com/Bluetooth/search.aspx you will be just fine.
Floppy.
I’ve checked that site out a few times and it only says the LG Cookie will connect and allow incoming calls but won’t do anything else. The problem with the list is it’s too basic, My dads current phone, Samsung G600, will connect, make calls, accept calls and will transfer contacts to the car. However it will not retain the contacts on the car, when the contacts are transfered to the car it will keep them untill the ignition is turned off, after which point all the contacts have been deleted.
I would rather see a more technical version of the list which tells you exactly what can be done with the bluetooth, since any phone with bluetooth will connect to the car and accept incoming and outgoing calls but some features wouldn’t work.
Well after my long 16 week wait I took delivery of my T Spirit today, I am very pleased with the look of it, is in white and looks good with the black roof and spoiler, also the hints of blue that are around, but now need to get some miles on the clock. I also hope I will not get many problems. Sad I could not get the radar pack,
Regarding the Bluetooth compatibility list (again!) -
When I received my Gen3 TSpirit I found it would not stay
connected to my Nokia N82, even though my Gen2 TSpirit
worked perfectly with the same phone. Now I have checked
the ‘techdoc.toyota-europe’ compatibility guide it appears
that although the Gen2 (system 05 EMV) fully supported all
Nokia N-series phones the Gen3 (system 08 Mid AVN)
supports virtually none. Can you confirm this is correct?
I’m amazed that Toyota would drop support for Nokia’s
flagship phones which surely must be a popular choice for
us ‘technologically aware’ Prius owners. Will an update be
available to fix this? Perhaps other Gen3 owners have
more experience of N-series compatibility before I have
to buy a new phone?
Thanks, Richard
I’ve looked at the techdoc bluetooth page and can’t say I’m surprised it doesn’t work since it is a old phone. I would expect all bluetooth phones are able to connect but depending on their age some might experience some problems. I have found that the samsung G600 won’t work but from reading about what’s needed to get full functionality from the cars bluetooth you would need bluetooth profiles that is only on newer phones, I have found these profiles are only on phones made between now and September 2008 however there might be older phones that have the profiles needed. Your user manual has information on the required profiles needed.
I’ve looked at the techdoc bluetooth page and can’t say I’m surprised it doesn’t work since it is a old phone. I would expect all bluetooth phones are able to connect but depending on their age some might experience some problems. I have found that the samsung G600 won’t work but from reading about what’s needed to get full functionality from the cars bluetooth you would need bluetooth profiles that is only on newer phones, I have found these profiles are only on phones made between now and September 2008 however there might be older phones that have the profiles needed. Your user manual has information on the required profiles needed.
Can you advise, please, if anything can be done by your technical team to improve the volume on the satnav and also the reversing sensor bleep.The latter is inaudible with a full load in the boot. Both are far inferior to those on the previous Spirit.
Hi Melissa , Hi Peter G
Thank you very much both of you for a detailed response!
I have tested the steering situation as you ( Melissa) explained, and when the car is stationary no “binding” can be felt and steering is smooth. Only when driving on normal, flat roads,in slow or high speed, the poor self centering can be noticed. So,I do not suspect any binding of the steering rack, but merely a steering geometry being out of spec. However, I have been to a Toyota center and when I tested one of their demo cars, I had a similar sensation . So, the garage manager ( not very experienced in terms of the G III Prius) claimed this had to be “normal”. I objected to his conclusion, as I have been driving many, many different cars during 40 years, and never experienced such behaviour.Even with an electric powersteering system, similar to that of the Prius. Aparently, according to Peter G, this is not “normal” and therefore I will contact a different dealer and ask a more experienced tech to test my car.
I will inform my findings in this forum in due time.
Hi Melissa,
Just saw your post about auto-dim mirror and customisation.
Speaking of customisation:
Any reason why the European (at least UK) models don’t have the auto-lock customisation the US have: The ability to select if the door lock automatically while in gear, above a certain speed, all unlock automatically or just the driver one?
Any chance to get it as a firmware update?
Thanks,
Stephane
Another one for the technical team! I’ll hopefully get back to you on this on Thursday.
Hi Melissa
Any news from technical team regarding my question about “poor self centering of steering wheel ” dated nov. 6th. ???
Kind regards Tor
Sorry Tor, I haven’t been able to get an answer from technical yet. I haven’t forgotten, though – hopefully I’ll be able to respond properly by tomorrow morning. Do bear with me!
Tor
I refrained from posting because I thought the technical team were sure to return rapidly with advice that you have a serious problem.
I’m happy to confirm that in my Gen3, I can take my hands off the steering wheel and the car continues to run straight. Furthermore, if I nudge the steering wheel slightly to either side, it immediately self centres. This works at any speed.
From you description of a binding sensation as you slightly turn the wheel, I suspect the problem is in the steering rack or linkage rather than the suspension geometry.
If you have any suggestion of something sticking or binding in the steering, you should phone the dealer for advice on whether it is safe to even drive the car to the dealer- they may wish to collect the car on a trailer rather than run the risk of worse steering malfunction as you drive the car in to them
Pete
Hi Tor, sorry for the delay on this.
In short, this doesn’t sound normal. Is there an EPS warning light at all? This will tell you if the power steering has malfunctioned. If not, try being stationary with the ignition on and turning the steering wheel from lock to lock several times. This should pinpoint any potential abnormalities in the operation.
Driving conditions, i.e. speed and the camber of the road, can also affect self-centering. Does the problem happen constantly, or only some of the time? If the latter, it could be that a change of conditions brings about the problem.
Either way, I would follow Pete G’s advice and contact a Toyota Centre as soon as possible. I would ask them to inspect the suspension geometry and the steering system thoroughly.
Hi Melissa,
I have still not heard any thing, is there any news from Technical yet about my electrochromatic mirror? I received an out of office e.mail from Simon Rutherford and he was due back on the 6th!
Thanks
Steve
Hi Steve,
Apologies for the wait – yes, I have now spoken to the technical team. The first thing the specialist I spoke to said is that the dimming function on the mirror requires both sensors to be uncovered (untouched in an ideal world) in order for it to be functional – so I’d take the tape off! This is because they are synergetic: the back sensor detects the amount of surrounding light (i.e. determines whether it’s night or day), and the other detects the light level reflected in the mirror. The bigger the difference between the levels of light, the more the mirror will dim.
It’s hard to tell without knowing how light it was at the time and what speed you and the other drivers were travelling at, but the specialist guessed that the only time the system might not work would be if the car behind became very close very suddenly (as a result of quickly pulling in behind you, say), meaning their lights were obstructed by your Prius’ tailgate. In such a situation, there may not have been enough time for the sensors to respond, especially if the car behind did not remain behind for very long. Does this sound like the kind of situation you’ve been in? If categorically not, do let me know and we’ll investigate further.
No one else has complained direct to Toyota about the functionality of this system – be it in a Prius or in any other model that features it – so Toyota does not have a ‘fix’ planned as such. It’s not a feature that is customisable, either. However, we think it should be, so the technical team is going to request that in future generations of Prius, auto-dim is placed under the customisation menu so that customers can choose the speed of the system’s response. There’s no guarantee that this will be implemented, but we can ask.
Lots of problems with auto dim mirrors on PriusChat forum.
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/67020-homelink-mirror-auto-dimming-not.html
Hi Alan,
Thanks Alan – yes, Steve has already directed me to this in this comment. However, it remains true that no one has ever come direct to Toyota about this issue before. Sorry if I confused you!
From my 6 week’s experience with a MkIII Prius, I’d say that the rear spoiler is just in exactly the right position to block out the headlamps of any cars behind, so its not surprising that the auto dimmer doesn’t work! I don’t have the auto-dimming mirror (had one in my last car), & have only once had to dip the mirror manually myself.
Hi again Steve,
I should have asked – have you mentioned this to your dealer? If not, I would definitely approach them as they will be able to identify the problem fully and provide details to our technical team.
Hi,
I’ve got a family member who is having trouble when they sit in the back of my G3 Prius.
The seatbelt tensioner engages whenever they lean forward, which means that once they sit back again, they are unable to move forward. The only thing to do is undo the seatbelt let it retract all the way and then do the belt up again.
We have tried many other cars, including some Toyota’s, and this doesn’t occur with any of them.
Is there anything I can do, the dealer gave us a blank look and said they could do nothing.
Melissa – I am just about to order a T Spirit and having reviewed all 710 comments have noted the question on heated
seats – think your latest update was on 3 September to CC. Any further information on this?
Thanks
Hi Brian,
Impressive stuff, having been through the whole thread! My last reply was here, but unfortunately the answer remains the same: there is no news on heated seats at the moment, I’m afraid. Do let us know how you get on with the T Spirit when it arrives, though.
Hi Kev,
I haven’t heard of this happening before. Hopefully it is something that your dealer can fix but I’ll double-check for you.
Hi again,
What you describe is apparently normal for the Prius’ Automatic Locking Retractor mechanism, according to page 90 of the owners’ manual. It’s a safety feature, designed to hold a child seat firmly (see page 144). However, the specialist I spoke to said that it kicks in only when the seat belt has been extended completely – are you finding that it happens more often than that?
Sorry if this seems like the virtual equivalent of a blank look, but I’m afraid that it probably can’t be altered if it’s a built-in safety feature.
In my experience this is indeed normal – it was the case on our old 2nd Gen and is the same on the 3rd Gen. If the belt is pulled too sharply then it has to be fed all the way back in, irrespective of how much the belt is extended at that time – it’s a bit of an annoyance when you have to disconnect it from a child seat to do so, but we’ve got used to it!
Therein lies the problem.
If a large person gets into the back of a Prius and puts on the seatbelt. They will probably have to pull it out to it maximum length to fasten it. Therefore being immediatly imobolised.
Even a smaller person only has to lean forward to far to have the same problem.
My advice to anyb ody with larger freinds who might sit in the back. Don’t get a Prius.
Hi Kev
I’m pretty sure this is the same in all Toyota Cars. You really to have to pull it out the full length and pull it to the side to engage a sort of ratchet effect that locks the seatbelt as you have experienced. Once it is engaged you can only disengage by pulling it fully out and to the side again. The length you have to pull it is far beyond where you would have to pull it normally.
Hope this helps
is the iphone compatible with the bluetooth system on the new prius?
It should work, however there maybe some features that might not work.
That’s right – cheers Mike.
Some people have had issues with iPhone compatibility. For more please see this thread and also this one. As I explain, it’s a difficult one to rectify as Apple releases software updates so regularly that it’s difficult for accessory manufacturers to keep up.
Just followed the link Alan gave re dimming mirror and found this link http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-audio-electronics/64421-2010-prius-bluetooth-a2dp-iphone-3-0-a.html re the iphone bluetooth connection. As there’s still no news on the integration kit from Toyota, can anyone try the suggested streaming setup which would pretty much make the integration kit obsolete as far as I can tell?
Dear Melissa
During my initial driving ( only about 3 weeks) of my new Prius Gen III, I have found a strange behaviour of the “self centering” ? of steering wheel after a small movement especially to the right direction.
It feel`s like the steering rack is somewhat binding ?, or maybe some issue with the EPS system or wheel angles ? However, this is mostly noticeable when turning the steering wheel very little(maybe 10-15 cm or more ) and then it seems not to go back to center properly when released.You have to bring it back to center manually. When steering in opposite direction , the self centering works more normal and is centering the SW more correctly.
Could you check with your technical team if this is normal behaviour for new Prius or if this can happen due to poor adjustment of wheel angles during predelivery inspection.
Happy to check, Tor – I’m sure the technical team will be able to help. I’ll get back to you soon.
Apologies all – it’s been a busy day here. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks.
Further to Alan Colvin’s post about the NAVTEQ website. I’ve looked at thefeedback form which brings up the latest version of their mapping and shows that everything I have found out of date on the Prius database is already updated on the NAVTEQ site. The problem clearly lies with Toyota for not including the latest available NAVTEQ mapping. With the launch of a new ‘model’, which is what the 3rd gen Prius is, it is a big minus for Toyota.
Oh, Please, please,please put my mind at rest concerning running in.
Durring the first 1000 miles I used CC on four occasions to do 20 mile trips each way at 50MPH for two trips and 65mph for the others.
I’ve since done a 1000 mile trip starting at the 1500 mile point at between 60 & 65 mph.
I won’t have damaged anything durring the first 1000 miles would I?
Hi Kev,
I don’t exactly remember to manual wording but I don’t think 20m qualify as long constant speed… I was more thinking about the full 1200m on CC. I wouldn’t be too worried if I was you!
Mellisa,
Some advise please.
I’ve just completed a 1200 mile round into Germany and used the cruise control (CC)all the way. (Brilliant)
Only thing is, should there be any difference in running CC in Power Mode and Eco Mode? i tried switching between the two, and couldn’t really see a difference at all.
Must say though, pulling out of a service station onto the M1 requires Power Mode. i had to appoligise to one lorry driver who encountered me still accelerating in Eco at 50mpg when I had to filter into the inside lane.
Hi Kev,
Really interesting question – I’m not sure if this has come up before. I’ll ask about this, but perhaps other users who have fully broken in their Prius will be able to comment on your experiences?
Speaking of which, I don’t know if you have seen Stephane’s comments on acceleration but I expect you two might have an interesting discussion. He doesn’t mention Power mode specifically though.
Sorry if this does not relate to previous comments but I didn’t know how else to get in to the system.
I have a Mk III Prius TSpirit & have loaded several CD’s on to hard disk. I have then created a playlist from some tracks but I cannot find how to play the created playlist either in the hand book or on screen. Can anyone help please?
Good question, Phil. I’ll ask for you.
Not to worry about posting in another thread; it can be hard to find your away around! However, for future reference, if you’d like to start a new topic, there is a ‘post a comment’ box at the bottom of the page.
Sorry Phil, I meant to say: we are in the process of developing a forum, so soon it will be easier for you to post and join discussions. Keep an eye out on this post for more details in the future.
Hi Phil,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you; despite the simplicity of your query, our technical specialist was stumped by this one! However, he sat in our Prius this morning and worked it out for you:
1. Press the ‘Audio’ button at the bottom left of the screen
2. Press the onscreen HDD tab
3. Press ‘Select’
4. On the ‘Select album’ screen, a ‘Playlist’ tab will appear at the top (the system recognises the playlist as an album)
5. The title of the playlist should appear. Tap it and the music should begin playing.
He even shot a demonstration video! I can’t upload a video to a comment, but I’ve stuck it on YouTube for you. I hope that helps – let me know.
Thanks for your email, Phil. I’m glad it works!
Hi Kev,
I don’t notice much difference with CC between Eco and “normal” mode. MPG is very similar and acceleration slightly better in normal but barely noticeable in CC.
From my experience CC is less fuel efficient than manual speed control.
Hope you did this after your first 1200 miles as the manual states “avoid constant speed” during break-in period (so no CC I suspect). (Which is 1200 miles in UK manual I think and only 600 in US ones).
I really think there’s no problem with the instruction to “vary the engine speed”. Even with the cruise control set, the engine speed varies with the slightest gradient and with the state of charge in the battery.
I have to say, though, that a 1000 mile running in period is really unusual these days, and I only found out about it through obsessional reading of the handbook. I can understand that people who only read the handbook after the event feel annoyed that they weren’t informed.
Pete
Whoops!- this refers to your post further up the page, Kev
Regarding the instruction book and running in, it’s a pity that the index to the instruction book does NOT include “running in” !
There seems to be no difference in the cruise control operation in the three modes.
This really is a missed opportunity, Toyota! The cruise control completely contravenes the ethos of “Eco” mode.
As Stephane says, fuel consumption worsens with the cruise control engaged. I am sure this is because of its over enthusiasm in maintaining an exact speed, and in quickly resuming the set speed on pressing the resume button. On an uphill gradient, or on resuming, the engine revs, the display moves in to the red “Pwr” area, and the fuel consumption display plummets.
If, in Eco, the cruise control allowed the car to slow a bit on uphill sections and resume more gently, economy would improve and the driving experience would be the more relaxing experience that most of us want when “cruising”.
Pete
Hi Kev (and hello too to Stephane, Pete and David),
Apologies for the delay in responding to this – it’s my fault entirely.
Essentially, the cruise control system has a single purpose: to maintain constant speed. Therefore, by selecting this option, you are choosing to maintain constant speed at the possible expense of other systems or benefits (being in Eco mode so as to achieve better fuel economy, for example). It’s like an override. As such, there is no difference in operation between the modes.
It sounds obvious, but to achieve and maintain the best possible fuel consumption whilst using cruise control, the easiest and best thing to do is to set your speed as low as possible.
That said, all your comments on cruise control have been noted. As always, if you have further questions, do get in touch.
Sorry, let me rephrase: I do not mean that if you are using cruise control, other systems in the car will not function correctly! As I say, it’s like an override mechanism.
Hi,
I’ve seen many comments about postcodes on the G3 Sat Nav and just wanted to tell people about a problem that I had that may help.
When I first went to enter a post code the system started to fill in the post code, giving me all available options, but in many cases I was unable to enter the final part of the code. I queried this with the dealer who told me that this was normal and I would have to live with it. unsurprisingly, I was not happy, so studied the system in great length, to find that on the destination screen there are two pages, the second page allows full input of a post code and this works perfectly. It even got me and my son the Germany and back with little difficulty (One dead end street meant a 200 Meter detour. Just shows that the dealers haven’t got a clue or the time for us sometimes.
Hi Melissa
I’m still mostly delighted with my Gen3 Prius T-Spirit, but I do have to agree with the several comments you have received, and continue to receive, about problems with the SatNav system.
This is my third Prius T-Spirit, having previously owned two Gen2s.
The Gen3 SatNav has one major improvement over the Gen2 system – full UK postcode entry.
However, the map database is much inferior to that on the Gen2. It is outdated and also has some glaring navigation inaccuracies.
For example, Conduit Street (off Regent Street in London’s West End) has been there for several hundred years.
On my Gen 2 system I could enter it as a destination, but it’s not recognised in the Gen3 destinations database, although when you are in Conduit Street it’s name does correctly show as the road name on the map display.
It’s not an easy task for the database and system creators to test and check every aspect of the system, so users’ help in identifying and reporting problems should be both welcomed and suitably rewarded.
Accordingly, I would suggest that the following be brought to the attention of Toyota’s management:
1. A means should be provided (e.g. a website page)for customers to report database errors/omissions and navigation problems. This would enable the problems to be collected, investigated and corrected, for the ultimate benefit of all customers.
2. A database and system update version should be made available as soon as possible, and offered as a free of charge dealer-installed update to any existing customers who have taken the time and trouble to identify and report problems.
I hope that is helpful, and look forward to a response from Toyota.
Kind regards,
Alan
Hi Alan,
Once again, this is great feedback – thanks! You might not know that we are currently in the process of developing a forum; once it is up and running a topic on sat nav comments/suggestions can be set up very easily – great idea! Any developments on this front will be posted against the thread linked to there. Rest assured though, I am collating everyone’s feedback on sat nav (and everything else!) – nothing is missed.
As posted here, sat nav updates are released approximately every year by Toyota in Japan (Toyota GB is not part of the decision-making process here). As soon as an update is released I’ll be able to post the details on the blog.
Thanks again for the prompt and helpful response, Melissa.
I’ve taken a look at the NavTeq website, and they have a very good online report form for users to submit any problems with their maps, and they say that they welcome users’ input and they promise to investigate everything which users report.
I’ve made a report to NavTeq of the one problem I mentioned earlier, and look forward to their response.
This is probably the best way for users to report map problems, as these will then get straight to the source, and this should therefore be the quickest and most effective way to get the map data updated.
NavTeq say that they usually issue map updates four times a year, but it will then of course be up to Toyota Japan to decide when and how to make updates available to Toyota customers.
Hi Alan,
I thought you might like to know that there is now an update for third-generation Prius, and it will be available soon. For further information, please see here.
Hi.
I am just about to order a Prius TSpirit and wanted to know more about the DAB Tuner. Does the TSpirit come with a DAB radio already fitted or would I need to purchase this seperately?
Hi Faisal,
No, the T Spirit does not come with a DAB radio. It is available as an option, though, and costs £370.85 inc. VAT but not fitting.
Sorry to add my last comment on Satnav. I have just found the previous posts. I share their disappointment at the poor value of the installed Satnav and look forward to an early response from toyota.
Regarding the Sat-Nav I have several issues that I hope will be fixed by next software/database revision:
- Postcode database incomplete: It’s the second time now that a postcode I’m trying to get to is not in the database. Both cases are old houses with the same postcode for ages (so it’s not a “not updated – build last year” issue)
- Several times the SatNav tell me to “turn right (or left)” while on a A road just because of a (small) street junction.
- On the opposite several times no indication on where to go (the satnav probably thinking that I should “stay on current road”) even when at T junctions.
All those are database issue that could easily be fixed (for free, I don’t want to have to pay for fixing glitches).
There are only a couple of sources covering Europe (Teleatlas (TomTom) and Navteq (Nokia)). From the look of the Toyota update website for the older SatNav it looks like it’s TeleAtlas sourced.
All the other satnav vendors using the same sources have far more reliable/updated maps/database.
Software issue/improvements:
- Direction volume needs to be higher (especially at higher speed) and audio fading selectable/higher.
- Post code entry: Automatic switch from Alphabetic to Numeric keyboard. Not a big deal but would be nice.
- Bluetooth audio auto-reconnection when switching source
Design flaw:
- The whole iPod integration kit, totally useless.
Melissa, could you please try to get information about update plans as my dealer seems unable to get any information from Toyota… (The same applies to GraceNote database which age even faster than the satnav one).
Thanks,
Stephane
It’s interested to see what other people say about the sat nav. I just recently went to Germany and used the sat nav, it worked perfectly while on motorway and side roads in germany however the roads in the ports weren’t on the screen. The sat nav became very confusing when trying to get out of the port. The only other problem that I encountered was the sat nav tried taking me down a street which according to the map lead to a main road which then went onto the motorway only to find out I couldn’t get through as it was a dead end.
As for Postcodes, I have tried several post codes and have never had a problem with not being able to find 1. Are you sure you are using the proper official post code for the street?
Hi Mike,
I’m sure the postcode were correct, used on postal address by the persons living there and double checked against my girlfriend TomTom without any problem.
Those are only a few incidents but having the car for less than 2 months I think it’s far too many already (considering the small number of journey made, 2 out of probably about 20 to 30 postcode, is 5% to 10% errors) and obviously you encountered some issue too (the “major road” being a dead end – The port probably being a private area I don’t expect a (correct) map there).
Hi Alan,
Not to worry at all – glad you found the posts. The most up-to-date and informative one is this one here – I thought I’d include a link just in case you hadn’t seen it.
Stephane, thanks so much for this really detailed feedback. It’s great to know in detail what you want and don’t want. I expect you have already seen it, but the above link outlines where we are in terms of updates. I still haven’t heard anything about dates but will ask again if there is any news. Also, the nav system is made by Navteq, I believe.
Hi Melissa,
Thanks for your fast reply (as usual
)
The satnav unit itself is made by AISIN (a Toyota subsidiary) but it seems that you are right and the maps are licensed from Navteq.
It would be interesting to make a comparison of the database of the Prius III and another DVD based AISIN/NavTeq (like the Lexus or even a TNS510).
Would you be able to organise that at Toyota if we build up you a list of errors (easy for postcode, missing road; far less for main/secondary road and missing instruction issue)?
I’m not sure of the feasibility of this, but I can certainly check it out. I’m already building my own list of sat nav comments but as I just said to Alan, in the future a dedicated forum thread will probably be the best solution. As you know, though, we’re still working on that.
I took delivery in Sep of my 3rd Prius. The new car is a delight with one problem. The Satnav database is 08/09 Ver 1. The Dealer is unable to tell me if this is the latest version of the database or if an update is planned. The current database is missing information that I know to be at least 2 years old.
I am told by Toyota Customer Services that an update is not planned (why?). The Dealer needs a new tool to carry out an update but it is not yet issued (why?). There will be an additional cost to update (why, when off the shelf systems update free?)
The only disappointment with the new car.
The brochure for the Prius says there is a “low temperature warning” – which I presume to be a frost warning / skid risk. However, checking the manual on my new Mk3 T Spirit, I can find no reference to such a warning. Is this an error in the brochure, or is there a low-temp warning? If there IS a warning, how is it displayed? NB This is in the July and the latest (?October?) brochures.
12v battery dead tried to open door using key no responce.Can you suggest how to get into the car without breaking a window
Sorry for the delay, James. I hope you’re running again, but if not: the 12v battery is the same as that in any other car so there is nothing Prius-specific I can suggest. If I can I will get back to you with further advice ASAP.
Hi again James,
I just spoke to a technical specialist. Can you confirm that you are in a third-generation Prius? The advice I received is specific to new Prius.
The actual mechanical key should still work even if the battery is dead. Can you confirm that you’ve tried the mechanical key and that you are still unable to open the car? If you’re still unable to get in, I’d advise calling the RAC and the dealer you purchased the car from.
Good luck!
The low temperature warning on the 2nd gen Prius was an amber snowflake on the dashboard display, it tended to light up at about 3 degrees C.
Can’t say if this is the same on the 3rd gen model as the lowest temperature encountered so far is 7 degrees C.
A respondent on the UK owner’s club web site has noted that at 1 degree C there was no warning on the Gen 3 Prius…. I get the impression that the feature just isn’t there… it would be good to have this confirmed though before I go skidding into a ditch the next time there is black ice!
Regarding the missing low temperature (frost) warning icon this is so far the third specification reduction found on the 3rd gen compared to the 2nd gen model…
1. No MFD / touch screen unless SatNav option
2. Only one rear fog light & one rear reversing light instead of two of each
3. No frost warning icon
Hi Dave,
I’m sorry you feel I’m ignoring this question. Far from it – I aim to answer all questions as soon as I can, but due to the volume of comments and questions asked on this blog, that can take some time! As I posted here, it’s been a busy week, but I hope to get a definitive answer to this question today.
Thanks for your input DavidMG. I must say, considering the quality and depth of other answers, I’m surprised that Melissa has ignored this question!
Got the answer…. -1 degree C this morning (according to the cilimate controls); ice on the windscreen, so definitely a chance of black ice on the road. Sadly no warnings of frost on my Gen III Prius. So it looks like the brochure is wrong – there is NO Low Temperature warning. It’s a shame, as this is a useful safety feature, & there must be a sensor somewhere on the car picking up the ambient temperature!
Regarding a temperature sensor the car DOES measure and DISPLAY outside temperature. The display is low down on the console in the green background LCD display close to the Climate Control / demister etc. switches.
What is lacking on the 3rd gen compared to the 2nd gen model is the warning on the dash display. Nothing showing like this at 2 degrees C.
On the 2nd gen the warning was a beep plus an amber snowflake symbol.
Recently bought a GenIII and have noticed something in my headlights and wondered what they are and if they work? Above the main headlights and below the sidelight bulb are what appears to be 5 LED lights. What are they for? Can they be switched on? Are they dummys or used in another market?
I notice on the side of the headlight surround that there is a blanking plate where the amber reflector goes for the US market models but next to it appear 4 LED lights. Again can these be switched on? or are they dummies? I would find it useful if they could be switched on as anything that help visibility is useful – especially as I have a black car! lol.
Anyone technical from Toyota know?
Hi there,
Good questions – I’ll bring it up with the technical team tomorrow.
still waiting
Hi Grumpy Cabbie, sorry for the wait.
We’ve been on our hands and knees in front of the T4 in our office and I can see exactly what you mean. 5 ‘bulbs’ on top, 4 to the side. However (I’m sorry to say) these are ‘just decoration’ – they aren’t bulbs and have no function.
We’ll chase up with technical again to see whether they have any function anywhere in the world (they DO look an awful lot like bulbs).
Thanks
Simon
Hi again,
As Simon promised, we got the technical team to delve a bit deeper and we discovered that the five LEDs are not technically dummies: they together form a condenser lens that improves the light distribution of the whole headlight. Mystery solved, I hope!
Have a look at this thread on the Prius Chat forum.
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-technical-discussion/65189-four-leds-in-headlights.html
Thanks for that. Checked out the link and it appears the 5 LEDs above the headlight are dummies. However, it makes no mention of the 4 LEDs on the side marker light at the front. I have had a closer look and they do look like proper LEDs. So, is there a way to switch them on as they would help with visibility when edging out of tight junctions in the dark. I notice that many models of cars have them now, esp Jags & BMW’s so it obviously isn’t illegal to switch them on in the UK.
Hope to hear in due course
can the Navigation System Owner’s Manual be e mailed ? i am awaiting my Tspirit which arrives in Jan ! wanted to get to grips with the nav system etc before it arrived.
Hi Rob,
I’m afraid it can’t – it’s nearly 400 pages long! I’m not sure an electronic copy exists. Sorry about that, but do let us know how you get on with your T Spirit in the new year!
I have just purchased my 4th Toyota Prius T4 and while I admire the much improved shape and many other, new features I find the excessive road noise from the new T4 very annoying indeed. Had I realised that this was the case, I would have stuck with my previus T4, which was much quieter and therefore more pleasant to drive. HP
How do you disengage the ‘B’mode at the bottom of a hill
without having to stop (in the manual it states that you
should not engage ‘D’ mode on the move).
Good question, Roger – I’ll ask for you.
oops – clearly I’ve not read the manual! On a couple of occasions now I’ve engaged B when going down a hill & then slotted back to D without stopping….. I’d better not do it again till I see the answer… I just hope I’ve not done any damage to anything!
That was never a problem with the 2nd gen Prius, and doubt it would be different for the new one.
According to Canadian 2010 Prius drivers, you should be able to use regenerative braking going downhill to slow the car. The B setting just couples the petrol engine to the wheels to act as a brake and so bypasses the generator. They couldn’t really see the point of the B setting unless the batteries were topped up and the hill was very steep. Perhaps we could have an official view from Toyota UK.
Found this very useful write up on the Prius B mode. It is for Gen2 cars but I guess Gen3 will be similar.
http://www.techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/b-mode.html
Hi Roger,
Huge apologies for the delay in getting back to you on this. Brian’s right: the verdict is that you can easily shift from ‘B’ to ‘D’ mode while driving without any problems.
In the manual it states that you should not engage ‘P’, ‘R’ or ‘N’ while the vehicle is moving (page 163). You can quickly move the shift lever from ‘B’ to ‘D’ mode while driving without necessarily engaging ‘N’ (in order to select ‘N’ you need to keep the shift lever in ‘N’ for a couple of seconds – something which will not happen when shifting from ‘B’ to ‘D’). The technical specialist assured me that he has repeatedly shifted from ‘B’ to ‘D’ while driving our Prius here with no problems.
I hope that clarifies things, but let me know if not.
Just taken delivery of mk 3 Spirit but what a disappointment the satnav is compared with that in the Mk 2. Not only is it wildly out of date (my road, now in existance since 1996 does not appear) but the audio instructions set at maximum volume are so faint they cannot be heard clearly at speeds over 60mph,and with the radio on they are unintelligible. Neither is there a map overview from start point to finish. The driver’s spoken voice instructions are more often than not responded to with a reply involving directions to a French Restaurant. The dealer cannot do anything about it. I would have been more in pocket buying a t2 and tomtom. I think I have made an expensive blunder in purchasing something which is not fit for purpose.
Hi Melissa,
I have received my T-Spirit with LED tech pack and protection pack. I seem to be having a problem with the automatic dipping rearview mirror in that it will not go dark to block out the glare of the headlamps from behind. The only way I can do this is to put a piece of tape over the back of the mirror sensor and then turn the auto button on or off. I am a member of the Toyota Prius Owners Club and other members seem to be having the same problem. Does Toyota have a fix for this yet, as obviously I am not happy with sticking a piece of tape on a new £25,000 car?
Steve
Sorry to hear your electrochromatic mirror isn’t working well, Steve. I’ll have a chat to the technical team and see what I can find out. In the meantime, the best thing is for you to contact your dealer.
Thanks Melissa for that. I have already spoken with my dealer but the problem is they do not seem to get the information quick enough from Toyota GB and that is why I come to you for the answers. The dealers only receive feedback from their customers, whereas Toyota GB get it from everyone.
Hi Melissa,
Just found this link
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/67020-homelink-mirror-auto-dimming-not.html
and surprised they have not sorted out the problem before delivery to this country. The Dealer has contacted me and is evidently going to speak to the Area Manager. Have you managed to speak to Technical yet?
Just found out that the price hike is £900. With the options
I want (met paint and LED pack)it would bring the price to
£24K (price and VAT increase as delivery would be next year).
I think I’ll spend my money elsewhere especially with complaints about annoying noises etc.
I’m coming up to 6000 miles in my G3 T4 Prius. I have to say overall I’m very pleased with the car, but I am disapointed with the number vibrating ‘zizzing’noises, clicks and rattles coming from the dash & console areas, and also a groaning
type of noise from the rear of the car. This reflects badly on assembly standards.
I have been able to identify the source and eliminate some of the noises, the area where the gear shift bridge makes contact with the arm console, two small pieces of felt on the contact areas got rid of an irritaing clicking noise, a vibrating noise from the inside rear window plastic frame was also cured with the same remedy. The may cause of a noisy vibrating noise particularly on course road surfaces is the large flat plastic area above the central air vents where it joins the below screen instrument display, the only way I can find to stop this is by pressing down the area with a finger, not a practical long term solution!
Another cause of vibrations and rattles I’ve discovered, is due to the glove boxes and arm rest storage box being unlined, so that a pens, pencils, glasses, phone charger sockets etc, slide and vibrate on hard plastic surfaces. Since I’ve lined these areas myself, further noises have been eliminated.
I don’t feel I should be having to listen and sort out so many vibrations, clicks and rattles on a £20k car.
Having found the dimmer for the lights and the source of the annoying rattle from the back ( the load cover, cured with a small self-adhesive pad) and finally worked my way through the intricacies of the Sat-Nav I’ve now nothing but good to say of the Prius. 57 mpg average over the whole 1500 miles since new (volume of petrol agrees with the trip computer to within 2 mpg) and an average speed of only 31 mph as I’ve been doing a lot of town driving. It is so nice to drive in town, absolutely effortless and silent, leaving you feeling all cosy and sorry for anyone stuck with a rattling diesel and tired clutch-foot and lucky to be getting 35mpg on short town runs. Everything works brilliantly, from the hill-holder function to the sublime parking assist (although I have yet to dare to try the parallel park function.) On the open road it is just as happy as most other mid-sized hatchbacks, although you do have to think carefully about overtaking as you don’t have the midrange grunt of a diesel or the feedback of either a rev-counter or engine noise to let you know what you have left in reserve. So saying it is no slouch, and because the motor has so much torque from zero revs you can easily pull into gaps in moving traffic that you might hesitate over with a diesel, especially a manual one.
Hi Bob, Glad to hear you’ve cured the rattles, well done!
When you say “load cover” is that the board covering the lower luggage compartment?
Thanks
Hi,
How do I load music onto my new prius from a USB stick?
Thanks
Richard
Hi Rich,
I’m afraid the USB port is for iPod/iPhone integration, and not music transfer. The only way to transfer music to the hard drive is from an audio (as opposed to mp3) CD. The instructions for this should be in the manual, but it has also been discussed here.
I hope that helps – let me know if you have any problems.
Hi, are you suposed to have received the Sat Nav DVD with the G3 car?
What happens when it becomes out of date, do we have to purchase new DVD’s or downlaod an upgrade?
Hi Kev,
No, the sat nav data is pre-loaded, unlike the second-generation Prius. To update it, you must take your Prius to a Centre, and the update will be loaded on for you. However, no update has been released since the launch of the new Prius. For more detail, please see this post.
thanks Melissa, Sorry, I had missed the previous post about the SatNav
Hi Melissa – I’ve already posted how disappointing the iPod interface is for the money it costs. It is seen by the head unit as a CD changer and you have to scroll up the playlists one by one which is very, very slow. However, I’ve noticed that after scrolling about 5 or 6 lists the car system will stop playing saying there is no connection and the only way to get the iPod playing again is to disconnect and reconnect. It’s a standard iPod (v1.3 firmware). Obviously this is not good – can you find out whether there are any other reports of this problem and whether there is a known fix for it
Thanks
Hi Ade,
Sorry to hear you’re having trouble. I don’t think I have heard of this happening elsewhere, no, but I’ll investigate and make sure your feedback is passed on. I’ll let you know if there’s a fix for this.
Hi, G3 now has 1200 miles on the clock, two tanks of fuel 65 & 68mpg.
Not bad compared to my previous Prius which at the same points returned 52 & 54 Mpg. Eventually I was regularly doing 65 so all is looking good for the new car achieving 75 – 80mpg eventually. I’ll keep you posted.
I see that others are experiencing the Rattles problem,same hear but had a similar problem with the old car and never got it sorted.
Reverse beeper is a pain, the last I heard from my dealer was that nothing could be done, but after seeing your responses, I think I’ll ask again.
Finally, I love the car, can’t wait to get up in a morning and drive to work, even better at the end of the day going home.
Happy motoring.
I’ve driven my T spirit for about 1500 miles now, and mostly I love it. There are some niggling little faults which I would not have expected in a car costing this much. The first is the persistent squeak/rattle from the back somewhere at low speeds on city streets. It sounds like loose trim but I have checked and re-checked everything in the back and the boot and cannot locate it. It sounds like a car that has been around the clock a few times with trim panels coming loose.
The other thing I’m not quite sure of is the difficulty in finding the instrument lights dimming function. I found it once, but then forgot how i had found it, can’t find it in the manual, and the display lights are far too bright for city driving in the wet, when I’d like them to be on very dim to prevent my eyes having to constantly readjust.
Other than that it is a truly tremendous car. It has averaged 58 mpg according to the ‘Trip A’ computer log, which has calculated out at more like 54 mpg from actual fuel fills. Driving is fantastically relaxed, and yet it has excellent acceleration if needed. I tried hard to drive very economically on a 200 mile journey this week and reached home with the ‘Trip B’ computer claiming 70.1mpg (I think it worked out as 66mpg fuel fill) Driving on ‘ECO’ mode doesn’t seem to improve actual mpg very much on main roads, but encourages you to be light-footed around town. Similarly PWR mode gives a sportier feel, but didn’t seem to add anything to foot-down acceleration.
If I was to suggest any improvements, they would definitely be to investigate this annoying noise, include a instrument lights dimming funtion which you could easily access, and to make the auto-wipers able to tell when the moisture on the windscreen was due to condensation rather than falling rain.
Hi there Bob,
Thanks so much for this feedback – the good and the bad. I’ll pass your suggestions on.
Thanks for getting in touch again. It’s always nice to hear from someone who loves their Prius!
My experience has been very similar, got my T3 a month ago and have done approx. 1400 miles so far, a fantastic car it is.
However, I just wish Toyota would listen to everyone complaining about annoying rattles from the back. I too tried in vain to locate the source but so far been unsuccessful. Tried getting an appointment with my dealer but no response so far.
Melissa, is there anything you can do in this regard? Perhaps speak to service departments or look through Gen3 past service/repair records in the UK and find out whether this issue has been ever been reported & fixed.
Hi Had a rattle on my series 2 Prius and it came from the black plastic trim around the rear heated glass screen
Hi,
Same here, some squeaking sound coming from back seat area (or maybe back suspension) at low speed, town.
Not sure if it’s linked to the seats but in that case mine are leather…
THE PRIUS T SPIRIT WHICH COMES WITH 15 IN WHEELS WITH TRIM
BE FITTED WITH THE 17 IN ALLOYS
No it can’t by Toyota. Its down to the weight the glass roof adds. Toyota wont allow the weight to impact the CO2 emissions hence why there is no space saving tyre either – you get a repair kit. This has been talked about already on the blog.
Hi Grahame,
Neil is right – if a T Spirit has 15″ wheels it is because it has a solar roof, and cannot be fitted with 17″ wheels because of the roof’s weight. This is one of the places this issues was discussed on the blog. However, the T Spirit does come with 17″ wheels as standard – it’s just the combination of 17″ wheels and solar roof that in unavailable.
Hi I would have thought with all the moden technology that somebody could have designed 15″ alloy wheels of a weight that would counteract for the solar roof panel, A bit naff to have to have wheel trims on such an advanced car.
Aside from the glove box lid that flies open on it’s own and the broken clip that is causing the trim panel on the driver’s seat to come away, the biggest problem I have with my G3 Prius is the number of extraneous noises, noticeable on bumpy roads, all of which seem to emanate from the rear of the car. My dealer has had the car once to try to sort the problem out, but to no avail. It is booked in for round 2 of what I expect to be a very long fight in early November ( I hear that Toyota may now be starting to address the problem, but a solution is likely to be several months away – and – may only be incorporated into new production). The backs of the rear seats rattle when subjected to a stimulus similar to one that would be experienced when going over a bump, so they might be part of the problem.
I wish I could say that I am happy with the car, but all the problems leave me very dissatisfied and let down by Toyota. This Prius was my seventh Toyota. On present performance I doubt whether there will be an eighth.
Toyota’s comments please!
Hi Brian,
I’m sorry to hear that you haven’t been getting on well with your Prius, and that you feel let down. I’ve referred this to Toyota’s Customer Relations department; they should contact you shortly.
Thanks for your feedback, and do get in touch again if you have more feedback for us – we like to hear it all, good and bad.
Hi
Just ordered my T Spirit Prius company car last week. I’ve read about the reversing beep and that all dealers now have instructions on how to reduce this to a single beep – Great, it was going to drive me nuts.
All I wanted to know was whether it is expected that there is a charge for doing this or can you just turn up and they do it for free in a couple of mins. Pettypoint maybe, but I am not in control of the order (company car) and I do not think I willbe able to rely on getting this done pre-delivery (January by the way for an Orion Blue, no options)
Cheers for all the other really helpful info!
Hi John,
I can confirm that this procedure will be carried out by your Centre free of charge.
Thanks for the feedback – it’s great that you’re finding the blog useful!
Is there a full accurate list of mobile phones that are compatible with the toyota gen 3? I have had a look at the list on http://techdoc.toyota-europe.com/Bluetooth/search.aspx but it doesn’t seem accurate as states my phone won’t auto connect or do music and call handling when in fact it does.
Hi Mike,
Thanks for this feedback – I thought this list was the most up-to-date. I’ll report this and see if there are any other resources I can refer you to.
Ok thanks Melissa.
Hi again,
Thanks for your patience. There are always new handsets and software updates being released, so Toyota Motor Europe updates the Bluetooth tool regularly, but there may be a time lag. Would you please email me at blogteam@contact.toyota.co.uk with your registration no. or VIN, and details of your phone set-up? This way I can report the outdated info to TME and make sure the tool is updated.
I have justed checked out the bluetooth compatibility page to find it has infact been updated and now says my phone works with all features.
I do have another query about bluetooth, My 5800 works with the car 100%, I can store contacts, speed dials, call history etc and can also play music on the phone and listen via the car speakers, which I absolutely love. I am looking at other phones and was wondering what would I have to look for in the phone to be able to do the same as the nokia 5800? I assume the phone requires certain bluetooth profiles but am unsure as to what profile would be needed to store contacts on the HDD without loosing them, and also to listen to music via the cars speakers.
Hi Mike,
Glad the page has been updated. I’m not quite sure about the Bluetooth profiles. There are a couple of outstanding questions on Bluetooth and iPod/iPhone integration that I’d like to address, so do bear with me – I hope I’ll be able to confirm soon. In the meantime, have you tried contacting Nokia?
Hi Melissa,
I have ordered a T-Spirit with LED technology pack. Can you please tell me what the treatment of the windscreen, frontglass consists of and what would happen should the windscreen need replacing due to damage in the lifetime of the vehicle? Is the windscreen a special product that can be reordered from a windscreen replacement company? Every car I have ever owned has needed a new windscreen and I am curious at to what would happen if this happens on my new prius.
Thanks,
Neil
Hi Neil,
Very good question – I’ll ask the product team and let you know.
Hi Melissa,
Any news from the technical team regarding the treated
windscreen?
Neil
So sorry to have left you waiting – I only have part of your answer at the moment. The front side windows are treated to make them water repellent. However, the windscreen is not. As to windscreen replacement, I’ll have to get back to you – hopefully it won’t take too long!
Hi Neil,
I have your answer – thanks for your patience. As I said before, the windscreen is no different if you have the LED Pack. However, it is different to standard windscreens: it is specially designed to work with the Prius’ head-up display. If you do need to replace it, therefore, I’d go for a Toyota windscreen, otherwise the HUD will not reflect properly.
I hope that helps but do get back in touch if you have any further queries. Have fun with your new Prius when it arrives!
Hi Melissa,
I would like to confirm that the behaviour I’m experiencing is normal.
It’s hard to explain so don’t hesitate to contact me for more details if I’m not clear enough.
In Eco/normal mode (not sure about power):
I don’t really see any impact on how much I press the gas pedal as long as I’m below petrol motor kicking in.
If I barely push it (so displaying a few pixels on the ecometer) or further down (up to the middle of the ecometer) I don’t feel any difference.
0-10/15 Mph: The car accelerate after that from 15 Mph I can barely see any increase in speed at all.
While above 30Mph if I stay in the first half of the ecometer (I see energy getting out of the battery) I don’t see any difference with being in neutral (forcing the N gear or just lifting me feet from the gas pedal until no energy flux are displayed).
I just would like to confirm if that’s the expected behaviour or if I have something wrong, especially as my average MPG is below my expectation: around 55 MPG in country roads (45-55MPH), 45 MPG on motorway (70 MPH, cruise control).
No real MPG difference between eco and normal.
Thanks,
Stephane
Thanks for the detailed descriptions of your driving experiences, Stephane. I’ll speak to a technical specialist tomorrow and let you know how I get on.
Hi again,
The technical specialist I spoke to says that, due to the throttle response being milder when in ECO mode, what you’ve described is normal. Perhaps the best thing would be either to take your Prius into a Centre to have it looked at, or else test drive a Centre’s demonstrator car to see if you get the same response.
Let us know how you get on.
Hi Melissa,
Sorry for any misunderstanding. I’m not asking about the throttle being less responsive in ECO than normal, I’m aware of that.
My question is, for example in ECO, it doesn’t make any difference in response if I slightly press the throttle or go half course (just before the petrol engine kicks in).
Thanks,
Stephane
Thanks for the further clarification. I’ll ask again and get back to you.
Hello again,
This still falls under what could be termed ‘normal behaviour’, but it does depend on a host of other factors such as incline, throttle opening angle, vehicle speed, level of hybrid battery charge, use of air conditioning and loading conditions, to name but a few! I take it you haven’t had a warning light and Diagnostic Trouble Code coming up?
I’d still advise test driving a demonstrator to compare the responses.
I wonder if any other third-generation Prius owners have had similar experiences? If so, let us know here.
Hmmm I think I’m experiencing something similar (but could be different!)….. I’ve found my fuel consumption to be at the bottom end of the scale for a Gen3 Prius (been tracking consumption on http://www.fuelly.com) at around 53/54 mpg (note that I’m driving 100 miles to work each day on a mixture of country lanes and A roads, & not going above 60mph). I’ve tried keeping the mpg as high as possible, whilst keeping an eye on the econometer. In my experience, you have to be in the PWR range to get any acceleration. Keeping within the economy range will just about maintain a constant speed whilst giving good economy. So – I end up powering up to 50-60 mph, then feathering off on the accelerator to get the economy up (but soon find that my speed starts to drop).
To be fair, I have managed some journeys at nearly 60mpg – perhaps it is all down to pracitce! I’ve also stopped using Cruise Cotnrol(except for the stretches at 40mph) as I find it is less economical than allowing the speed to drop slightly.
Hi. Went to order a T3 Prius (18 Oct 2009) and was told there is a price increase in the pipeline and my Prius would be more expensive due it it being delivered after 26 Oct 2009. Can’t find anyting on Toyota UK about a price increase. Is this true?
Yes, another forum reported this wef 26 October 2009 price increase last week.
A forum member did however do some internet research and found what appeared to be a brand new but already registered (09 not 59) & in stock (5 miles on the clock) T4 in pearl white, at Inchcape Sandhurst (on Autotrader) at about £2,000 less than old list price.
One other option to get a Prius at the old price is to get one delivered before 26th October which is perhaps a tall order now being the 19th October.
Toyota’s website is still showing the old prices which is perhaps misleading, unless there are some Prius available for delivery at the stated prices ie. before 26th October.
The third way is to use a car broker and a few hundred £ discount might be obtained this way. Some dealers will be agreeable to matching a car broker price.
Thanks for the confirmation. I am taking advantage of the extended scrappage scheme so can’t get any deals on pre registered stock etc., and my dealer checked for any other brand new stock they could get in before 26th Oct. Luckily, they can get a T3 in 6 weeks so I should beat the VAT increase.
Hi Alan,
The key point David has mentioned here is stock. There is indeed a price increase coming up, effective from 26 October 2009, which is why it does not appear on the website yet. Dealers, however, get one month’s notice, so while everything they have in stock can be sold at the old price prior to the effective date (like the T4 at Inchcape), any car delivered after that date must be sold at the new price.
So, to answer your question: yes, your dealer is right. However, you may well be able to find a base model T3 in stock elsewhere, at the soon-to-be-old price.
So… will my T Spirit ordered early September for December delivery be at the old price or the new price? I sincerely hope the answer is not the new price. (And while I’m on, is there any more light to be shed on the iPhone integration question from way back, it appears to have slipped off the agenda?)
Surely if you (and I) have a purchase order with an agreed price that will stick. I am sure we have all negotiated different prices and deals which were agreed with our dealers. The dealer could not simply demand extra money on something that has already been agreed in writing….
My take on it anyway….
Sorry if what I wrote was misleading, Martin: what I meant was, if you placed your order before the dealers were informed of the price increase (i.e. late September), which you did, you will pay the old price or whatever was agreed. If you placed an order after this time, the dealer should have informed you of the imminent increase, as Alan’s did.
Sorry not to have had any recent news on the iPhone integration issue. I’ll chase it up some more.
Hi Melissa,
I have taken delivery of my Prius T-Spirit with LED Tech Pack and Rear Protection Pack. I am wondering if I can have front parking sensors added at a later date.
I would also like to know please why the front sensors used for intelligent parking assist were not utilised as front parking sensors to bleep when you are close to an object.
Steve
Hi Steve,
I spoke to a product specialist about this, and he told me that the sensors used in the Intelligent Park Assist system are specific in their functionality, and that as a result you cannot integrate front parking sensors with IPA. (On a T3 or a T4, front parking sensors can be added at a later date as these grades do not feature IPA.) This issue was raised previously and has been reported to product specialists in Toyota Motor Europe.
Sorry not to be of more help. Nevertheless, I hope you’re getting on well with your new T Spirit!
i find the volume of the turn indicator to be very low and virtually inaudible when the audio is playing. Checked with my dealer and he said it was at normal volume and could not be adjusted. I know there is a hidden service menu which can be used to change various settings and I would like to know if it is possible to increase the turn indicator volume.
Hi Geoff,
I’m afraid your dealer’s right: the indicator volume can’t be adjusted. The ‘hidden’ service menu – merely an additional menu that can be accessed by Toyota technicians at your Centre – is used for adjusting the voice volume in a Bluetooth call, for instance.
I have a new TSpirit. The owner’s manual advises use of SAE 0W-20 oil. My Toyota Dealer advises use of SAE 5W-30 oil for longer engine life. I used SAE 5W-30 in my previous Prius, as recommended by Toyota in the Owner’s Manual. Why have Toyota changed their recommendation for the New Prius?
Hi Al – good question. I’ll ask the technical team about it and will hopefully have an answer for you tomorrow morning.
Al- I had a chat with my dealer about this today. I like to have a bottle of oil to hand in case a top up is requiired, and knowing that 0w20 is not available in every petrol station or Halfords, I tried to purchase some from the ever helpful Eden Bridge Toyota.
Apparently it’s not yet available in 1 litre bottles. They were suitably apologetic and said that if my car needs topping up between services I’m welcome to take it in for a free topup from their big container. Accordingly I wonder if availability rather than engine wear considerations were behind your dealer’s assertions.
0w20 oil is a very low viscosity oil with the undoubted advantage of reduced viscous drag and improved fuel economy. According to the handbook it is the only grade recommended for the entire range of operating temperatures. The suggestion that you should use a thicker oil for longer engine life is disturbing when you consider the converse: is your dealer really suggesting that engine life might be compromised by using 0w20?
Pete
Hi Pete G,
My Dealer recommends that “the basic oil that was added to your engine at the factory is changed to Mobil 1″ (5W-30) as this will “increase engine performance, reduce engine wear and prolong the catalytic converter life”. Not exactly an endorsement of the use of 0W-20 oil!
I imagine that most Prius owners will want to minimise engine wear even at the cost of slightly lower mpg.
It’s very nice of a dealer to offer customers the choice of a premium branded oil and good for them as they can bump up the cost of an oil change.
I’m sure Mobil 1 5w30 is very good stuff to put in an engine that requires 5w30 oil. Your dealer’s problem in offering all customers the Mobil 1 option with the above sales spiel is that Mobil 1 is not available in 0w20.
A thicker oil will almost certainly reduce performance and economy. Its effect on engine life is not as clear cut as saying that thick oil reduces metal to metal contact; thick oil increases the load on the oil pump and takes longer to penetrate narrow oil ways after a cold start. IF 0w20 is sufficient to prevent metal to metal contact, using anything thicker is a disadvantage.
I’m waiting with interest to see what answer Melissa gets from the Technical Team
Pete
Correction: Mobil 1 0w20 is not listed on the Mobil UK site, but it does appear to be available in Canada.
I’ve seen the engine oil grade debated for several years now in the context of the 2nd gen Prius where 5W30 is the best recommended oil. Toyota actually recommend several oil grades – even the old-fashioned thick 20W50 stuff that I used to use in my Hillman Hunter in the 1970′s.
The conclusion seemed to be that no damage would be caused by using any of the grades of oil recommemded by Toyota in the owners handbook. The only problem with thicker oil is likely lower mpg.
One recurring problem with UK dealers with the 2nd gen Prius has been that some of them will by default supply 10W40m oil from their bulk supply tank rather than the better 5W30 since they might not have the 5W30 in bulk tanks as most other Toyota cars use 10W40 oil. Experience is that owners need to specifically request the thinner oil, and then it will be supplied but at a higher price than 10W40 oil.
Another issue has been dealers overfilling engine oil. Allegedly this can cause serious engine damage to any car, but I’ve seen no reports of such damage actually occurring on a Prius.
In conclusion:
1. If you want better mpg specifically request 0W20 oil with the 3rd gen Prius (or 5W30 with the 2nd gen model)
2. Immediately after service check that the oil has not been overfilled – if it’s overfilled the dealer should remove the excess oil.
3. If cost of the oil is an issue, buy your own and supply it to the dealer – apparantly it’s cheaper to buy it from a dealer’s parts department than have it supplied as part of the service in some cases!
Incidentally, 0w20 really is quite a lot less viscous than 5w30, and probably accounts for a good chunk of the Prius 3′s fuel consumption improvement over its predecessor, so provided there are no engine wear concerns, make sure you get the 0w20
Hmmm… this posting belongs above Al’s and mine from this morning- any news on a site with a propre forum setup, Melissa?
Hi there Pete,
Yes, occasionally a comment doesn’t ‘nest’ properly on the blog. It’s already being looked into.
The forum is still in development, I’m afraid, but I’ll keep you up to date via the dedicated forum post.
Al – I’m due to speak to a technical specialist this morning, so I should have an answer for you soon.
Hi Al,
I just spoke to the technical specialist. As is often the case, Pete G is pretty much on the money!
0W-20 is the type of oil used during the manufacturing process, and is, I am told, the recommended oil for third-generation Prius (as stated in the manual). The reason for the change is that, in comparison to 5W-30 and 10W-30, it provides better engine ‘startability’ in cold weather, which in turn improves engine performance, fuel consumption and emissions in cold weather conditions. This may prove particularly useful, and be more obvious, to you during shorter journeys, when the engine does not have a chance to reach its normal operating temperature. Viscosity wasn’t mentioned, Pete, but you may well be correct.
All that said, the recommendation of 0W-20 does not mean that using 5W-30 or 10W-30 will cause long-term damage to your engine.
Also, Pete, I’m told that 0W-20 is available in 1l bottles. All Centres should have it, so I’m sorry you’ve had trouble getting hold of it. The part number is 08880-82652. Let me know if you have further problems tracking the 1l size down.
Hi Melissa,
Thanks for your research and advice and Pete G for his input. I have decided to follow the Toyota recommendation for 0W-20 oil for my forthcoming oil change. My Dealer advises that it is readily available but still thinks that it is “not as good” as the 5W-30 that he is offering. My initial feeling was that the 0W-20, being of lower viscosity, might help performance but jeopardize engine wear but the Toyota response makes it clear that this is not the case. I shall now drive on in complete confidence!
That’s great to hear, Al!
Do let us know how you get on in the long term – it’d be great to have your feedback.
Have you really done 10,000 miles already, Al?
Hi Pete,
No I have not done 10,000 miles yet and I know that the initial oil is regarded as OK for this mileage but I feel happier having it replaced after the first 2,000 miles of the car’s life. Old habits die hard and as a Senior Citizen I am somewhat cautious.
Hi Melissa,
Can you tell me the approx lead time on new orders (standard spec t-spirit, no extras).
Also are orders imported as-required or does the UK get a nationwide consignment every 2 months or so (i.e. does it matter if i go to different dealers or will it simply come when the next batch of uk cars arrive in port)?
Best wishes
Floppy
Hi there,
A simple, but very good, question. I’ll ask and get back to you later today.
Hi again,
I’ve spoken to the supply team and they inform me that production is ordered monthly, with two shipments (typically) of stock arriving per month from Nagoya, Japan. There is a ‘central stock’ which all dealers have access to, so the lead time should be the same irrespective of where your dealer is based.
As for the lead times, you can expect a standard spec T Spirit to arrive in approximately 14 weeks (or 16 weeks if you are ordering one in Pure White). However, I must emphasise that lead times can and will vary owing to a number of variables. I’d ask your dealer for an up-to-date estimate.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any further queries.
Thanks for this news!
Is there anything I can do to speed up delivery times? Happy to send some chocolate biscuits to the factory
Hi I have just received my delivery date for my T Spirit which is the 10th November, was the 3rd of December, so things have improved and the car is in white. So around 12 to 16 eeks is about right. My dealer has sold his quoter and is waitig his next batch so it looks like rationing is in force. Sad that the radar is out of the question now for me as the car is on the boat, I think it is 4 week trip from Japan to the UK
Mind me asking when you ordered Alan?
Floppy.
Hi I ordered on the 13-07-09, my first date was the 21st of December I had chance to go to the Myra test track near Nuneaton on the A5 on the 12-07-09 were I had the chance to drive the new Prius also lectures on all aspects or the car, they even had one cut in half so you could see a section of all the parts. The next day I went to my usual dealer and ordered one. It was a 2hr session and well organised
Just annoyed that the radar eluded me.
Alan
Hi,
Further to my earlier post where I was concerned by the ‘new car’ smell, it has now worn off to a much more tolerable level after only three days. The car is amazing ( I have now mastered recording CD’s to the HDD) it blends very relaxed driving with more than adequate power for overtaking or merging with fast dual carriageways and yet I managed to average 58 mpg for my first 100 miles, (tank full to tank full) and have not been trying to be especially economical. It seems like leaving the car in normal mode for most drving and dropping it to eco mode for country lanes or motorways is best, the car will still respond to a hefty squeeze of the throttle if needed. The one criticism I have of the car now is that the road noise is a bit intrusive, maybe this is better with the smaller wheels and fatter tyres on the T3?
Just took delivery of my new 2010 T spirit, first impressions are fantastic, if mind-numbingly complex to work through all the options on the control panel. One criticism is the smell, it’s a new car smell but very overpowering and it made me feel quite nauseous for about an hour.
Overall driving experience is wonderful. One big question though is how to get the system to record CD’s. It has a big button marked record which you can press… but then nothing seems to happen.
Hi Bob, glad you’re enjoying your car. The smell will wear off!
The control panel can seem complex at first, but do stick with it, it should become intuitive.
In terms of recording CD’s, the easiest way to do this is to set the system to ‘Auto Record’. This means that you just need to insert your CD and it is automatically recorded and stored for you. You’ll need to locate ‘Rec Settings’ in ‘Audio Settings’, then switch ‘Auto Rec’ to ‘On’.
Full instructions can be found on pages 346 – 347 of your Navigation System Owner’s Manual.
I hope that’s helpful? Good luck – please let us now how you get on.
Further to the comments about ACC I would love this feature.
The daily commmute on the motorway would be far more relaxing. Cant beleive Toyota wont add it in the UK with our busy roads.
I would also love this LKAS feature as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB5nuy-1Eiw
I hope Toyota change there mind and add it soon as possible.
Hi Melissa,
Is the recall announced today (I can’t find the exact details online) for the mats (including Prius) also affects Prius III mats?
If yes what’s the procedure, when do new mats will be available for replacement? I drove without mats for a couple of days and the carpet don’t seems to be very resistant to usage…..
Thanks,
Stephane
Hi Stephane,
As far as I know, this recall affects the second-generation Prius (2004 to early 2009), but not the third. Also, it’s not clear whether or not the recall affects those cars sold in the UK. We have not received any official notification of the recall from Toyota – I read a news article about it – but I will check with Toyota first thing tomorrow and write a separate post if need be.
I have in front of me a recall letter relating to the mat on the driver’s side of my Mk.2 Prius dated January 2008. (Liable to slip forward and interfere with accelerator pedal). Surely Toyota hasn’t made the same mistake twice!
Hi, do you have any news on whether/when heated seats will be available as an option and what the cost would be? And can you tell me the price of the JBL speaker pack? (I know there were problems getting this price previously). Lastly can anyone answer the question on how you load music from CDs to the HD drive – is it possible to load MP3s or does it have to be from a “music CD”. MP3s would be a lot faster!
Thanks
Hi,
No luck for the MP3… you can play MP3 directly from CD (or DVD apparently) but to transfer them to HDD it has to be Audio CD only.
Such a shame that we can’t use the Firewire or Bluetooth…
Also is it really an HDD or is it Flash based? (Where can you still find 10-20Gb HDD (as part is reserved for maps and CDDB)???
Hi Stephane,
Sorry for the very delayed reply to this. It is an HDD, and the space is allocated in the following way:
Map data: 24GB
Space for audio to be uploaded: 10GB
CDDB/Gracenote: <1GB
Therefore, the amount of space for music is 10GB maximum. Does this answer your question? Do get back to me if not.
Since it is a HDD would it be possible at a later time to upgrade the HDD? Having looked at tech docs on the G3 it looks pretty easy to upgrade the HDD, it’s the software and firmware that I assume might cause the problems.
Also it should be possible to remove the HDD, plug it into a computer and use it which would suggest you might be able to remove the HDD, attach it to a computer and transfer music into the correct directory.
Are you saying 24GB for map data ?
This is a VERY large amount of data just for mapping – its the equivalent of about 6 DVDs.
Or should it read 2.4GB maybe ?
Hi David,
24GB was definitely what I was told, but I’ll double-check.
Hello again,
Yes, it is definitely 24GB. This is because the data are comprised of maps from most European countries; indeed, in the second-generation Prius these data came on four DVDs.
Hi Mike,
I replied to you before but it didn’t appear in this thread for some reason and I wasn’t sure if you saw it.
In response, it might be technically possible to transfer the HDD to another Prius (see this post for more). Beyond that I’m not sure but I’ll see what I can find out for you.
Hi again Martin,
Sorry for the delay on this. I’m afraid I’ve heard no further news on heated seats, but I can ask the Product team for you. As for the price of the speakers, I’ll be able to check out the accessory lists tomorrow (Monday) morning.
Stephane, good question about the HDD – I’ll check this out tomorrow too.
Hi Melissa,
What is the “Prius passport”? I suspect it’s not much more than a piece of paper but had mine missing and replaced by a voucher, not to delay delivery.
Thanks,
Stephane
Hi Stephane,
Good question – I’m not sure. I’ll find out and get back to you.
Hi again,
The passport is a little pack containing the owner’s manual and various leaflets on safety, insurance and Club Toyota. You should be able to order one through your dealer (if they don’t have any around); the part number is GBNGZ-059PR-VP. If you run into any trouble, we can order one for you instead – just get in touch again.
Despite many posts here to the contrary, it seems that Toyota GB management still mistakenly believe that there is no demand on Prius for the Adaptive Cruise Control option with Pre-Crash or for the full ‘Safety Pack’, as is available on the Avensis, which also includes Lane Keep Assist/Lane Departure Warning. Apparently, if the ACC could be ordered, for factory production reasons, it would also need to be ordered with the factory-fit heated leather seats.
The ACC/Pre-Crash radar based technology was developed by Toyota for global markets to provide additional safety. ACC can also help to further improve economy as it can help smooth deceleration and acceleration when approaching and then overtaking slower vehicles in motorway driving. In addition, ACC is reported by drivers who use it to reduce their stress levels. It can be ordered on the new Prius in the US, Japan and in continental Europe, but currently not in the UK.
Please post a reply here if you too would be interested in an option pack that would include ACC with the factory fit heated leather seats. Let’s persuade Toyota GB management to respond to customer demand for ACC. A ‘Safety Pack’ as on the Avensis would be ideal and would provide some Toyota brand consistency.
Hi I would not want to have the leather seats, I would only want the ACC so it looks as though I will not be able to get it even if they allowed it to be fitted in UK cars. A shame really as repoted it helps safety.
Thanks
I too would have liked to have ACC and lane keeping fitted to my 3G T-Spirit. Iwould also have liked dusk-sensing headlamps. A family member is allergic to leather seats.
As part of TGB’s stated intent to provide what customers want, why cannot these types of ‘extras’ be made available seperately rather than as parts of packages of unwanted other fittings?
I agree that it would offer most flexibility if the options were offered individually. I expect packages provide Toyota with some benefits in the assembly process.
ACC seems to me to be a sure winner in the UK. I am more than happy driving in France on normal cruise control, but have never used it comfortably in the UK – there’s just too much traffic. Adaptive Cruise Control would be ideally suited to UK road conditions and offer genuine benefits.
Hi,
Clearly THE option I’m missing… ACC/Pre-crash are such useful options… Hope I’ll be able to get them on my next one as it’s too late now.
No chance to get them aftermarket on my T-Spirit? (We can dream…)
I’m afraid not, Stephane!
Thanks for all your comments on ACC – they’re really interesting, and it’s very useful feedback. Keep them coming!
With regard to the debate on the availability of ACC on the Prius, I would add my desire to have this option available. I would order the leather upholstery anyway as I think ir is woth the extra. It is absolute nonsense to offer ACC on the Avensis and not the Prius. As my MkII Prius is less than 2 years old, I shall be keeping it until Toyota see sense with their marketing strategy. I may also wait until the forthcoming trials on the mains rechargeable version are complete.
In case you have not driven a car with ACC and have not seen how it works before here is a link to a US video clip on this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjvfCoUFUNs
I understand that it is available on the Prius in the US, Japan and continental Europe.
Please post a reply here if you would like Toyota GB to offer this option in the UK. Think of following a lorry at a safe distance through the single lane of the M25 roadworks at around 40 – 50 mph, for example…
And here is a link to the US video clip that explains how the Pre-crash safety system works that uses the same radar as the ACC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-pTakVadH4&feature=PlayList&p=216B6614C99927A4&index=33
Again, I understand available with ACC in the US, Japan and continental Europe. Please post a reply here if you would like the ACC with Pre-crash option in the UK.
Hi is it possible to get the water repellent side windows in the uk waiting delivery of a 2010 model in December 2009.
Thanks
Hi Alan,
Unfortunately, the water repellent side window treatment is not available on its own; it only comes as apart of the LED Technology Pack, an optional factory-fit accessory pack for the T Spirit only, priced at £895. Therefore, if you haven’t ordered a T Spirit, it won’t be possible to add this feature to your car.
However, you may be able to cancel and resubmit your order with the Pack included. I’d bring this to the attention of your dealer as soon as possible. In the meantime, please see this post for more information.
Hi thanks for your reply, The Prius I have ordered is the T Spirit, and I have already ordered the LED Techhnology Pack so I am pleased that the water repellent side windows are part of LED PACK. Pity we can not get the Radar Cruise Control pack in the UK.
Thanks
I will collect my new Prius tomorrow. Will it need waxing and polishing to protect the paintwork immediately or is there some factory provided protection and, if so, how long should this last?
Hi there,
Apologies for not having responded before you collected your Prius – I was unwell for a couple of days.
It’s a good question. I’m not aware of any factory-provided protection, and I don’t think any is included in the OTR price. Did your dealer advise on this when you collected the car? If not, let me know, and in the meantime I’ll try to find an answer for you.
Not sure whether you got my email response but it was basically to say that my dealer did not know what protection my TSpirit came with. Supaguard treatment was recommended.
Any news from the Toyota end?
Hello,
No, I didn’t receive an email – that’s strange. Was it to the contact iQ address?
I’ll let you know what Toyota say later today, hopefully.
1. Have you been able to get any advice from Toyota on my question?
2. There seems to be a glitch on your email system as I am getting emails responding to all your correspondents!
Hi Al,
Sorry for the delay. Your Prius certainly doesn’t need wax or polish; it should have been prepped at the Centre, and plus the paintwork is covered under warranty. You should also have 12 years’ anti-perforation cover (which should be detailed in the passport pack you received with the car).
Of course, you may still wish to wax or polish your car. Toyota produces a car care kit, one of which is on display here at Toyota GB, but I haven’t been able to find out the part number or price for you (hence the delayed reply). Someone from the Product team is checking it out for me, so hopefully I’ll be able to give you this info this afternoon.
As for the email problem, can I ask: have you subscribed to the blog comments?
I note that your on line price list shows the LED pack to be a standard fit to the T-Spirit model. See P12 of 23 on the PDF file price list. It was my understanding that this was an optional extra priced at £895. Please would you confirm which is correct.
Hi John,
You’re right – while the correct price is given, it is indicated that the LED Tech Pack comes as standard on a T Spirit and this is not the case. However, the new version of the price list is due to come out very soon and the mistake had already been corrected. Thanks for flagging it up.
Hi,
Just got my T-Spirit and have one issue with the iPhone Bluetooth integration:
If I switch audio mode from BT to FM for example, when I swith back to BT the iPhone disconnect after about 1 seconds and don’t reconnect automatically (have to press the Connect button on the display) even if in the setup Auto Reconnect is configured.
Also have th iPod(iPhone)/USB kit and:
- Connecting the iPhone I got the “not compatible with iPhone, do you want to switch to airplane mode”. Annoying but can live with it.
- Got no display of the playlist name, album name or any song name… making it pointless as the iPhone doesn’t allow any control or display any usefull information beside a white screen with “accessory connected”….
- Still have to test what happen if you receive a call while connected to the USB/iPod interface.
Hi Stephane, Sounds like a disaster – sorry to be learning from your problems but your information is very valuable given the difficulty of finding anything official on record (thanks Melissa for continuing to try). Is your iPhone a 3G or 3Gs, because they have different connections to the original iPhones (look the same but are wired differently) and many accessories are dumb to their needs (the old problem of Apple innovating without telling anyone else). Not sure whether the integration kit will fight with bluetooth – it may be worth switching bluetooth off and trying just the USB connection. I hope someone at Toyota gets to grips with the issue because the “integration” kits are far from cheap and appear barely useful. If it’s any use, you have my sympathy, Martin.
Hi Martin,
It’s a 3GS running 3.1. Switching Bluetooth off not an option as the “integration” kit doc made it VERY clear that it’s music only, no phone/mic. So BT has to be on for handsfree…
I think the usb/ipod kit will just stay unused.
I think someone raised the question of the sat nav DVD in an earlier post, but I can’t find it and am not sure if it was answered. My question is :- Should owners have a copy of the sat nav data on DVD? My concern is that if for any reason, the HDD failed or bcame corrupted and had to be reloaded, would the owner have to pay the cost of the replacement DVD, which I understand is quite expensive. Normally when you purchase a license for use of any software or data, you are given the right to make or retain a backup copy, but of course theres is no way to do this with the sat nav data. I guess the same question would apply to the Gracenote database.
Regarding updates, my comment is that I need one already for my 2 week old Prius. Near my home is a stretch of dual carriageway that opened 2 years ago. It’s frustrating that half the routes the system plans from my home fail to take advantage of this road because it doesn’t know it’s there.
The map data appears to be 2008/9 edition. When does the 2009/10 edition come out? Please may I have one without having to pay for an upgrade on a 2 week old vehicle?
Pete
Hi Geoff,
I think the post you are referring to is this one, which you commented on. Good question about back-up data – I’ll see what I can find out.
Further information- I’ve found out how to access the version number. Mine is Ver .1
Looking forward to a reply
Pete
Hi Pete,
I gather that you have spoken to a Customer Relations Manager at Toyota regarding this issue. He mentioned to me that no new editions appear on the internal accessories list, indicating that you have the latest version. I am due to speak with one of the Prius specialists in the Product team later today, and I will raise this issue with him and try to gather some more information on this. I’m sorry for the delay in getting a definitive answer on this.
Thanks for that, Melissa. I’ll look forward to your further comments. Being told “Yes, you do have the latest maps” doesn’t actually address the issue that the latest set of maps appears to carry 2 year old map data.
TomTom supply quarterly map updates for a very modest subscription, so at the moment I’m driving around with my trusty TomTom stuck to the windscreen, and slightly wondering why I bought a T-Spirit instead of a T4.
Pete
Any more news on this, Melissa?
Simple questions: When does the next update come out? How do I get hold of one? Will it then have up to date map data rather than 2 year old map data?
Pete
Hi Pete,
It’s taking slightly longer than expected to find these things out. I hope to be able to let you know soon.
Hello again,
I have spoken to one of our technical specialists and he confirmed the following. Toyota Motor Corporation (that is to say, Toyota in Japan) releases map updates every 9-12 months. We do not know when the next update will be at present but the technical team hopes to receive a date from Japan next week. I appreciate that the data was already out-of-date when you took delivery of your new Prius, but TMC may not have been aware of that when the car was launched in August, and so may not have been planning an update for the near future. However, as I say, the technical team has passed on the map update feedback from the blog, and I too have passed on this feedback to Toyota Motor Europe this week. What I can also say is that we are expecting a map update for the iQ in November this year, though this does not necessarily indicate a range-wide update that month.
As for how to get hold of the update once it is released: as you may be aware, there has been a change in map data storage technology in the third-generation Prius: whereas before the data was stored on DVD, it is now stored on HDD. As a result, Toyota has had to develop a new, DVD-less method of updating the data, and for reasons that are unknown to me (but that are probably to do with the fact that, as I mentioned before, TMC wouldn’t have been planning on updating the data so soon after launch), this technology is not yet ready. The technical team believes that it will become available in the next few months. Once it is available, you must take your Prius in to a Centre for the update to be installed.
So, in short: at the moment, there is currently no way to update your maps. We will let you know as soon as a map update is available, and when we hear that the update tool is ready.
Sorry that this means a further wait.
Melissa, thanks for coming up with such a comprehensive answer. If the mechanism for updating the system is still being developed, could you plead with the team not to require a trip to the dealer? There are two easy ways a customer can get data in to the system- a DVD in the CD slot (it does play mp3 music DVD’s as well as CD’s confirming the drive is a DVD drive), or a laptop plugged in to the firewire socket next to the dvd drive.
I have to confess, I was very naive in thinking that an expensive car based Satnav would be better than a £100 Garmin or TomTom. As more and more of your customers are used to owning a very cheap and highly effective Satnav that can be updated as often as the user chooses to plug it in to their computer, I think you have to decide whether to compete (on both timeliness and cost of updates) or get out of the Satnav business altogether. A car whose dashboard has a secure mounting for a TomTom would be much more appealing than what you are offering at the moment.
Pete
I assumed that you would be able to download the map updates from toyota’s website, copy them onto a CD/DVD, insert this into the CD slot and it would copy the files from the CD/DVD onto the HDD. Having to go to the dealer for updates isn’t very appealing. I wonder how many people who have purchased a G3 with sat nav knew that they would have to take their cars to a dealer to update the maps, and how many people are now regretting spending extra to get sat nav built in.
Am I correct in assuming that it will not cost for the first update? As many sat nav manufacturers offer a free update service for their sat navs.
Hi all,
I know there are some questions outstanding, so apologies for the backlog once again. I appreciate your patience. Thanks.
When I bought my first Prius (Mark II) in 2005 I was also able to buy a printed manual entitled “Prius – New Car Features”, Part Number NCF256E, at a cost of £74.06. This explained in considerable detail what went on “under the bonnet” and how the car worked. It also highlighted important differences from the original Mark I. I now want to buy one for my Mark III but have been unable to trace anything similar. Can Melissa tell me if anything is available?
P.S. I also purchased the 3-volume Repair Manual, Part Nos. RM1076E1-3, which now has little relevance to my Mark III. Anybody interested in buying them?
That’s a very good question. I take it your dealer has no comparable document? I’ll check the accessory lists and get back to you.
Hello Melissa. I tried my dealer even before ordering my Mk.3 and showed him my earlier manual. Response was simply “Where did you get that?”. Surprised when I replied “You!”. No further help.
Sorry to hear that, John. I couldn’t find a part number on the accessory list – however, you should be able to get your hands on one. The manual you are referring to sounds like a technical manual that is designed for dealers. Your dealer should be able to order one through the Product Technical Support team at Toyota GB, but if he runs into problems, let me know and I’ll get in touch with you via email to work out another solution.
A more recent visit to a different branch of the dealership found a more helpful employee who traced my present manual and found that it was still listed both on paper and CD. But he hasn’t got back to me yet about one for the Mk.3. Still hoping.
Hi John,
I’m pleased to tell you that I now know how you can get hold of the New Car Features manual for your new Prius.
1. Go to http://techdoc.toyota-europe.com/default.aspx
2. Under the ‘Repair’ tab, select ‘PAYABLE Access – New Car Features’
3. Select Prius; model code – ZVW30; publication type – New car features; Language – English
4. Under ‘Service Information Library’, you will see the English Service Information Library (04/2009), part number PZ471-Z12A0-CA (note: the New Car Features manual is part of the Service Information Library). You will see that it is only available on CD-ROM. I’m afraid it costs more than your old manual.
5. In order to buy it, click the CD icon and you will be told to register for free. From there it should be self-explanatory; I haven’t ventured further than this point, as I hope you can appreciate!
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any technical issues with the website.
I’m quite a big guy and have noticed that the rear seat belts don’t fit me and am having a tough time in finding a extension for them, Do toyota offer a seat belt extension?
Good question, Mike – I’ll ask. In the meantime, I’d ask your dealer if you haven’t already, as they should have up-to-date accessory lists.
Hi again Mike,
So sorry for the delay in getting back to you on this. I can now confirm that, unfortunately, Toyota does not manufacture a seat belt extension. Good luck with finding one, though.
Hi Melissa
Please can you tell me how the dab radio option fits in the T-spirit, IE does it have the Sd card reader and usb slot aa per page 41 of the brochure no gbngv-079pr-vb july 2009
Thanks in anticipation
Hi Steve,
Apologies for the delay. This question came up before, and was discussed here.
Delivery dates mean little – my Prius ordered July – to be delivered today, 11 September – now delayed until December…what, yes, December (maybe, late November )!!
I got a whole 48 hours notice of the delay – just to add insult – checked last week all ok …..only to be dissapointed yesterday.
…Seems it is my fault for ordering leather and sun-roof, Toyota cannot,it seems, count the orders they have in the factory to see it they have enough parts before they run out.
My suggestion is do not rely on delivery dates until you get your reg number!!
Richard The same thing happens to almost anything that is popular, it is not toyota’s fault that people are ordering alot of prius’s. my closest Volvo dealer stopped taking orders for the C30 due to overwhelming demand for the car apparently. It took 3 weeks to get my T Spirit which is just the basic spirit so I recommend if you want the car sooner rather then later don’t order the extras which would delay the car by a few months.
Hi Melissa,
Thank you for the explanation. I have the electronic (PDF) July brochure (different page numbers!) and the “Wheels and
trims” page now makes sense.
To continue from my first post – the light grey trim with
contrasting dark grey door inserts and mats does look
stunning and I’d encourage any prospective purchaser
to view an Orion Blue example.
Thanks, Richard
Please could you clarify the interior trim options? I recently collected an Orion blue TSpirit but was suprised to find it had a light grey interior (albeit with dark grey inserts like p16 of the Prius brochure) despite having ordered (confirmed by the dealer) a ‘dark grey’ interior. Is there actually no trim choice for a particular exterior colour or are there two varients of the light grey interior?
In fact the light trim looks very smart but I suspect it will suffer when subjected to my children!
Many thanks,
Richard
Hi Richard,
It sounds as though you don’t have the official brochure for the third-generation Prius, published July 2009, as page 16 of this actually concerns safety. Page 33 outlines the trim options, which for an Orion Blue T-Spirit are limited to Kalbarri Light Grey. For all other exterior colours it’s a dark grey, so perhaps this is why your dealer quoted this. There is a single leather option, and this is also dark grey.
To confirm, then, there is no choice of interior trim colour – it’s just that the Orion Blue has a different coloured interior to the others. I hope that’s clarified things.
I have had my T spirit a week, and having read the manual a few times I was unable to find any list of voice commands.
The list of commands on the screen seems to miss a lot, there is nothing listed for audio but commands like audio on/off, CD and HD work, what others are hiden in there that we don`t know.
Wilf, if you delve through the setup options on the system, it is possible to get it to display a full list of voice commands. I’m not sitting in the car at the moment so can’t remember how I found this.
You’ve read the manual several times in a week?? You must be a quick reader, or you’ve taken a week off work.
(For those not in the know, the car’s manual is nearly 600 pages, the separate manual for the T-Spirit centre console thingy is 350 pages, then there’s a manual for the reversing sensors, various other leaflets, a quick start guide, and a DVD. Is this some kind of a record for information supplied with a new car?)
Pete
Thanks for this reply, Pete.
Thanks Pete, found them I needed to scroll down past the POI list
Well done, Wilf
I have to say, Melissa, a card with the commands printed on would be really helpful during the “learning period”, otherwise Wilf and I are going to have to get pen and paper and copy them all out at the weekend.
Pete
Have copied the list down – you can see it on this forum here
http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=102036
Cheers
Fantastic, Ade, thanks.
Hi Melissa,
Does the integrated nav system, in the T Spirit, lock you out of being able to touch the screen to make changes, when you are moving? I ask as I see that in the US they are locked out and they are only able to use voice commands to access the nav…
Hi,
I tried (as passenger) the T-Spirit and was able to play a lot with the satnav while my partner was driving, so no worry there!
we get locked out in the US once we excess ~5 MPH, but have DVD-based nav. Yes, spme are working on a hardware fix, since we haven’t found a system hack, yet.
This question appeared earlier in the thread. It shouldn’t be an issue with the third-generation UK model.
Hi,
I should receive my Prius III (very) soon. Just a quick question regarding petrol grade. Is there any advantage in using “premium” (higher octane) petrol (like Shell V-Power, BP Ultimate, Total Excellium, etc…) vs regular unleaded? Will I increase the MPG or keep the engine cleaner? Not sure how it works with the Atkinson cycle…
I did some research on Prius forum and some people argue that it’s really bad and should be avoided, other that it has positive effect…. so really lost here!
Thanks,
Stephane
Hi Stephane,
This issue has been covered earlier in the thread – please see this comment, which should answer your question.
Hi Melissa,
Do you think there is any chance in the future, Toyota would consider offering LED headlights as a dealer fit option for all prius grades?
I think it is a mistake to offer the LED headlights only with Tspirit, most T3 customers including myself would have gladly taken LED headlights considering long term cost benefits & added safety from increased visibility. FYI I am referring to just basic LED headlights, not the current “LED pack” .
Thanks
Hi Linda,
Currently, there are no plans to offer the LED lights as a standalone option at all, and the LED Tech Pack will continue to be available on the T Spirit grade only. These are factory-level decisions, unfortunately. If this situation changes in any way I’ll be sure to mention it on this blog as I know that many of you are interested in the LED lights.
Hello again,
still waiting for the extended warranty details and costs, anyone been able to find anything out yet, if not, how long do Toyota expect to be with the answer?
Hi Malcolm,
Sorry not to have an answer for you yet – I’ve been trying to get you exactly the right information. I’m actively working on it, but in the meantime, a dealer may be able to tell you what the extended warranty covers. You can locate your nearest dealer here.
Hi Malcolm,
I’ve just finished speaking with the Account Director for Extended Warranties, who provided the following information:
- Unlimited mileage for 12 months: £475
- Low mileage (up to 10,000 miles) for 12 months: £445
- Unlimited mileage for 24 months: £715
- Low mileage (up to 20,000 miles) for 24 months: £655
If the new Prius is between 3 and 7 years old when an extended warranty is taken out:
- Unlimited mileage for 12 months: £545
- Low mileage (up to 10,000 miles) for 12 months: £510
- Unlimited mileage for 24 months: £805
- Low mileage (up to 20,000 miles) for 24 months: £750
In terms of what is actually covered, the extended warranty is much the same as the standard warranty. However, there are exceptions, which include (but are not limited to, as I understand it):
- Road wheels and tyres
- Standard 12v battery
- Interior trim and body work
Once again, sorry for the delayed reply, and I hope that’s answered your questions.
With reference to Linda’s comments on wheel sizes, surely Toyota could have stuck with the 16″ wheels of the Mk 2 and avoided all this nonsense with two different sizes depending on the model? My impression when on a test drive with the Mk 3 (T Spirit 17″ wheels) was that the ride was slighly softer and the engine noise level a little higher than my Mk 2.
Hi Tony,
Sorry it’s taken me so long to get back to you. The introduction of the 17″ wheels was a style choice on the part of Toyota, and there has been a high level of demand for them since they became available. In the case of most Toyota cars, a larger wheel size is reflective of a higher model grade, which explains the introduction of the 15″ wheels.
Hi Melissa
I will be very interested in your reply to Pete G re his question earlier today concerning wind noise around the doors. I collected my new Prius T3 this afternoon and whilst driving home noticed the same sort of noise from the offside at about 50 mph. The noise level was high enough to make me think that a door or window was not properly closed but that was not the case. Many years ago I had a similar problem with a new BMW and modified door seals were fitted under Warranty where customers commented/complained. Will Toyota accept that some of the new cars have this problem?
I should add that in every other respect the car is excellent.
Regarding wind noise at the drivers door, with my 2nd Gen Prius this was NOT an issue until after a year or so.
Then fixed under warranty.
May have been a door alignment problem as door seals were NOT replaced to fix the problem.
Hi John,
Please see my reply to Pete G here.
I have just picked up my Prius T sprit and was messing around with manually inputting contacts into the phonebook, when I noticed that if I turned the engine off and back on again the phonebook was empty. Also my phones contact list doesn’t show on the screen so I assume my phone doesn’t allow viewing of the phone book via bluetooh, but I would like to input contacts on the phonebook stored on the prius memory, am I doing something wrong or is this a technical issue?
Hi Mike,
I’m not sure why this would be. A few people have queries surrounding iPod integration – I’m going to ask the Product team about it in more detail. I’ll get back to you then.
Hi again,
We checked the manual, and on page 312 it states that the hybrid system must be in operation whilst transfer is taking place. In terms of your phone book and Bluetooth, I know that it isn’t possible to transfer your phone book entries via Bluetooth, so would imagine that viewing the phone book is therefore not possible either. In short, manual input with the engine running seems to be the only way to transfer phone book entries.
Wind noise/door seal- is this a known issue?:
After many months of anticipation, I took delivery of my Prius 3 on Tuesday morning. It’s basically a lovely car but I’m bitterly disappointed that it has several faults. The dealer fitted leather upholstery is very badly fitted. The reversing sensors don’t work. It has several rattles. Worst of all, however, is that at speeds over 65mph there is a wind noise around the door which is so intense that I find myself having to slow down to avoid it.
I spoke to customer services and on mentioning wind noise around the door, the lady asked if I meant a very high pitched noise at the top edge of the door. I replied that I meant exactly that, and since she had described it so well without being prompted by me, is this a known issue? She refused to be drawn on whether or not it’s a known issue.
The car is about to go back to the dealer for the several problems to hopefully be rectified. My concern is that if the wind noise is intrinsic to the Prius, being a tall person whose right ear is right next to the noise source, I shall find it very difficult to keep what is otherwise a lovely car.
Pete
UPDATE:
I returned the car to Eden Bridge on Saturday morning. The reversing sensor problem was “solved” straight away- there is a switch in the boot which switches them on and off, and my car was supplied with them switched off.
I had actually considered whether there might be a switch, but the reversing sensors’ separate manual says that a switch will be supplied on customer request only on vehicles which are to be used for towing, which a Prius patently isn’t. The switch is completely out of sight in the top left hand corner of the boot, so I hadn’t spotted it.
In every other car I’ve owned with reversing sensors, they can’t be switched off, and is the ability to do so not a significant safety compromise?
I’ll update in due course on the leather, rattles and door seals
Pete
Hi Pete,
The wind noise isn’t an issue I was aware of – you’re the first to mention it. I’ll ask the Product team if they know of an issue and get back to you. Glad you managed to get the sensors fixed, in any case.
Hi again,
I can now confirm that the wind noise problem is not a known issue – you are the first to report it on a third-generation model, it seems. We’re going to look into this further as John’s comment here may indicate that it is a more widespread problem. In the meantime, I hope your dealer is able to help you out.
Are there actually any of these cars in the country ?
My delivery date started off at 2 weeks & now has been put out to at least 4 weeks
Hi Mark,
Sorry to hear you’re having trouble. This reply details the possible reasons for long lead times. As for why yours has been increased after the order was placed, I can only speculate, but perhaps there have been recent changes to the Europe-wide availability of certain options.
can anyone send some of those mudflaps across the pond?
I posted a query about using EV mode on the new Prius about a week ago but after the first day it vanished and I wondered if it had been censored for being critical. So I’ll have another try. I ran a Mark II since April 2005 and one of the features I found very useful was the ability to move it out of my garage/workshop using EV mode to avoid starting the petrol engine. I am unable to do this with my Mark III as the charge level of the traction battery is nearly always too low and an error message is displayed. Unlike on the Mk.II, the battery never shows fully charged during normal motoring. I need to find out whether my car is faulty or is this a consequence of the improved fuel consumption? Has anybody else noticed this difference between the models?
I don’t own a prius but I had a Mk III for a 24 hr test drive – I too noticed that the battery graphic only ever went to 3/4 full – so I can’t see how you would ever get 2km at 30mph
I have a third generation T-Spirit and have not yet achieved a full charge on the battery indicator. I have also had dificulty getting anything over 0.5 miles in the EV mode as it keeps de-activating and displays a message saying excessive speed despite my speed being about 20-25mph. I love the car and the technology but not impressed at this lack of being able to do what it’s suppose to do.
just for kicks, I tested it today, EV mode, 1.1 miles until I parked my car at work. 23-25 mph.
Your ICE has to be warmed up to properly use EV mode.
I did my experiment at the end of my commute to work.
Hi John,
Your query hasn’t gone anywhere – it’s here. John King, Vince and Tim: check out the replies to this post as they may help you out.
Tim is likely to be right about it being warmed up, but this may not be the full story. I know there are a few of you who are concerned about this so I want to make sure I give a detailed and accurate answer – as soon as I have one, I’ll post it.
And just to confirm to all, we would never remove a post just because it was critical – that would defeat the point of the blog! We like real opinions and try to give real responses in return.
Glad to hear from you Melissa. Tim says the ICE needs to be warmed up to use EV mode. This requirement would defeat the whole object of EV mode. I was definitely able to use EV mode in the morning with a cold engine in my Mk II Prius. The problem with my Mk III is that usually I have insufficient charge in the traction battery when I arrive home (3 bars). The cars I rode in at MIRA also showed low battery levels and I was told that this was due to the abnormal way the cars were being driven on that particular occasion.
This is a reason so many have block heaters install; to keep the block warm, allowing it to hit normal operating temperature sooner, thus allowing EV operation earlier
Hi again all,
There is no direct official guidance on how the Prius ‘should’ be driven. Accelerating hard whilst in EV mode will switch it back into normal mode sooner, even if the speed you reach is under 31mph (i.e. within EV range). Needing to be warmed up doesn’t defeat the point of EV mode, or of having a hybrid; you need to drive in Power, or at least normal, mode in order to make EV work at all.
There are lots of variables that determine battery charge; driving style and journey length are just two that are significant. A longer journey doesn’t just mean that the ICE or any other part of the hybrid system is more warmed up – it means more acceleration, more regenerative breaking and longer spent in normal/Power modes over the course of your journey, all of which will help the battery. As Steve Brunt said in the post I linked to earlier in this thread: driving, say, the last two miles of your journey (however long the whole journey’s been) in normal/Power may well give you enough charge to coast into your garage in EV mode.
I hope this answers your questions, and I hope you all enjoy experimenting with the modes! If you have more questions, do of course get back to me.
Has anyone considered getting after market 16 inch alloys for the new prius? Some of the best handling cars like Honda Civic have 16 inch wheels supplied as standard.
I am told 205/55R16 is the closest match to the prius spec and would give an ideal balance between confort and handling.
Any thoughts on this?
Looking to order the new T Spirit Prius – does it come with heated front seats? What if i go for dealer fit leather?. If no heated seats do you know if it can be a dealer fit option?
Hi there,
No, heated front seats are currently unavailable in the Prius – please see here for more on this. Leather seats are available as a factory-fit option only, though check out this thread (which continues later, here) for more on leather options. I hope these comments help!
I have today tried to order a new Mk 3 T-Spirit Prius in 040 Pure White with the protection pack and style pack. I am told that delivery will take 16 weeks and if I want to add the solar roof then it increases the lead time to 23 weeks.
Since this will mean my current Prius will drop in price by around £2000 and I will have to pay an additional 2 1/2% VAT plus the likelyhood of a price increase by the time of delivery I am rather disappointed at the availability of the new model.
Is what I am told correct?
Good question, John. I take it your dealer told you this? I’ll check it out for you and get back to you soon.
Thank you Melissa. Yes it was the Toyota Dealership from whom I purchased my current Prius that gave me these lead times.
I look forward to hearing from you that they are wrong.
Hi Melissa, Any sign of an answer to my question re delivery lead times. I am still not sure whether to place an order for delivery in December/January or to wait until supply becomes more freely available.
Hi John,
Sorry for the delay. I’d just started to write as your last post came through!
Essentially, I am in no position to contradict your dealer; they are the ones who have access to the information from which lead times are calculated, so anything they’ve said is most likely to be the best estimate they can give. What I can say is that, although it sounds obvious, it is the combination of options you chose that makes the lead time so long. There is very low uptake on the Pure White colour, so no stock is held – it’s made to order. However, the solar roof is very popular across Europe as well as in the UK. Toyota is working to secure more supply but because of the roof’s current popularity, this is proving difficult, and so lead times increase.
Based on this, I expect your dealer is right about the timings, I’m afraid.
Hello,
Could someone have a look at my extended warranty question please.
Whaat exactly does the additional pay for warranty cover, and how much is it going to/or is it expected to be.
Hi Malcolm,
Sorry for not having been able to provide you with an answer yet – I’m working on it. Do bear with me.
I’ve placed an order for the new T spirit model without having driven the Prius. I based my decision on tax savings and exemption from congestion charge. Apart from all the other benefits of the Toyota I see one significant downside. After a few years with a TomTom sat-nav I’ve grown accustomed to speed camera location warnings (not that I ever intentionally exceed the speed limits!!) and understand the Toyota system does not have this feature. Is the front screen suitable for standard Sat-Nav or will I require a booster if i still wish to use the TomTom inside the vehicle?
Ive never had any problems with standalone satnav in my 2nd generation Prius
Hello,
I must admit was hoping for something more than the official line about the warranty reduction term but never mind.
What about the additional warranty purchase I enquired about why, what will be/is covered by it and how much is it going to costs.
Hello,
I have seen the comments about the warranty change but no one as asked the question (unless I missed it)
Why as the warranty beenn reduced from 8yrs to 5yrs on the new Prius.
Is there a reliability issue that is going to come up with an expensive component after the 5 year warranty period which is why the warranty has beenn reduced?
What exactly does the extended warranty (which is now suddenly available for the new Prius after the 5 yrs initial warranty runs out) cover and how much does this extended warranty costs, or is expected to costs in 5 years time.
Hi,
I think you have missed the “official” explanation for warranty reduction, check out full reply further down but here is the important bit:
“the reason we have moved from 8 to 5 years is that we feel the Prius is now better understood; there’s no longer a need to overly ‘reassure’ customers with a warranty period that is longer than other cars in our range”
Personally, I am not sure what to make of it but one thing I can almost guarantee 100% – this will definitely have a negative effect on residual value and depreciation rate compared to gen 2 prius.
What is the VED for each of the different PRIUS models
For the new 3rd generation Prius it is nil
What is the ground clearance of the Prius; does it vary from country to country. If so, what is it on Australian models?
Hi Frank,
As I wrote here, I’m not sure what the ground clearance is, which goes some way to explaining why it’s taken so long for me to come back to you. However, I’m sure that it will be standard for all grades of Prius in all countries.
As soon as I know what the ground clearance is, I’ll let you know.
Hi again Frank,
I realise you may not have seen the clearance figures yet. You can find them here.
I was impressed with the new Prius at a recent test drive, however three things are putting me off :
1. The width of the car, including wing mirrors, is clearly shown in the brochure as 1745mm. It’s disappointing to learn through other posts in this blog and by measuring the full width, that the dimension is actually quite a bit bigger.
2. The story about the reduction of the hybrid component warranty from 8 years to 5 strikes me as illogical. You say that the Prius having the lowest warranty claim of all your cars is the reason the warranty is being reduced. I’d have thought this would have given Toyota the confidence to increase the warranty to say 12 years. In 3 or 4 years’ time, this warranty issue will become real for owners trying to sell their cars. There’ll be a limited market of people willing to take on a Prius with little time left to run on the warranty. Even the chargeable warranty extension to 7 years only goes part of the way to resolving this issue.
3. The rumours about a forthcoming change in battery technology (to Lithium Ion) indicates to me that it may not be the right time to buy this vehicle.
Thanks in advance, Tim
>> 2. The story about the reduction of the hybrid component >> warranty from 8 years to 5 strikes me as illogical.
This is a very good point, actually come to think of it, this soo true. One of the reasons I opted to pay a premium for a Hybrid is the higher residual value but I think reduction of warranty on the 3rd gen prius is going to seriously affect its value after say 5 years.
After thinking long and hard, I think I will be cancelling my order for a gen3 T3.
The Lithium Ion battery will not be available until 2012 at the earliest so I have bought a G3 T Spirit as I usually change car every 3 years. I am very happy with it and look forward to even better things when I change to a “G4″ in 2013 – Currently driven 400 miles at an average of 66mpg !
I know auto headlights are part of the tech kit available later this year but i am taking delivery of my t spirt on the 1 sept.Will the auto headlights be available to be fitted by the dealer
Hi Paul,
Sorry for the delayed reply. I assume you are referring to the dusk-sensing headlights? The LED Tech Pack is already available, but I’m afraid that it is a factory-fit pack only, and none of its components are available as standalone options. I hope you’re getting on well with your T Spirit.
I’m not understanding what Continuously Variable Transmission is. Does this mean the car is Automatic or Manual? Is there an option for Automatic transmission?
In short, netiher. The thing about ‘normal’ transmission is that there is a series (typically 4 or 5) of fixed sets of gears at different ratios, that work more efficiently at different speeds. In a manual car you change between them yourself, in an automatic the car does it automatically.
As a current Prius driver this is my understanding of how it works.
With a Prius the gear ratio is not fixed, it is “continuously variable”. This is as a consequence of the hybrid drive train – whereas a ‘normal’ car has a pair of gears in use, transferring drive from the engine to the wheels in a fixed ratio, the Prius has a more complicated set of gears that can be thought of as 3-way, since as well as power going from the engine and to the wheels it can also go to or from the battery via rotation of a motor/generator. This is why it is continuously variable, because the motor/generator can add to or reduce the rotational energy (if any) provided by the engine (and indeed the momentum of the wheels).
The upshot of all that is that the car never changes gear – you put it into drive and get continuous acceleration without any breaks. This is particularly useful on steep hills. Some people describe this as ‘automatic’, since from the driver point of view there is no changing of gears to do, but really it’s better than automatic, because the car doesn’t pause to change gears at all.
Can you tow with the New Prius III and if so what weight.
CTRL-F tow {RETURN} will find this question repeatedly in this thread – the answer is no!
What is the service schedule for the new Prius?
Hi Alan,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. The answer to your question can be found here.
I am quite hooked on the new prius and will probably get one, however I am the sort of person who keeps a car till the engine drops out. Technology is moving quite fast esp. in battery technology, super capacitors etc. Will a standard prius bought now be upgradable in any way? i.e batteries, electric motors with greater power, plug in recharge capabilities.
Hi Jon,
Apologies for the delay in getting back to you. No element of the Prius is upgradeable; however, the plug-in Prius will be tested more widely in Europe over the next 12-18 months. No official decision has been made as to its mainstream production or availability. For more information, please see this article from Autocar.
I am in the process of ordering a new T Spirit.
Questions:
1. Are there any disadvantages in ordering a DAB radio?
2. With the DAB radio do you still get the same navigation screen? In the brochure the screen on the DAB radio version looks smaller than the non DAB version.
3. The brochure seems to show more buttons surrounding the standard radio system.
4. Does the DAB system have both Radion 5 on AM and in addition Radio 5 Live Extra?
Can’t answer the first question but I can have a go at the others having done some investigation with the very helpful Ray of SLM Toyota, St Leonards (see my earlier reply re DAB installation further down the thread).
2.The navigation system stays the same – the brochure DAB isn’t the TSpirit installation.
3. Same reply as for 2, the brochure isn’t clear on the point though, so I can understand your confusion.
4. All DAB radios can receive Radio 5 and 5Live Extra (assuming you are in an area with DAB coverage) and both are digital.
Hi George,
Just to clarify a couple of the points Martin made:
1. When you say ‘disadvantages’, are you asking whether having a DAB radio installed affects the functionality of the sat nav/hard disk? To my knowledge, the answer to this is no.
2. Having DAB does not means you must have a system with a smaller screen and different button set-up; the picture in the brochure, is, as Martin says, not of a T Spirit. For more detail, please see this post.
Hope that’s helpful. Let me know if you’d like me to clarify anything else.
I can understand why hybrid drive should be beneficial in urban driving-lots of low speed travel and waiting in queques. However if one lives in a rural area with relatively few jams and these of short duration, relatively short journeys interupted by occasional bursts of long distance Mway driving is such a systen really going to give significant savings over a diesel vehicle?
Prius efficiency is really good on those sorts of journeys – they still benefit from periods of coasting when the engine does not run as well as from less drag.
Look for the extra-urban mpg results and compare – see if you can get a diesel that comes close. Then of course there’s the quietness of the Prius compared to the noise of a tractor.
We are currently looking at arranging a fleet of vehicles for our small but growing company, we currently have 5 drivers. As a result one of the areas I want to look at along with cost effective fleet management is the environment, and how using vehicles such as the Prius would give our company any environmentally friendly outlook.
Can you contact with details purchase and lease hire deals available for small business users?
Joseph Phillips
Operations Manager
Bright Hygiene
Hi Joseph,
Someone from our Fleet team is happy to contact you directly about this. Would you be willing for me to pass on to him your email address (which is already visible to me)?
Love my new generation T Spirt but I bought the iPod accessory and it’s really confusing to understand. It connects and plays fine but I can’t seem to access more than my first 6 playlists??? And why can’t I scan through all my playlists to select the one I want? It’s a very inadequate piece of kit. Help?? PS The manual isn’t any help.
Hi Mary,
That’s strange. Perhaps there’s a fault with it. I’ll ask about possible explanations. In the meantime, I’d contact the Centre that fitted it if you haven’t already.
That’s how it works on mine too. If you hold the disc change button (which is the ^ on the steering wheel) it will move up one playlist. It will do this 1 to 6 and then revert to 1 again, although in reality it IS moving through your playlists. So for example if you have the following playlists – A, B, C, D, E, F, G – when you get to Disc 6 (Playlist F) and press ^ you will see Disc 1 but it will be Playlist G. It really is a clunky and appalling interface especially given how expensive the connector is. And it’s different to the US version which you can see on Youtube and is much better
The iPod kit is incredibly bad. Looks like a very cheap, quickly rushed 6 discs changer interface plugin, not integrated properly at all.
The biggest disappointment (and the only one so far) with my Prius.
I would barely be happy with it as a £35-£50 after market plugin, not a £288 factory rip-off.
I don’t thing this give a good image for Toyota and I think they should either replace it with something properly integrated or remove it/sell it for a VERY low price (as it’s a very low quality/poor add-on).
I really feel cheated and ripped off by Toyota on this one
Hi,
Why is the LED pack only offered as an option for Tspirit?
I have just placed an order for a T3 but would also really like to have the LED pack. Is there any possbility I can have the LED pack for T3?
Thanks
Hi Matt,
I’m so sorry – I’ve just realised that you never got a reply to this! I’m not sure why this is. Please see this thread which answers your question. Thanks for your patience.
Is it possible to have DAB radio with the inbuilt Sat Nav on the prius T spirit
I asked the same question when placing my order and was shown the fitting instructions which the workshop kindly printed. There is a DAB tuning box which is wired to the standard sat nav system (all hidden) giving a DAB feed. There is a small visible antenna mounted inside the windscreen in the top left hand corner, so out of immediate sight lines. The antenna is a small square box with two copper conductors and looks from the illustration to be half the size of a matchbox with two flat strips protruding, one about the same length as the box, the second a little longer and both adhered flush to the windscreen. The wiring from the antenna to the DAB tuner is concealed within the trims. How well it works will only become clear at Christmas (I’m waiting for the solar roof).
Could I ask what the cost of the DAB upgrade was?
£453.08 but it will be worth it as long as England keep winning Test Matches! (LW isn’t available on the standard radio)
Actually, Martin, that costing’s not necessarily correct; a DAB ‘upgrade’ is the same as having the DAB radio dealer-fitted at any point, and costs £370.85 including VAT but not including fitting, which varies Centre to Centre and according to labour time. I’d ask a dealer about fitting costs, Geoff.
Great reply Martin – thanks.
can the new prius be fitted with a tow bar?
Anthony
This question has been answered multiple times – CTRL-F is your friend if you don’t want to read the whole thread.
[and the answer is no]
How long can you leave a Prius III without driving before the main high charge battery auto-discharges to a level where charging the start-up auxilliary battery will no longer be able to start the car ? Looking at new Prius but will be in Australia for nearly 6 weeks and am concerned this period of discharge would be a problem and may need to look for an alternative car. Can you help ?
Hi Ian,
Sorry for the delayed reply; there have been quite a few in-depth questions abut the batteries recently and I wanted to make sure I could answer them all properly. This reply will hopefully answer your question. In addition, and for confirmation, even if you have parked with very little charge on the hybrid battery, the 12v battery will start the Prius. However, do note that, as per the comment I just linked to, the 12v battery is like that of any other car and can go flat.
In short: the Prius won’t be any worse than another car at starting up after six weeks – in fact, if the hybrid battery has charge, it may be better.
I hope that’s all clear – let me know if you’d like clarification on anything.
Should there be any backlighting to the air con display?
The brochure shows what appears to be a green lit display, but my Tspirit doesn’t appear to be backlit and i guess it will be hard to see when driving at night.
I have just sat in my T Spirit and switched the side/tail lights on in a dark garage. The whole switch panel was backlit except for the air-con section! But when I pressed the master start button to the ACC position the air-con section back lit as well. In addition to the backlighting, there is an LED in the interior light fitting which shines down on the “gear” stick.
what are the noise levels at 70mph
Hi Andrew,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. The noise levels at any speed are difficult to measure, as there are differences between wheel sizes. It’s also quite subjective; running a quick search on the blog will show you that some owners have reported more noise, and some less. I can’t be more help than that, I’m afraid.
In respnse to Simon Worrall’s reply on
August 21 at 18:18 regarding the air con – it should be noted that there is a mistake in the Prius brochure where it actually states The Air con is “Dual Zone”.
Thanks Mark – we hadn’t spotted this! Duly noted.
view the boot and size
tks
Hi,
If you are enquiring about the boot capacity, it is (L) 905mm/35.6″ x (W) 1220mm/48″ x (H) 705mm/27.7″. If not, could you please confirm you question? Thanks.
what is the width of the T4 including door mirrors ?
Hi Robert,
This question has already been answered here. All grades are the same width.
From Toyota’s replies, we know that the Prius has a 12 volt battery as well as the Panasonic battery pack. What components does the 12 volt battery supply? Presumably starting the petrol engine, alarm, remote unlocking, interior & exterior lights? If the car is not used for 2-4 weeks, we can expect the 12 volt battery to have gone flat from supplying power to alarm and remote locking systems. I have been caught out by this before. Once discharged, the 12 volt battery never regains its full capacity, so next time the battery is likely to only last for 1-2 weeks. How do you get the car started again?
Re. discharged 12 volt battery. Toyota has thoughtfully provided a jump-start terminal in the main fusebox under the bonnet. This is necessary as without the 12 volt battery you can’t unlock the car or access the battery! Use the mechanical key to open the driver’s door and then you can unlatch the bonnet.
Is there a car rental company in the UK which operates the third generation Prius, so I can rent it for a weekend to see if it suits my lifesyle, or could I borrow a Prius directly from Toyota UK?
Hi Edward,
Apologies for the delay; it took some time to establish whether or not your request was possible. No car rental companies are linked with Toyota, though there may be some that offer the Prius as part of their fleet – I’d search around.
Alternatively, I recommend you book a test drive. A user said that he had taken a 24-hour test drive; this should give you an idea as to whether or not the Prius suits you, if you are able to book one.
I hope that’s helpful.
Hello,
I’ve ordered a new Prius T4 and take delivery early September. I can’t wait.
I had to decline a DAB option because I thought it was a little overpriced. Could I have this fitted at a later stage, say after 6 months or so.
Also what’s the reception of DAB like, I’ve heard mixed things about DAB on the move?
Thanks
Hi Steve,
Sorry for the delay. Yes, you can have a DAB digital radio retrofitted by a dealer at any time. It’d cost £370.85 inc. VAT (but not fitting).
how much does it cost to replace a brand new battery of the prius
Hi Carlos,
Please see this comment. Thanks.
Is Toyota, and especially the Prius participating in the Govt. new car deal involving cars over 10 years old?
Hi Stan,
Are you referring to the Scrappage Scheme? If so, yes: the Prius, and other Toyota models, can be purchased through the scheme. Please see here for more details.
Is the ground clearance greater on the third generation Prius?
Does the ground clearance alter with the 15″ wheels?
Hi Michael,
Apologies for the delayed reply. We can’t find official figures for the clearance, but we’re looking into it ourselves and hopefully I’ll be able to give you an answer by the end of the day.
Hi again Michael,
We compared the bumper-to-ground distances of the old and new Prius, and found the following:
Second-generation (16″ wheels):
Front: 19cm
Back: 33cm
Third-generation (17″ wheels):
Front: 18cm
Back: 31cm
The change was made in order to help improve the aerodynamics. Unfortunately none of the on-site models have 15″ wheels, so I’m unable to say whether or not there’s a difference between the two new wheel sizes – however, I’m sure a dealer would be willing to help you out.
What speed does it change from
electric to engine?
Hi Rodney,
This occurs when you are driving in EV and your speed reaches 30mph. (During acceleration, the motor and the engine work together.)
Where can I find details about the Ipod integration kit for the Prius?
Hi Malcolm,
You may well have seen this already but the kit can be seen on page 41 of the brochure (which can be downloaded here). For more details, I would enquire at a Centre. It costs £135.95, inc VAT but not fitting (which will vary Centre to Centre). I hope that helps.
is there a charger for mobile phones etc.
Hi Mary,
Sorry for not getting back to you sooner. A mobile phone charger doesn’t come as standard, but a Bluetooth complementary kit is available as an accessory. This comprises of a wire-free docking cable that charges your phone, and an aerial that boosts reception. I’m afraid I’m not able to give you a price, but if you enquire at a Centre they should be able to help you.
Will the new prius be more efficient for those that mostly drive on motorways, rather than just around town?
I expect that the larger engine will mean lower engine revs at Motorway speeds, so improving fuel consumption with Motorway driving.
Hi David,
This depends on the car you are comparing the new Prius to! I can tell you that David M-G is right: the fuel consumption for motorway driving is better than the second-generation Prius. A higher displacement engine generates more power and torque at lower engine speeds; with engine rpm reduced by some 15% at cruising speeds, long-distance cruising fuel consumption is reduced by 12%. Other contributing factors include the more aerodynamic design, low rolling resistance tyres, the ability to pre-cool the inside, and reduced hybrid system power consumption.
I hope that’s answered your question – do get back to me if not.
I am very impressed on my test. Just one question I cruise for sometimes for three months what do you think I should do when leaveing it for that long Looking forward to your answer`
Hi John,
If your main concern is the life of the battery, please see this reply. If not, could you please refine your question slightly so I can make sure I give you the right answer? Thanks.
can you tow a caravan if so what weight
Terry,
read through the earlier replies. The Prius, like all hybrid cars, is not permitted to tow anything. There is no provision for a hitch, nor a wiring loom fitted for a light cluster/number plate lighting, etc which would be required by law for having something carried/towed to the rear.
This is a pain for those who like to carry their bikes on a tow-hitch-mounted bracket. Bike fans or those who need to carry a roof-load should avoid the TSpirit with solar roof completely, since you can’t use a roof-rack system on that variant either.
does the prius come with aircon?
Yes. Single zone. On all models.
This is correct, though do note that as per this comment, there is a mistake in the brochure.
what will be the autonomie of the full electric Pryis
Would it not be easier, faster and tidier to create a kind of official forum where people can ask questions and get other owners oppinions about all toyota cars?
Creating one is certainly our intention, Mike. A forum is in development right now.
If there is anything you’d like to see on there, please send your suggestions through.
Hi again,
I don’t know if you’ve seen it, but we now have a post dedicated to this very topic. Do let us know there what you’d like to see in more detail.
Hi everyone,
Sorry for the slow replies this week – it’s been a busy one. Rest assured that I’m going to get back to as many of you as possible today.
Just a reminder: do search the blog (and the official Prius Q&A at toyota.co.uk) prior to posting, as your question may have been answered earlier in the thread.
Does the new 2009my Prius Spirit have a bluetooth phone facility ?
Hi Chris,
Yes – Bluetooth functionality comes as standard on the T Spirit grade.
When will the whole toyota range of cars be Hybrid Synergy Drive?
Hi there,
At Toyota, hybrid systems are being developed as a core technology, meaning that in time there will be a hybrid model to suit everyone. By the early 2010s, Toyota plans to offer 10 different hybrid models, and by the early 2020s, Toyota aims to offer a hybrid version across their entire model line-up.
How much the prius battery costs. Is the HV battery warranteed for long period? How many have you replaced? thanks
Hi there,
The battery should last the lifetime of the car – but should you need to replace it, it costs £736.38 (ex. VAT and fitting). All hybrid components, including the battery, are covered by a five-year warranty. In terms of how many replacements have been carried out, I’m pretty sure that Toyota would not release such information, but I will ask for you. I don’t think it’s many; the hybrid technology has proven itself reliable, with fewer warranty claims submitted for the Prius than any other Toyota model. This has been covered quite thoroughly in this thread – search the blog for ‘battery’ and ‘warranty’ and you’ll find more information, including owners’ opinions.
i would like to know if there is any radiation emitted by the batteries,and if it would endanger my children in the rear deat
I don’t know about radiation emission from batteries.
Electric motors do emit ozone and EMF.
I believe that the Prius electric motor is shielded to minimise EMF radiation.
Personally I wouldn’t worry about EMF radiation from electric motors : in the 1950′s several thousand public transport electric vehicles were on the roads powered by electric motors, no EMF problems reported. Those electric vehicles were replaced by Diesel vehicles and now we have a higher level of child hood asthma allegedly caused by particulates from diesel engine emissions.
Hi Norman,
DavidMG is essentially correct. Be assured that each car goes through rigorous safety checks and that Toyota – or any car manufacturer, for that matter – would never be able, let alone want, to sell a car that was not safe for passengers to ride in.
This new prius is amazing, I am very tempted to drive down and buy one!
Just wanted to ask about the servicing, Will the car still need regular filter changes? Timing belts, pads and disc? I find these costs are very high from a dealer. Or will this come with filters for life, etc?
Servicing is every 10,000 miles or 12 months.
The 10,000 and 30,000 are small services – about £100 a time.
The 20,000 and 40,000 are bigger services, cost just over £200 a time.
The service costs vary from dealer to dealer, so shop around.
Brake pads last a very long time – mine at 47,000 miles are still the originals. However the brake discs sometimes need replacing because of getting thinned or corroded and this can be costly job.
The 3rd gen Prius has no drive belts at all to replace.
Although resident and insured in the UK I spent a lot of time in France and would like to know if it’s possible to order a Prius with LHD steering and have speed display in KPH. Thanks you for your reply
Hi Dominique,
Good question. I imagine that you won’t be able to buy a European-spec Prius in the UK, but I’m checking it out for you.
Hi again,
I’m told it is very easy to change the speedometer in the UK – there should be a button you can press to change it to kph. As for LHD, I’d recommend that you buy a Prius in Europe for this.
what is the life expectancy of the batteries in the new Prius?
Toyota say “the life of the vehicle”.
So, we need to know what “the life of the vehicle” is.
No-one knows for certain what this is.
The economic life of a Prius (like any vehicle) is upto the point when repairs / replacements exceed the value of the vehicle. With a traction battery said to cost £2,000 or thereabouts, a £1,500 value Prius requiring a new battery would be a write-off unless a cheaper used battery could be sourced from a scrapyard. Similarly costly compenents like the Hybrid Transaxle or electronic hybrid control unit are likely to cost several thousand pounds to replace out of warranty and failure of these could determine the life of the vehicle.
Toyota’s extended warranty only goes upto 7 years old. There is some doubt if this covers the high voltage battery (which is warranted from new to last just 5 years / 100,000 miles). Mitsubishi in contrtast will warrant their high voltage battery for 10 years in the UK. At the other end of the scale I think the battery warranty on the Honda Insight is just 3 years from new.
For peace of mind you need to buy a new Prius every 5 years to avoid potentially costly hybrid (including battery) risks.
Does the PRIUS come with automatic drive?
All Prius models are classified as automatics. But it’s not the conventional form of auto-box that we’re accustomed to. There’s a ‘Drive’ position, a ‘Reverse’ position and another position for regenerative braking, which turns the drive motors on the wheels into generators that pump energy back into the HV battery. It gives extra assistance to the conventional mechanical footbrake.
When you select one of these the ‘gearstick’ (which is more of a selector), then drops back to a ‘Neutral’ position.
How fast can the 3rd generation Prius go to in MPH?
Francesca,
according to Toyota’s own figures it tops out at 110 mph. But you wouldn’t be driving that fast on British roads, would you?
Besides, top-end isn’t what this kind of vehicle is about.
Thanks Simon, point well made!
What is the position regarding London Congestion Charge for each new Prius model?
You need to register for an Alternative fuel discount of 100 percent from the congestion charge. You can download the application form from the tfl website and there is a £10 fee. This needs to be done annually, and you must wait for a confirmation from them before your car becomes exempt.
Thanks for this Vincent, that’s correct: each Prius grade is exempt from the Congestion Charge.
do you do the motobility sceme
Hi Danny,
Sorry for the delay in replying. Toyota does indeed participate in the Motability scheme. Please see here for more details.
Where can I test drive the T3?
Hi there,
You can book a test drive online here.
1. Is the 2010 model readily available now?
2. Do the prices quoted include extras normally charged with a new car, ie a tank of petrol and delivery charges?
The silly concept of a “2010″ model seems to have originated in the USA in late 2008 when the 3rd generation Prius was unveiled there. It has a silly USA logic – a car unveiled in 2008 going on sale in 2009 is a “2010″ model.
It appears that they all like to appear to be “ahead of the times” so the “2010 model” description has become widely adopted there (a bit like the cover dates on some UK computer magazines that I received on 7 August – with a cover date of October).
An environmental certification certificate that I have seen quite accurately describes the latest Prius as a “2009 model”, 2009 being the year it came on sale.
Perhaps the best description is “3rd generation” model.
This description gives no doubt as to which Prius is on offer : I understand that recently some brand new 2nd generation Prius were on offer via a discount car broker at around £16,500, so if dealing with a broker make sure you’re getting a 3rd generation model (forget the “2009″ or 2010″ business).
Regarding what’s included.
£18,390 gets you a T3 base model in white or black.
£400 is the extra for metallic paint (as in grey, blue, red, silver and I think a pearlescent white).
No delivery charges to add.
Don’t know about the petrol tank level, I’d be surprised if it’s a full tank.
Hi David,
DavidMG is spot on as to the ’2010 model’ logic. The third-generation Prius, as we prefer to refer to it, is available now.
The on the road price, correctly quoted as £18,390 for a T3, does include delivery charges. For more details of what is included in the on the road price, see the small print on the last page of the price list. The details relating specifically to Prius can be found on page 13. As for a tank of petrol, this may be included at the discretion of the Centre.
Hello,
Can you tow a trailer/trailer tent with the new 2010 Prius?
Kevin
Kevin,
No model of Prius is permitted to tow anything. It’s something to do with the drivetrain. There are various 3rd party kits available, but you may find that if you fit and use one then you’re in a ropey position regarding insurance, legality etc. Fitting a significant modification to a vehicle almost always has to be notified to your insurer.
I already have a 2008 model Prius but my wife is looking to buy a new Prius. However, we have a unique requirement: we need to tow a light trailer 3 times a month and I know my Prius cannot do it. With the larger petrol engine, will the new Prius be able to pull a trailer?
No hybrid cars have the ability to tow including the new prius.
I’m afraid Mike is right, Jan – the Prius cannot tow anything due to its lightweight drivetrain, rather than the size of its engine.
Does the batteries ever require mains charging
The car has no built in charger.
Braking and the petrol engine recharge the high voltage battery.
There are plug-in Prius, but these are either prototypes out with fleets for testing or 3rd party conversions.
The ordinary Prius will only need charging in very unusual circumstances, for example if the high voltage battery were to be replaced or if the car had not been used for a long time (don’t know how many months this might be – all rechargeable batteries lose charge over time when left standing / unused, not seen any data on the Prius battery regsarding “shelf-life” of the charge).
On reading reviews…why does the mpg performance drop in the winter.
Is it better to use premium unleaded or standard unleaded fuel.
With the experience of almost five years use of a Prius my view is that the WARMING UP TIME is the big issue here plus, some people say that in wet conditions (as in rain / snow) traction is reduced and energy lost.
In the past 4 weeks my 2nd gen Prius achieved 61mpg over 580 miles (computed figure, display claimed 64mpg). In contrast in winter mpg can be in the low 40′s. In winter the first 5 minutes seems to achieve only about 25mpg, in summer the first 5 minutes from cold can be close to 50mpg.
I am hoping that the exhaust gas reculation feature of the new 3rd gen Prius will help with the warming up issue.
Hi Derek,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. The fact that mpg is lower in the winter is probably true of all cars, though Prius drivers are more likely than most to closely monitor achieved mpg. DavidMG is likely to be correct in that driving in wet or icy conditions affects performance; in addition, having to de-ice your car while the engine is running will affect mpg. DavidMG is also right about the new exhaust heat regeneration – this will indeed improve the warming-up time.
As for your question about fuel, please see this post. I hope that’s useful.
How integrated is the operation of an iPhone when the integration kit is installed in a new Prius T Spirit and are the headlights automatically switched?
Hi Martin,
Sorry for the very delayed response. Can you confirm exactly what you mean by ‘how integrated’? As you may have seen elsewhere in the blog, there is some confusion over costings and functionality of the iPod integration kit, so I’ll give you a fuller response once I’ve got to the bottom of it all. As for you question about the headlights, I take it that you are asking whether they are dusk-sensing and therefore automatically dimming? The answer is no, they do not come as standard, though they are available as part of the LED Technology Pack. This is a factory-fit pack only so I’m afraid that if you didn’t specify the pack at the time you ordered, you will not be able to get the dusk-sensing headlights.
Hi Melissa,
No problems with the wait for a response and thanks for the LED pack info. Re the iPhone, I really wondered if there was any published information, but failing that it would be nice to know whether (for instance) the contacts list on the phone is accessible via the car’s system and whether the handset functionality transfers to the car also. Presumably the iPhone audio capability is available and the phone will charge (not all chargers work with the latest iPhone). Sorry if it’s a bit intense for most blog watchers, but gone are the days when a car was just a means of getting from A to B!
Hi Martin
I’ve just taken delivery of new Prius T4. My iPhone will pair with the Prius Handsfree system but as far as I’m aware you can’t transfer the contact list automatically to the car’s system. I think this is more to do with the iPhone rather than the Toyota system. It doesn’t have the backwards compatibility to push contacts via bluetooth. You can apparently push them from a bluetooth enabled laptop using this application http://mac.softpedia.com/progDownload/Prius-Phonebook-Download-43358.html but I can’t seem to get it to connect. The only other way is to manually add contacts via the Prius selection dial, which is pretty time consuming. Does anyone else know any better way?
Hi again,
Just to confirm, there should be full integration with the iPhone in terms of music. It was my understanding that other features would work via Bluetooth, but if New Prius Owner above is not finding this, then perhaps it isn’t the case. I’ll ask our Product team again for you.
Thanks Melissa,
If it’s any help, I know you can connect iPhones via bluetooth but the phone service is basic (you can dial using the car’s screen and receive calls but that’s about it). Bluetooth comes as standard on the TSpirit and it works well with the iPhone – I tried it on a test drive.
I assume the USB connection in the integration kit will allow additional functionality but I am expecting it to be a separate system, not using bluetooth, and therefore allowing use of contacts and hopefully other iPhone features too – it’s the extent of features that I can’t find any information on and hopefully your enquiries will throw up some news in due course.
Thanks for persevering, Martin
Hello again,
New Prius Owner: the Product team has confirmed that it isn’t possible to transfer a contacts list via Bluetooth – you’re right. They’re looking into the laptop application.
Martin: I haven’t been able to find an official list of specifications for the integration kit yet, but I’ll keep looking. Sorry for the delay.
Hi,
Just received my T-Spirit and I was able transfert the iPhone contact list via Bluetooth without problem. It’s a transfert, so it copy the contacts, it does not use the contact stored on your phone. So I’ll have to test in a few days what happen when you add/change contact on your phone. It’s obviously not a 2-way synchro so I won’t add anything on the Prius. I just hope I won’t have every contact twice (otherwise it will be delete all before each sync).
Thanks for the feedback, Stephane – I thought I was correct in saying it couldn’t be done. Did you use any other accessories/equipment to do it?
Hi,
I haven’t done anything special, from what I remember:
- Prius was in ON (not ready) mode
- Paired the iPhone in the phone menu
- Transfer contact list
On the iPhone side, once paired if you select the bluetooth there as several options, I left them all as default.
I’m using the iPhone default contact list (not synchronised to Exchange (or Google), and no group defined). This might have an impact as the bluetooth default is “All on my iPhone” by default.
Sorry Melissa but you can transfer iPhone contacts via Bluetooth. Did it on my tspirit very easily after you pair the devices. It’s done from the car interface so it pulls the contacts over. Doesn’t work for my Nokia work phone but you can transfer one contact at a time for that phone
regards
I’ve tried transferring contacts from a phone but it always seems to delete them when th engine is turned off, I can however access the contacts that are on the phone via the touch screen, although this only seems to work with one of my phones. From what I can tell the bluetooth in the prius is the most buggiest things I’ve encountered and will probably never use it because of this.
From what Martin says here, I wonder whether having an iPhone 3G or 3GS as opposed to an original iPhone makes a difference across the board in terms of Bluetooth, transferring and accessories. When people have referred to ‘iPhone’ on here, I’ve assumed that the term covers iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS, but perhaps there is a more subtle distinction in terms of accessory functionality. Unfortunately, I’m not in a position to comment on the potential differences at all, and in any case I imagine that the accessories for the third-generation Prius were designed prior to the release of the 3GS.
Hi,
The good think is that it’s all a firmware issue, so let’s hope AISIN/Toyota iron everything soon and a quick update from your dealer should fix it! (I’m happy to beta test new nav/audio revision if needed…).
Should we have a board setup somewhere to summarise all the BT issue properly and pass that back to Melissa? There is no point of having hundreds of unstructured comments here.
I’m happy to arrange something with people reporting issue, phone type, version, etc… and passing it if Melissa (or any other contact at Toyota) is interested.
Thanks Stephane – sounds like a fantastic idea. It’s a shame that our forum isn’t ready to go live yet as this would be an ideal first topic! If you are happy to do this, please do look into it, and I will consult with the rest of the Today / Tomorrow team. It might be best just to set up a new blog post. Please run any ideas by me first – I will send you an email now so you can contact me direct.
Hi, i need to know about the fuel effeciency of hybrid technology and how it makes difference on road. i like the shape of prius car.
Hi Faraz,
Glad you like the look of the car. For fuel consumption, please see this post. As for driving experience, this is largely down to personal preference. Do check out the Prius section of the Toyota website for more info.
What is the normal lifespam of the new and old prius.
The durability of the battery and hybrid system components (which are quite costly items, maybe £2,000 for the high voltage battery alone for example) will determine the economic useable life of the Prius. These are warranted for 5 years, so you’re guaranteed a 5 years / 60k miles life of the Prius without worry.
Beyond 5 years an extended warranty is recommended to insure against which of these potentially high costs that you can, I guess the battery won’t be covered by extended warranty however.
Another answer is to PX the Prius for a new one after 5 years for piece of mind for a further 5 years. Maybe this is a possible reason for the warranty being reduced to 5 years from 8 years on the hybrid system with the latest model.
In addition, it is difficult to determine the ‘lifespan’ as it depends on how you drive. DavidMG is right about the warranty, though the battery should last as long as the car does (its ‘lifespan’!). Comparing the long-term performance of old and new generations is difficult as the new generation is only weeks old, and it’s worth noting that there are still people who drive a fully-functioning first-generation Prius.
is it possible and how do you turn up the audible beep when using the Intelligent Park assist?
Hi Vincent,
Are you in a second-generation Prius? The beep has actually been turned up in the third generation, and I’m not sure it can be turned up any more.
Hi Mellisa, thanks for your reply.
I have a second and third generation model and don’t know iff I’m going deaf but I can hardly hear the beep. My wife has difficulty hearing it too so maybe we both need to have an hearing test.
How does the heater work when the petrol engine is off? Most cars use the coolant.
The heater DOES work with the petrol engine off, but the petrol engine will start up automatically in some circumstances (such as if the 12 volt battery gets low through extended use of the blower / heater, the petrol engine then starts up to charge the high voltage battery which in turn charges the 12 volt battery).
what is the price of a hybrid car,and is there a govermant grant to buy one?
Hi Patrick,
Prices for the new Toyota Prius start at £18,390 OTR, and yes, the car is eligible for the UK Scrappage Scheme.
Sorry Patrick, I misunderstood your question. No, a Government grant is not available for the purchase of a Prius.
Does the optional solar powered sunroof have any fuel efficiency benfits if fitted? Thanks.
Darren
no the solar roof does not affect fuel efficiency it only runs the fan to keep the car cool when you leave it for a few minutes. The 15 inch alloys which you can only get on the T spirit with the solar roof makes it more fuel efficient
Thanks Mike, that’s right. You get the benefits of 15″ wheels, but the roof itself does not affect fuel consumption.
Does a new Prius come with free Club Toyota membership ?
Yes it comes with a years club toyota.
do the rear seats fold down to give more luggage space
Hi Dennis,
Yes, they do – please see this comment.
Hi, i’d like to see hybrid engines used in taxi’s. Thousands of them sit at the side of the road waiting for fairs or in traffic with their engines running and burning fuel. Could Toyota design a taxi to combat this problem?. Thanks Martin.
Hi Martin,
Interesting you should bring this up – we’re currently in the process of putting together a post about hybrid taxis. Watch this space.
Martin Booth
There are actually quite alot of hybrid taxis, I have a friend in NYC who keeps on saying how many hybrid taxis there are around where he lives, and I’m sure there are some in other cities around the world. The ones that I have seen are toyota prius’s and look really good in yellow, I haven’t seen any in the UK but have heard that there some in london.
The lomg-established taxi operator in the London area is http://www.greentomatocars.com.
This company has recently added some of the latest 3rdgeneration Prius to their fleet.
Hi all,
The idea is definitely becoming more mainstream. Do check out this post on hybrid taxis that’s just gone up.
What are the fuel consultion figures on the motorway (eg 56mph and 70mph) and urban figures as well?
Hi Ali,
The fuel consumption is as follows:
Motorway (extra urban):
15″ wheels: 76.4mpg
17″ wheels: 74.3mpg
Urban (and combined):
15″ wheels: 72.4mpg
17″ wheels: 70.6mpg
Hope that helps.
I have just test driven a t4, but just read somewhere that you have to stop to change destinations on the satnav, is this on earlier models or is that the case on the new t spirit.
chris
Hi Chris,
No, you don’t – this was true of earlier generations but it will now work fine en route.
Several comments/questions:
On page 41 of the brochure under the DAB option text it shows a picture of a radio with an SD card socket and aux and usb connectors. Which model is this from? Is this behind the sat nav display on the T Spirit?
Also why are the T4 and T Spirit (without solar roof) only available with 17″ wheels? The reduction in mpg, the increased CO2 and the more expensive tyres don’t make sense to me.
I too would be interested in the adaptive cruise control and electric folding door mirrors.
MarkF
The SD, aux and usb connectors are only on the T3, I have looked at the T Spirit and T4 and they only have a aux connections. Each model is completely different when it comes to audio, the only thing thats the same is they all play MP3.
A I understand it, the DAB tuner is an accesory only on the Tspirit as it fits in the SatNav location. It replaces the standard FM tuner but also provides a USB, socket, SD card socket and Ipod integration connectors. The listed price is £288 but if fitted after purchase, there will also be a fitting charge.
My apologies, but it seems the accessory price list pinned to my brochure is incorrect as the DAB and Ipod kis are two seperate accessories.
Correct options and prices are
DAB tuner £520
Ipod with USB £325
Ipod £288
All inclusive of VAT and fitting
Ref the price of the DAB tuner, is it really £520? That seems very expensive. DAB costs £55 in a new VW Golf and even in a Mini it’s £295 (I’ve been doing my research!).
Thanks
Mark, Mike, Geoff and Martin,
I’m finally able to give a definitive answer to at least some of your questions.
Firstly, the image on page 41 is of a dealer-fitted sat nav system, available as an option on the T3 and T4 (the T Spirit has a slightly different factory-fit system as standard). The display is the sat nav display, therefore. The SD, aux and USB ports in the configuration as seen on page 41 are not available on the T3 and T4 grades if this dealer-fit sat nav is not fitted. However, an aux socket is standard on all grades and is located in the central console.
Geoff, can you please confirm where you are quoting these prices from, and when you obtained these prices? Total costings do vary on account of different labour costs, but the prices you are quoting sound unfamiliar – I believe that a DAB digital radio can be fitted on all grades for £370.85 inc. VAT, but as I say, I will double-check this.
As for iPod connection, an iPod integration kit is available on all grades as a dealer-fit option – £135.95 inc. VAT, I believe. For full integration with the T3/T4 dealer-fit sat nav system, however, an extra connector is required.
Finally, 17” wheels are more in demand than 15” wheels in this country. Please see this post for more details.
For the remaining questions regarding pricing, I will get one of our product specialists to write here directly.
Hi Melissa,
I was advised of these prices on another web site ‘Prius Chat. One of the posters on there had apparantly discussed options and prices with his UK dealer and been given this info. Whether or not they are correct, I can’t be sure. I guess we shouldn’t believe everthing we read on web forums!. It would be good to have the official Toyota info on exactly what is available and what the prices are. The Prius brochure and price catalogue don’t seem to be very clear on this. The price list I have only lists ‘Ipod Integration kit’ at a fitted price of £288.03
Geoff,
I wasn’t clear enough in my last post dated August 24, 16.38 – the prices I quoted did not include fitting, though they were otherwise correct. I’m not sure what exactly you mean by ‘Ipod with USB’ and ‘Ipod’, but the product specialist I spoke to confirmed that the iPod integration kit costs £135.95 (again, including VAT but not fitting, manual or wiring harness). I’m not saying your quoted price of £288 is incorrect; it just won’t be the same for everyone.
I agree that the brochure is not as clear as it could be. You’re not the only one to have noticed this! Do get back to me if you’d like me to clarify anything else.
when will the new prius be in local dealership and what will be the on road price i have an 08 prius on 1,ooo miles and would consider a trade in for the new model benefits
Hi Bernard,
The new Prius should be in dealerships across the UK now – can you confirm which ones you’ve visited? I’ll check it out for you. As for the OTR prices, they are as follows:
T3: £18,390
T4: £20,010
T Spirit: £21,230
How is the sat nav on a T spirit stored is it stored on the hard drive or on a DVD?
Is it also possible to turn the reverse beeper off?
It is supplied on a DVD and loaded onto the HDD to provide faster access times.
If the software for the SatNav system on a Mark III is provided on a DVD and only copied on to the hard disk for speed of access, does this mean that I should have had the DVD supplied with my car as a back-up?
Hi Geoff,
Contrary to my earlier reply, the sat nav data is preloaded onto the HDD, unlike the second-generation which was DVD. A DVD is provided with a new Prius, but this is part of the introductory pack and does not store sat nav data.
Thanks Geoff, that’s right.
The reverse beeper can be turned off. Just pop into any Centre and they will be able to do it for you.
Just tried to have the reverse beeper switched off at my local Toyota centre. They would like to charge me for reading the manual to find out how to do it. The technicians haven’t had their training on the new model yet and don’t know how to do it. It would appear they also aren’t aware of this web-page.
Do you have a list of the dealers who are able to perform this task?
Hi Melissa,
Before I took delivery of my Gen3 Prius T-Spirit I asked my dealer (Jemca Toyota, Hendon, London) if they would change the reverse beep from ‘continuous beeps’ to ‘single beep’. (Many members of a UK Prius user forum have reported that their supplying dealers have changed the reversing beep either to ‘single beep’ or ‘no beeps’, on request, and usually at no cost.
Jemca Toyota Hendon told me: “It’s a health and safety feature and Toyota don’t allow us to do it”.
Please could you help, perhaps by having Toyota UK contact this dealer and updating their knowledge.
This is my third Prius, and it is absolutely superb. What a wonderful piece of engineering.
Hi Alan,
I’m glad you’re getting on well with your Prius – always nice for us to hear!
Sorry that there seem to be discrepancies in terms of dealers changing the beeps. I’ll ask Toyota about this and get back to you.
Hi Melissa,
After I asked my original question I have found a list of dealer-customizable options (Page 555 of the Prius Owner’s Manual. Included in these is the option, when in reverse gear, of having continuous beeps or just a single beep (see page 559).
Have you had any luck in getting answers on this subject from Toyota?
My dealer, Jemca Toyota Hendon, says they are willing to make the change to a single beep, but also appears unaware of how to do it. Is there some relevant Dealer Technical Information that you could point them to?
Many thanks.
Hi there Alan,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I’m pleased to say that all dealers have received specific instructions from Toyota as to how to change the beeps from continuous to single. As soon as reverse gear is selected a single beep will sound.
I’m afraid that, contrary to my previous response to Mike, there is no way to turn off the beep entirely.
I hope that’s helpful. Good luck getting it sorted out!
Hi Mike,
My apologies – you cannot actually turn the reverse beep off completely. It can be set so that it only beeps once, instead of continuously. All dealers should be able to offer this service.
Hi,
I have just ordered a Prius T4 today and I’m looking forward to driving it. I checked your blog and it states that there is a roof rack with cycle mount available. When I went to order one the salesperson said that he could only order a roof rack on his system and no cycle bracket was listed for the new prius- will the cycle brackets for the Generation II fit the new roof rack? We are fully embracing environmentally friendly transport and really need to transport our bikes too!
Thanks
Simon
Hi Simon,
Glad to hear it! The bike carrier for the second-generation Prius won’t fit onto a third-generation Prius roof rack, but the good news is that bike carriers for the new roof rack are available. We’ve had some technical difficulties with accessory lists recently, which probably explains why they didn’t come up in your dealer’s search – but rest assured, they are available. I hope you have fun with your T4!
Hi Melissa
My dealer can’t see roof mounted cycle carrier on the system. Can you give me a part number if possible?
Thanks
Simon
Hi Simon,
Apologies for the delayed reply – I’ve been unwell and so was away for a few days.
I too am having some trouble locating the part number, but I’m due to speak with one of the Product specialists later today, so he and I can investigate this further.
Hi Simon,
I’ve finally managed track down a part number for a roof-mounted cycle rack. Sorry it took me so long! It’s PZ4AP-FR530-00.
Even though your dealer couldn’t find it on the system, he should be able to order it now. Best of luck getting hold of one!
I currently own a Honda Civic Hybrid but am interested in switching to a Prius – would you accept a trade in with a Honda?
Hi Misha,
Sorry for the late reply. Yes, that’s perfectly possible – the best thing would probably be to contact your nearest Centre to discuss your options.
Toyota’s scrappage offer appears only to be available for new cars
registered before 30 September 2009. With the protracted delivery schedule
for the new Prius, does this mean that it is unlikely to qualify for the
scrappage scheme?
Hi Nigel,
The Customer Savings offer you refer to applies to models other than the
Prius, so you’ll be glad to know that the Prius will be eligible for the UK
Scrappage Scheme for the duration of the Scheme.
Regarding delivery times, I know that at least one dealer could offer T3 models within 2 weeks of placing an order (true last Saturday 15 August 2009).
The 2 months delivery dates I’ve read about are when the more expensive and slightly less fuel efficient (but higher specification) T4 and T-Spirit models are ordered.
I think the solar roof is a particular issue that can extend delivery times.
So, if you can cope with a better turning circle, slightly better fuel consumption and much cheaper tyre replacement costs see what’s on offer at your dealer with the T3 model that has 15″ wheels. You could potentially have a new (T3)Prius in the first or second week of September!
Is it possible to create a flat loading area extending from the boot space into the rear cabin space by folding down the rear seats. Thank you.
Hi Akinwande,
We weren’t sure, so we tested this on our Prius. The rear seats do fold
forward completely, and whilst the surface is not designed to be seamlessly flat, it
is certainly flat enough to load luggage onto, for instance. I’m sure that
if you went to a Centre they would demonstrate this for you.
I hope that’s helpful.
Hi again,
I stand corrected – the seats actually are completely flat when folded forward.
what is the likely cost of fully comp insurance with 2 named drivers going to be for a Prius 1.8 T Spirit
When I ordered my Tspirt, Toyota Insurance gave me a quote of £261 for two named drivers and full NCB with claims protection. Having input my details into various compare sites, the average seems to be between £220 and £270. Hope this helps.
Hi there,
The T Spirit is in insurance group 7 but the cost will depend on a range of factors such as your age and location. The best thing would be to contact Toyota Car Insurance for a quote.
hi,what is the uk insurance group for this car
Hi Nigel,
The T3 is in group 6, and the T4 and T Spirit are in 7.
How much is it to fill up the tank at present and how many miles does a full tank do?
Hi Duncan,
The answer depends entirely on whereabouts you are filling up. The tank capacity is 45 litres.
According to official figures, you should be able to drive over 700 miles on a full tank of petrol.
Company Vehicle comparison to the Honda Civic as my colleague has purchased a Honda Hybrid are the tax, congestion and insurance benefits similiar?
Hi Denis,
Toyota has a comparison calculator tool for this very purpose:
1. Go to the Toyota website
2. Let the initial Prius screen run and then it will change to a page that says ‘Put
Toyota Optimal Drive to the test’. Prius has Hybrid Synergy Drive, not
Toyota Optimal Drive, so it is not included in this version of the
calculator – just enter any model and spec to take you through to the next
page
3. Click ‘Compare against more cars’ under the list of similar models, and
a new window with the title ‘The Toyota Range: How do we compare?’ will
open
4. You will then be able to compare the Prius and the Civic.
I hope that’s helpful.
I took delivery of a new Prius 3 yesterday and I’m very impressed. Handbook suggests it may be possible to install a full size 195/70/15 spare instead of the temporary. If so, how can I check on this? Thanks.
Hi Jim,
We had a look in our Prius yesterday and it looks as though there is room for a spare, but you would have to remove the storage tray under the boot floor.
I can give a quick answer to Donald & Megan’s queries:
The prius drivetrain does not allow a towbar to be fitted (I think this may have been covered earlier in this thread).
The US & UK mpg figures are different because the countries use different standardised tests to produce the mpg data. You can use approved mpg figures to compare cars within the same country, but not between countries where they use different methods to determine them.
What is the current CAP residual value for the prius T3?
How much extra legroom is there in the new prius compared to the old one?
Hi Monica,
Please see this comment regarding CAP values. As for the leg room, an extra 20mm has been added through a reduction in the size of the front seat.
Hi
I’m just about to order a (company car) Prius in Astral Black. Can you confirm what colour the interior will be please ?
Hi Mark,
The interior will be dark grey. If you have a brochure, the seats can be seen on page 33.
can a Prius tow a caravan Thanks Donald
Hi Donald,
Just in case you didn’t see Brian’s kind reply, no, it cannot – please see this comment for further details.
Why do the UK Prius and the US Prius have such different mpg stats? Since the UK Prius can get 72.4 miles/imperial gallon, shouldn’t the US Prius get 60 miles/US liquid gallon (instead of 50)? Equally, why does the UK Yaris get 55.4 miles/imperial gallon (equal to 46 miles/US gallon) when the US Yaris only gets 29/36 mpg? Why aren’t US drivers offered the option to be as environmentally friendly as they could be if they lived in a different country?
Hi Megan,
I was just checking the blog and realised that you might not have seen Brian’s helpful reply on this topic. In any case, we represent Toyota in the UK only and wouldn’t be able to speak for Toyota USA.
can this car be bought on the motobility scheme
Hi Roy,
Sorry for the delay. Yes, the Prius is available through the Motability scheme. Please see here for more details.
I have been driving a Prius for 3 and a half years and my company now wish me to change to the new model. I have the new brochure but an struggling to find out what the additional options might be. They are not all obvious in the brochure and also not obvious on the web site. In particualr I would like to find out about the DAB radio. is this an option? It is pictured (page41) but not listed in Equipment (page 51) Also with the DAB radio – will I be able t recieve Radio 5 Live Extra? Will it have long wave?
Hi,
The brochure and website are not in accordance currently, so I can understand your confusion. We’ve had some technical issues with the website that are still in the process of being fixed, and new options have been announced since the brochure was printed. I can confirm that a DAB digital radio is indeed available as a dealer-fit option. If installed you will still get an FM radio, but I’m not sure about LW – I’ll check it out.
For a full list of options, do contact your dealer and ask about their electronic access parts manual (EAPM).
Hi again,
It seems that on the standard FM radio configuration that comes as standard, you cannot get long wave. On the the DAB radio, however, you will definitely be able to get the digital-only BBC Radio 5 live sports extra.
Hi Melissa
As per my message on the 11/08/09 stating “I know that
the width of the car is 1745mm. However, please could you tell me the width of the car, including the side mirrors.”
I appreciate that you have not been able to get an answer, as yet, otherwise I am sure you would have been back promptly…However, I have now got the answer for you and I know a couple of other people here were also after it..
The Toyota Dealer, in Guildford, were kind enough to check…
The cars body width is 1745mm(174.5cm), each mirror measures 210mm(21cm) and so we have a total width of the car, including mirrors of 2165mm…so I think I will be taking out one of hedges in order to comfortably park this car on my drive.
Julian, I had some feedback from a Prius owner who measured the overall width to be 2metres. I think adding the width of the mirrors to the car width is misleading as the location of the mirror mounting is at a narrower point.
Geoff
Thanks for this Geoff – you’re absolutely right. The pictures on page 47 of the brochure are not that clear, but if you look at page 43 you can see more clearly that the mirrors are set at a narrower point. I just went and had a look at our Prius here, and I estimate that the widest point of the car (just above the front tyres) is in line with a point about a third to halfway along the mirror (going outwards). Using the Guildford dealer’s measurements, this puts the overall width between 1955 and 2025mm.
Could I also query the overall width of the car as asked by Julian on the 11/08? Page 47 of the brochure seems to indicate that the wing mirrors do not protrude beyond the 1745mm width of the body, but when I look at photos and videos of the car they do seem to protrude.
My garage door opening is quite small so I need to know if I can drive in without folding the mirrors back.
There seems to be a lot of people asking for this adaptive cruise control or safety pack.
I think Toyota should reconsider introducing it.
My friend has this on his car and he showed it me in use its very effective. After seeing it I do want this on my next car.
Despite what Toyota say it’s what you need for the busy UK roads. Makes driving less stressful.
Hi David and Blossom,
I’ve just now posted a reply to John Haskell on this (though it’s been posted up next to my last reply to him on 8 August), and I’m afraid I don’t have anything else to add right now. As I say, I’ve noted the feedback and it’s been passed on to the people that matter. I’ll let you know if/when there is any progress on this.
Blossom, you’re right – the LED Tech Pack was introduced in part because of the feedback on the blog, and it may be that in the future Toyota do the same for the Safety Pack, but this process can’t be hurried forward.
Will I be able to purchase a European Prius so I can get the Safety pack and Adaptive Cruise control options. If Toyota have introduced the LED pack recently (I assume market research said otherwise for the UK market) it could be wrong about the Safety Pack/Adaptive Cruise control. You say the crowded UK streets would mean less use of this but you still add cruise control as a standard for the Prius T4 and Spirit grades. Give the UK customers a choice please.
Hi, can you confirm the price of the JBL speaker pack please? And do you have any info on the specifications of the standard speakers?
Thanks
Hi Martin,
The JBL system has an extra 2-3 speakers and an amplifier (purchased separately), as opposed to the standard 6 speakers. Unfortunately there is currently a technical error with the internal accessories list which means I cannot view the prices or in-depth details. In any case, the full price payable will differ depending on the Centre at which the system is fitted, as different Centres charge different rates for fitting and labour costs. Rest assured, however, that the JBL system is available.
Having driven the older Prius for 4 1/2 years. Life time fuel
average 52.1 using 95 ron fuel. Wil using Super unleaded 97 ron in the new
Prius show an economy gain over 95 ron unleaded? I took delivery of my new
T4 prius on Saturday.
Hi,
While independent studies have suggested that high-octane fuels improve fuel efficiency, Toyota did not test such fuels when determining Prius’ mpg so I’m not able to say whether or not your mpg will be improved. It’s worth noting also that super unleaded will be more expensive that standard unleaded.
hi julian
any update on how wide the opening is on the solar roof / sunroof ?
thanks
aubrey
To all who want to know about how wide the sunroof opens:
There is no official figure provided for this and our Prius here doesn’t have it fitted, so we can’t give an approximation. The solar panels remain in place, while the roof functions like a normal sunroof. There is a very brief shot of it closing in the advert.
ToyotaUSA have their own YouTube microsite. The following link will take you to a 1 minute Toyota video showcasing the moonroof and solar-ventilation. You can see that the moonroof is across the full width of the roof;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CchHIy7JgvA&feature=channel_page
They have a large range of videos on that microsite about many functions and features of the 2010 Prius,at;
http://www.youtube.com/toyotaUSA
There is nothing dodgy here mods, please check it out before banning the post simply because it contains links.
SW.
1. is prius the only hybrid car toyota does or are is there a
selection of them?.2 would you recomend it to be used as a taxi?
Hi Altin,
The Prius is the only hybrid that Toyota makes currently, though a hybrid grade of Auris will go into production in 2010. An increasing number of taxi firms use the Prius – in fact, some have the Prius as their sole vehicle.
What are the environmental costs of producing the Prius? It is more
harmful to produce batteries than a normal engine. Are all of the
components recylable?
Hi Julian,
Producing a Prius is no more harmful to the environment than producing a similarly-sized petrol or diesel car. Not every single component is recyclable, but 85% of the materials used are, and yet more is recoverable (i.e. will go on to be reused) – including 95% of the nickel hydride battery.
I hope that answers your questions.
Hi again,
When I replied before I forgot to give you the link to the Prius life cycle video we have right here on the blog. It provides some more detail.
I have ordered a Prius T Spirit. Can you give me a rough idea how many CD’s can be loaded on to the HDD? Also, can MP3 tracks be transferred directly to the HDD from an MP3 player?
Thanks,
Don
Hi again Don,
The HDD has 10GB of space, which should be about 2000 songs. I’m not sure what this equates to in CDs, but I suppose it depends on how many songs are on the CD! I don’t think you can transfer direct from an MP3 player – you have to play a CD in the drive and select it to record as it plays.
If the Audio system rips at the basic MP3 rate of 128kbps then you’re looking at roughly 10000 minutes, or 160 hours, of stored music. It’s a lot of hassle getting it on the hard drive though.
Does the New Prius have whiplash protection measures, such as active
head restraints?
Hi Michael,
Yes, it does have active head restraints.
In the prelaunch info in the which article it mentioned that the
prius would come with lane assist and lane keep similar to the safety pack
option on the avensis. Why has this not been made available? I held of
specifically to get this option.
Hi Ali,
This is because Which? most likely received the European press release, and
the European cars do have these features. At the time the new Prius was
being developed, market research indicated that such features would not be
popular amongst UK customers. In addition, the crowded British roads mean
that features such as adaptive cruise control, also part of the pack, would
rarely be used.
I have now completed a test drive which was great and my car is now ordered. The sales man did make the following comments:
1.) The new Prius would out accelerate a BMW 1 series (118d). I guess this is from rest. Are there any figures to validate this. The 0-62 is slightly slower for the Prius.
2.) The new Prius has the shortest stopping distance of any production car in the world. Fantastic claim, again are there any figures for this. The demo of this was great. It stopped so quickly it almost hurt!
Lastly I just wondered, if I use the HUD (Head up display) can my speed be read by anybody outside the car, for example the car infront or maybe a policeman standing on a bridge that I am travelling under?
Hi Graham,
Glad you enjoyed your test drive! I’ll see if I can find these figures for you. As for the HUD, because of the way it is reflected, the display information cannot be seen by anyone other than the driver. I was in the front passenger seat of a new Prius recently and even I couldn’t see it.
Sorry, the question regarding the head up display was for people OUTSIDE the car. If it is reflecting off the windscreen, and the windscreen is clear, some of it must pass to the outside world (reversed). If so, it must be possible to be read. If its angle specific this means that somebody infront of you in another car might be able to read it but not if they were on a bridge looking down. Can you confirm? I too have sat in the passenger seat and can confirm that I could see nothing of the speed.
Hi Graham,
Sure, but the same still applies: it is designed so that only the driver (or someone sitting in the passenger seat behind the driver, at the right height and angle) can see it. You really can’t see the HUD from the outside, in any light condition and from any distance. I’m not sure how it works either, but it does seem to. Do go back to your Centre and ask about it if it remains a concern. As you know, the display is small and it would be very difficult for someone to read any of its information from a distance above you, whilst you are travelling at speed.
Hi Graham,
I posted the below on 17 August at 12.07 but it didn’t ‘nest’ properly on the blog. I hope you saw it, but let me know if not so I can inform our technical guys. If you didn’t see it, sorry to have kept you waiting.
__
Hi again,
I’ve asked about these figures. Like you say, the official figure for accelerating from 0-62mph is 10.4 seconds for the Prius, whereas the BMW website quotes 9.0 seconds for a 118d 5dr, so I’m not sure how Prius could out-accelerate a 118d. Secondly, the claim about the stopping distance is unlikely to be true as some cars with ceramic breaks would be likely to give a better time.
In short, the Product team here can’t provide evidence to back up the claims your dealer made. I would ask him for the sources of his information. Let me know if you have any further queries.
Does the new Prius come with isofix points as standard?
Hi Louise,
Yes, there are two isofix points in the back seat of the new Prius, one on each side.
Is there an opton to add safety camera poi’s (points of interest) to the sav nav system on the T-Spirit?
Thanks
Hi Mark,
I hope I’ve understood your question correctly. You could add the locations of safety cameras as you would any other location, yes, but be advised that the system would not indicate that you were approaching a camera.
I too await the answer to the question “will the roof bars for the 2nd gen prius fit the new prius?”
Also are the electrics in place for a lighting board for fitting to a rear mounted cycle rack (I expect that the answer to this will be no).
Hi Brian,
I’m afraid that the older roof rack will not fit the new Prius owing to the wider frame and different-shaped roof. There is a new roof rack available, though.
As for the electrics, please see this reply.
Hi Melissa
Thanks for the clarification re the roof bars. I had seen that comment re rear mounted racks, but it didn’t explicitly say anything about electrics. There are still a number of third party boot mounted cycle racks and electrics for a lighting board would still be useful, but I guess from your reference to that reply that there won’t be such a socket available.
If you press firmly down on the brake peddle until you hear a beep (and a light illuminates) it activates the hill start assist and that will stop you rolling back.
Thanks once again Stephen, that’s correct. Steve, once you hear the beep, the car will be held for a short period (about 5-10 seconds) and you can pull away.
Hi, I have test drievn the new Prius but was concerned at stopping and starting on hills at traffic light etc. With the Prius engaged in drive will the car roll
back on a hill or will the drive keep it held without engaging the foot/hand brake. I see the brochure suggests a Hill brake position. I dont want to engage the foot brake every time I am on a hill ansd hope the D position will hold the car secure without rolling back.
Thanks
Hi Melissa,
I have just ordered a T Spirit, in black, which I am taking delivery in October. I know that the width of the car is 1745mm. However, please could you tell me the width of the car, including the side mirrors.
Many Thanks…
reading the info on the solar roof, it seems it is also a sunroof. can you tell me how wide the opening is?
Agree fully with Blossom; “I would buy a T Spirit if the adaptive cruise control was available as an option in the UK. This I consider more useful than the solar roof for the UK”; this would be a much more useful option and I think it should have appeared as an option long before the very expensive roof.
Is there any forecast for this – could it be fitted retrospectively?
Hi John – no, I didn’t miss your post. Sorry to have kept you waiting. I’m still working on an answer to your question about the electrics – rest assured that when I know the answer, I’ll be posting it. In the meantime I’ll put all the questions regarding adaptive cruise control to the Product team. Watch this space!
Hi again John, and hi Blossom,
I asked about the adaptive cruise control once again and all I can say is that ACC is just not being considered for the UK. The reasons given are that it is not suited to British roads and motorists’ road use, and that it would also be costly. I have, however, passed on all the feedback I’ve had so far on ACC – I know a lot of you want it.
As for your other question on electrics and the rear-mounted rack, unfortunately Toyota Motor Europe has now decided not to develop such a rack. Sorry not to be able to give you any good news! I trust you know that roof bars are available as an alternative.
I would buy a T Spirit if the adaptive cruise control was available as an option in the UK. This I consider more useful than the solar roof for the UK.
I understand the Prius has a cruise control system.
1. At what speed can this be activated?
2. Is it a normal just speed control or is it traffic interactive, ie slows down if you follow a slower car?
Thanks, Paul
Hi Paul,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. The cruise control can be activated at 25 mph, and it’s just normal speed control, not interactive or adaptive.
I wonder if you missed this post of mine on the 1st, or whether you just are not able to answer the question?
Whilst I appreciate the Toyota are not providing a tow hitch, you mentioned earlier that ” We are currently developing a rear-mounted rack”; so are the electrics in the car currently ready to be hooked up to a lighting board that one would need to use with a rear mounted rack?
Does the battery deteriate if the car is not driven for say 3 or 4
weeks
Hi Trevor and Garry,
It depends which battery you are talking about. The Hybrid Synergy Drive battery does not go flat or ‘deteriorate’ – it is charged as you drive and is designed to be charged and discharged regularly, so leaving it for a month or two will not damage it. The 12v battery, however, is like that of any other car and will go flat if not used for some time. You can use a normal trickle charger to charge the 12v battery. I hope that clarifies things.
Melissa,
Please clarify what you mean by “not used for some time”.
I shall not be using my Prius for 4 weeks.
Should I trickle charge it and, if so, how often?
Hi Haggar,
There is no set length of time the 12v battery will last for before it goes flat. The 12v battery is no different to the battery found in any other car. You can use a trickle charger, but I’m afraid Toyota GB is unable to offer any further advice on these third-party accessories. Sorry not to be of more help.
If a Toyota Prius is not used for (say) two months, will the battery have gone flat, as a conventional battery would do? If so, is there any lasting damage to the battery? I noticed that a Toyota Dealer was charging up a showroom Prius with a trickle charger – is this OK? Can one charge up the Prius battery via the cigarette lighter socket? Electric circuits such as alarms and central/remote locking will drain the battery when the car is not used for a long period of time.
All petrol or some diesel
Hi Brian,
I’m sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Are you asking whether
there are any Prius grades that run on diesel? The answer to that is no;
Toyota has looked into the possibility but the tweaks to the technology
would make the car much more expensive, so for the time being there is no
plan to offer a diesel grade.
Milssa, thank you for your reply. I went to another Toyota dealer – Toll House. The saleman rang Toyota UK to find out about the Technology pack and he confirmed delivery times. Approx 8 weeks with Technology pack and up to 12 weeks with leather. Jemca told me “it would be better to let them organise the leather to be retrofitted locally which would give a choice of colours”. If it is approved by Toyota UK it would be ok. I am going with the factory fitted leather. One further question – what does the solar sun roof do?
Hi Robert,
I’m glad to hear everything’s been clarified. In the solar roof, the panels in the roof use solar energy to power a fan that ventilates the car. You can switch it on remotely using your key fob up to three minutes before getting in. Obviously it functions as a sun roof as well.
Best of luck with your order, and enjoy your new Prius when it comes!
Can you please advise details if the Roof bars I have for my PriusII will fit the genIII???
Hi Mark,
I’m not sure if you received an email on this, but no – you cannot fit a roof rack for the second-generation Prius to a third-generation one as the new body is wider, and the rack is not adjustable.
FOR ALL THOSE INTERESTED IN THE LED TECHNOLOGY PACK
Sorry for having kept you in the dark. The pack is now available to order. For more information, take a look here.
Does the Prius have a rear wash and wiper system?
Hi Paul,
It’s a hatchback, so yes, it does.
Has the prius got a rear parcel shelf,if not can i buy a dog guard?
After the initial service plan has run out how much will it cost for the annual service?
Hi Hugh,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. The cost of a service depends on where you have the service done. I’m still working on getting you answers to your questions about service plans and the parcel shelf – do bear with me.
Hi again Hugh,
The Product team tells me that the Prius does have a parcel shelf with a tonneau cover. At the moment there is no official Prius dog guard.
As for the cost of a service outside of your service plan, it depends where you have the service done but it will be in the region of £66 for an intermediate service and £140-185 for a full service. (The frequency of these services is dictated by the number of miles driven.)
I hope I’ve answered all your questions. If there’s anything else, do let me know.
Hi Melissa. I notice that you repeatedly (and patiently) answer the FAQs, when all potential customers need do is read the earlier comments, but several of the questions, including mine, remain stubbornly unanswered. Would you mind answering mine from 3rd August, regarding limited memory allocation on the telephone system in the new model. I am looking at buying at least two more T-Spirits and then making the Prius our fleet car, so I’m trying to follow all the online information. Even TGB seem to be confused over some of the options. I’d like an upgraded amplifier (as mentioned on page 38 of the new brochure) and I’m not sure whether this comes with the dealer fitted DAB radio upgrade, or as usual, is only available in the United States. Would you clarify please. Many thanks.
Hi Geoffrey,
Thanks so much for your interest, and apologies for the delay in answering your question. I’m working on getting you an answer – rest assured I will publish it as soon as I have it for you.
Hi again Geoffrey,
I assume you are referring to the navi system? Having compared the owners’ manuals for the old and new models, it seems that you can actually store more numbers on the new Prius navi system. The number of entries is the same (1000), but you should be able to add 3 numbers to each entry, compared to 2 on the old Prius. I’m not sure why you should be having this issue – I will investigate further and get back to you.
The amplifier – which comes as part of the JBL speaker system which is a dealer-fit accessory kit comprised of 9 speakers and amplifier – does not include the DAB radio. I confirm that you can order a DAB radio (dealer-fit once again) as well as the amplifier in the UK. Please note that, although the brochure appears to present the DAB radio and the USB box as a single accessory, they are in fact separate.
I hope that answers your questions.
On some cars the doors automatically lock after driving off. Does this happen on the new Prius T3?
Hi Graham,
Yes, the doors lock automatically after driving off on every Prius grade.
I have now taken delivery of my new Prius T3. When I drive off the doors do not lock automatically. Is there a setting which needs to be changed for this to happen. I do have a button on the door to lock all doors but I was hoping for an automatic version. I have started to read the manual but haven’t found the bit on door locking yet. Unless its on the DVD, but I haven’t had a chance to watch it yet.
Hi,
I am interested in the new Prius and would love the adaptive cruise control feature.
Is it possible that if the demand for it increases Toyota UK may eventually offer this in the future?
Not sure why Toyota UK aren’t offering this as the roads in the UK are busy and that’s what its designed to accomodate
Strange decision offering the solar sunroof instead of this when we get little sun in the UK.
Hi David,
Whilst Toyota has no plans to offer adaptive cruise control, it is true that some options are now offered thanks to customer (and blogger) feedback. If there is enough demand in the future, therefore, adaptive cruise control may be considered.
The solar roof doesn’t need full, bright sunlight to function; it will work fine unless the car is in shade or the roof is very dirty.
I have been looking at the brochure of the new Prius, and according to it all 3 models have a CD player, on the T3 and T4 you can see it in the picture, but on the picture of the T Spirit I was unable to see it am I missing something.
Hi Wilf,
Sorry for the delayed reply. There is a CD player in the T Spirit fitted with sat nav – the sat nav display tilts out to reveal the CD drive.
Any chance of any answer to my question yesterday about the Tech pack? Many thanks
Hi Michael,
Sorry to have left you hanging – I didn’t have any further information about the LED Technology Pack until yesterday’s launch. The Pack is factory-fit only I’m afraid, but if you still haven’t had your Prius delivered, you may be able to amend your order. I recommend you contact your dealer as soon as you can to discuss this.
Is this car an automatic? I have a problem with my left foot and an automatic would be helpful.
Hi Brian,
Although Prius is an automatic, it has Electronically Controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and so requires a handbrake pedal which would be operated by your left foot. The Intelligent Handbrake Assist technology will certainly make parking easier, although we recommend that you still use the pedal. Perhaps the best thing would be for you to go for a test drive. I hope that’s helpful.
We have a March 2009 model Prius T-Spirit and I am looking at buying two more 2010 models for employees. However, when I synced my iPhone with the telephone system on the new model, it filled up by the letter ‘V’ and had no capacity for any more. Have you reduced the memory avialable for phone storage on the 2010 specification? I’d be surprised if Toyota skimped here – any business user could have a 1,000 or more contacts if you include, friends, family and coroporate use.
I drive a mercedes at the moment. One featuer that is a must have
once you’ve had one for british roads with their plethera of speed cameras
is a speed limiter. The mercedes comes with ‘speedtronic’ cruis control,
this means you can easily set it to, say 30mph, and your speed will then be
limited to 30mph so you can drive without having to check your speed every
10 seconds, if you go thorugh a speed limit change, a tap of the CC stalk
and your limit is 40/50/60 etc. mph. In the event of emergency i.e.
rapidly approaching lorry you just press the loud peddle to the floor and
the limit is disengaged and you’re out of there.Does the Prius have
anything like this?.. if not how soon will it have one?
Hi Derek,
I’m sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Unfortunately, due to the automatic CVT transmission a speed limiter cannot be incorporated. However, it may be worth noting that it is comparably easy to check your speed whilst driving due to the position and design of the head-up display.
Hi,Would you please list the features of the current version prius
and the new prius?I would like to know also what are the new / enhanced
features of the new prius against the old one.Regards,Karl.
Hi Karl and David,
Because this is a long and detailed list, I encourage you to locate your nearest dealer and ask him or her about their electronic access parts manual (EAPM). This will detail all the features of all grades of Prius.
Hi,
Please could you provide a list of dealer configurable options on the new UK Prius (e.g. swicthing off smart entry, automatic door locking / unlocking, etc.).
Thanks.
On the Prius with the Sat Nav system, Can you save your own Point of
Interest files Favourites and how much space is available to store this.
How do you connect to the device, and what is the format that they need to
be in, eg CSV file or TomTom etc. I have about 6000 addresses which will
need to added to the navigation systemThanksNathan
Hi Nathan,
Unfortunately, you cannot save your own Point of Interest files but you can select and store your own ‘memory points’ on the system. If you already have a Prius T Spirit, the procedure for this should be detailed on page 108 of the manual. I hope that helps.
Nathan asked on Aug 3rd about input of your own PoI data to the Nav system.
The answer, that it can’t be done, is very disappointing, since mass market Satnav (Gamin, TomTom et al) has had this facility for years. The Nav system (Denso, I believe) is simply not up to scratch with the latest developments. No opportunity to include a safety camera database either. Very poor on a car like this, which ought to be at the cutting edge, not five years behind.
I would have wanted to put in a PoI database of the Commonwealth War Graves sites across Europe, amongst other things, but may have to hang on to my Garmin now for that purpose.
at what intervals is it serviced and what is the cost
Hi Philip,
After 10,000 miles driven you would require an intermediate service (30 minutes), and after the next 10,000 miles driven (i.e. after 20,000 miles total) you would require a full service (one hour), and so on. The cost is determined by the Centre that carries out the service. These timings (and the costings you would be quoted) apply only to a standard service, so if you needed any additional work, such as replacing a brake pad for example, there would be additional costs involved.
Is DAB an optional extra in the 2010 prius or is it standard with
the T-Spirit. If optional how much is it
Hi Ricky,
The DAB digital radio is an optional dealer-fit accessory available for all grades (T3, T4 and T Spirit) for £370.85.
what is the annual cost for a service on the prius? after the original service plan runs out, and can it be serviced only by a toyota dealer?
I’ve been happy with my 2005 Prius, and am interested in the new model, but it might be a tight fit into my garage. What is the wing-mirror to wing-mirror width? I suspect that the 1745 mm width in your spec. doesn’t include the mirrors, which are quite wide on my present Prius.
Hi Peter,
You’re right – the width specified in the brochure is the width of the body, not mirror-to-mirror. The body of the new, third-generation Prius is 20mm wider than the second-generation model; the new wing mirrors are designed differently as they have indicator lights on them but I am not sure if they are wider. This sounds very obvious but the mirrors could always be folded in when driving into the garage. I would discuss the issue with your dealer and see if there is any possibility of your being able to try driving into your garage on a test drive.
I hope that helps!
is there a rear parcel shelf in the prius? if not can i buy a dog guard ?
Looking at the audio list for the t Spirit, (radio CD MP3 WMA audio system with full map navigation system (HDD)) and the picture of the dashboard, I am unable to see any CD player slot, where is it?.
If there is no CD player how does one transfer your audio CD`s to the HD.
Wilf asked on August 2nd about the CD slot on the TSpirit.
It’s behind the Nav screen, which tilts out of the way to give access.
SW.
I have a T spirit on order (my first Toyota). Please can you tell me if the Technology Pack is a factory fit option or if it is importer/dealer fitted? Thank you.
I have a T Spirit on order (my first Toyota). Please can you tell me if the Technology Pack is a factory fit or is it a UK importer or dealer fit option?
I went to Jemca Toyota to order a T Spirt with the Technology Pack and leather this morning. It is not straightforward ordering one of these cars. I was told the Technology would not be available and it was for the American market. Rather than ordering the factory leather it would be better to let the dealer organise for it to be retro-fitted locally which would give me a choice of colours. I like the idea of a colour choice on the leather but the salesman would not give me an answer when I asked whether it would void the Toyota warranty. If the car had to come from the factory with leather I would not get the car until January. 6 months is a long time to wait.
Can you clarify:
1. Is the Technolocy pack avaiable
2. How long does it take to get a car with Leather and the Technology pack? Thank you.
Hi Robert,
Apologies once again for the delayed reply – I wasn’t able to answer anything more on the LED Technology Pack until yesterday.
I’m sorry to hear that you had a hard time trying to order at Jemca. Like myself, the dealers were only given information on the LED Technology Pack yesterday, so they would not have known about its release on August 1st – even though that is the date I initially expected the release to be. I can confirm that the Pack is now available to order. Am I right in saying that your dealer told you that it would be better to let him organise for leather to be retrofitted locally, giving you a choice of colours? As far as I know, there is just the one leather colour available at the moment and that is factory-fit only, though I’ve heard that Toyota may be considering the launch of another colour for autumn. Something doesn’t add up here, so I will check out retrofit leather options and see what the the implications would be for your warranty, and I’ll get back to you. I can’t tell you how long your Prius will take to be delivered, but now that the Tech Pack has launched, your dealer at Jemca should be able to give you an idea.
Do get in touch again if you should need. If you have any other questions about the Tech Pack, do check out our launch post from yesterday.
On some cars the doors automatically lock after driving off. Does this happen on the new Prius T3?
Whilst I appreciate the Toyota are not providing a tow hitch, you mentioned earlier that ” We are currently developing a rear-mounted rack”; so are the electrics in the car currently ready to be hooked up to a lighting board that one would need to use with a rear mounted rack?
What is the function of the “B” position on the Prius equivalent of the gear lever?
Hi Trevor and David,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. The ‘B’ stands for ‘brake’ – shifting into ‘B’ enables engine braking.
On the drive selection knob, there are the letters “R” (reverse), “N” (neutral), “R” (reverse), and “B”. What is “B” for, and how/when is it used?
I do an enormous amount of motorway driving both in the UK and on the continent. I am trying to find out the miles per gallon or litres per 100km for motorway driving. At what speed does the electric motor cut out and only the petrol motor takes over?
Hi Glenda,
The mpg depends on the size of the wheels of the Prius you are driving. The official figures are 76.4mpg for the 15″ wheels and 74.3mpg for the 17″ wheels, but please bear in mind that these figures were obtained under test conditions. The actual mpg you achieve will depend on wind speed and other factors.
In response to your other question, the petrol engine takes over when you drive over 30mph.
with the new 3rd generation t3 can you get leather seats? Does bluetooth come as standard or can you get it as optional?
Hi Suzanne,
Unfortunately neither leather seats nor Bluetooth are available to order for the new T3, though you can choose them for the T4 and T Spirit.
Hi again,
It seems that you can order Bluetooth as a dealer-fit accessory on a T3 after all – my apologies.
Does the T Spirit Prius come with front and rear parking sensors as part of the Intelligent Park assist?
@ Don Green
The T-Spirit has neither front nor rear parking sensors. It has a sensor on each side of the front bumper which it uses to measure the space. You have a back up camera which displays on the sat nav screen when reverse is selected which you can use Independently of the IPA function.
Thank you Stephen, that’s correct.
Rear parking sensors come as part of the optional Protection Pack, and can be ordered separately as a dealer-fit option (as can front parking sensors).
Can I get mud flaps for the new 2010 Prius as an option and if so
what is the price and part number?
Hi Steen,
In response to your query, yes, you can get mud flaps. The prices and part numbers are as follows:
Front mud flaps: £38.78 (PZ416-G0960-00)
Back mud flaps: £47.75 (PZ416-G0961-00).
Insurance group for Prius T3
Hi Lawrence,
The T3 is in insurance group 6.
Where can I find information on how the charging works for the
battery? Would I need to plug it into the mains or does it re-charge
itself?
Hi Deepz,
Because the Prius is a full hybrid, it doesn’t need to be ‘plugged in’ or ‘recharged’. This section of Toyota’s website explains how Hybrid Synergy Drive works.
I hope that’s helpful.
Is their an option for a DAB radio for the new Prius?
Hi Kevin,
A DAB digital radio is currently available to order as a dealer-fit accessory. I recommend that you speak to your dealer for information about pricing.
I hope that’s helpful.
Does the T3 have locking wheel nuts as standard and does it show
range miles to empty?
Hi Jim,
In response to your questions, yes, the T3 has locking wheel nuts and yes, it does show the number of miles left until your petrol tank is empty.
does the Prius have day time running lights which will be compulsory in 2010 can they be fitted
Hi Chris,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Toyota has no plans to introduce these. We are unaware of any regulations that have been passed, and as far as we know, they will not be compulsory in the UK. We represent Toyota in the UK only, so if you are intending to buy a Prius in another country, I suggest you consult that country’s website. Here is a list of global Toyota sites.
Could you please give me a list of the Bluetoth phones that are
compatible with the Toyota Prius new model . Thanks in advance. Regards.
Hi Dave,
As per my reply to Norman above, this tool will help you establish whether or not your phone is compatible.
list of bluetooth compatible mobile phones for prius
Hi Norman,
You can use this tool to check your phone’s compatibility, and see a list of compatible phones also.
On the T Spirit model is it possible to download all my music from
my ipod or do I have to load it one disc at a time?
Hi Alistair,
Unfortunately you can only upload music to the T Spirit’s hard drive one disc at a time.
Does that have to be from an original music CD or can you upload MP3s from a disc?
is it front wheel drive
Hi Tom,
Yes, it is front wheel drive.
What is the rate /expected rate of depreciation scales
Hi Andy,
The depreciation rate depends entirely on the Prius model. The most recent offical figures from CAP indicate that, for a new T Spirit, the residual value after 3 years will be 41% of its original value. However, this figure is revised all the time.
I hope that’s helpful.
In blue does the cabin / dash come with a lighter grey eg glove box
area?
Hi Michael,
Yes, an Orion Blue Prius has light grey interior trim and panelling.
I hve ordered a new prious spirit – orior to knowing all the specs -
does it come with Sat Nav ??
Hi Geoff,
In response to your question, yes – the T Spirit does come with sat nav.
How do I lock our guide dog in the car without setting off the alarm
system in the new Prius which I have ordered my third Prius
Hi,
As on other Toyota models, there should be a button on the roof panel that you can press to arm the car if there are occupants inside. I hope that’s helpful.
Will the leather upholstry be available in a choice of colours? Will
it cover the whole seat i.e. without cloth components?Thanks in advice for
a swift response.Andrew.
Hi Andrew,
I’m sorry for the delay in getting back to you. There is currently only one leather option – it is dark grey and does cover the whole seat. We are in the process of developing other leather options.
I own a Prius – I cannot sync the integrated
handsfree with either my Nokia N85 or my IPhone…what can I do, Nokia nd
Apple say that the bluetooth in ym cart is out of date, can it be updated?
Hi Sara,
Bluetooth shouldn’t need ‘updating’, though it is true that some handsets are not compatible. I checked the online Bluetooth handset compatibility checker and it seems that, although your N85 is not compatible, your iPhone should work. I would suggest talking to Apple again and trying to obtain a more detailed description of what they think the problem is.
my old prius had multi feed front loading cd player, did not see it
in ads or assessments from motoring press either.
Hi Nigel,
I assume you are referring to the six-disc changer. The new Prius has a slot-loading CD player but not a changer. However, the T Spirit has a hard drive, which rules out the need for a CD player at all.
How long is the delivery leadtime from placing the order with a dealer?
Hi Richard,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. The lead time depends entirely on the options you have chosen, such as colour and grade (e.g. T Spirit). Recent deliveries in preparation for the launch mean stock is high but I would advise you to contact your dealer.
When will a cycle carrier that fits to the back of the car Prius be available? Thanks
Hi Robert,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Unfortunately, Toyota-supplied rear-mounted cycle carriers are mounted on a towbar, and the Prius cannot have a towbar fitted owing to its lightweight drivetrain. However, a roof-top cycle rack is available – it can be attached to a roof rack, which can be fitted to any grade of Prius (bar the T Spirit that has been fitted with a solar roof).
The Avensis has heated front seats, I understand the European Prius
has them as an option. When will they be available on UK spec cars/
Hi John,
At the moment, heated front seats are only available for Priuses with left-hand drive. They are currently being developed for right-hand drive and we hope that they will be available in the next few months, but I can’t provide an exact date.
I hope that’s helpful.
Can this be made available in India
Hi Ravi,
We are representatives of Toyota in the UK only, but here is a link to Toyota’s Indian website, where you may be able to find the information you want.
The alternative is to have a Prius imported.
Is there enough space in boot for two scooters overall 40″ x 40″ and
height of boot floor from ground
Hi Sam,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. The overall boot capacity is
(L)905mm/35.6″ x (W)1220mm/48″ x (H)705mm/27.7″ and the floor of the boot
is 690mm/27.1″ from the ground.
Hi Melissa
I too would like to know the answer to fitting the optional Protection Pack, including rear parking sensors, to the T3. My understanding is that the T3 cannot be ordered with any of the option packs. If that is the case is it safe to assume that the optional Technology Pack mentioned above will also be denied to customers placing an order for the T3? Thank you.
Hi John,
I’m not sure if you received a proper reply to this. My apologies if not – I know you’ve waited a long time. To answer your question, the optional LED Technology Pack is available only on the T Spirit grade, but the Protection Pack has been made available for the T3. Rear parking sensors are also available for the T3 as a standalone dealer-fit option at the price of £113.02 (including VAT but not fitting).
#
Hi Melissa
Can the rear parking sensors be fitted to the T3? Do I just have to order the optional protection pack?
Posted by Peter Coppard | 28/07/09 at 09:15
Hi Peter and John,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you both. You’ll be glad to know that rear parking sensors can be ordered as a dealer-fit option on any grade of Prius – you don’t have to get the Protection Pack. They cost £113.02.
Something doesn’t add up here, Melissa! The protection pack costs £350 but you say the parking sensors are available for £113, and the price guide also shows the boot liner for £50. Why would anyone buy the pack?
Martin
That is the price for rear parking sensors only, and excludes fitting. Front and rear, plus fitting (which I think can vary between dealers) cost me £780 – I would have much rather get the pack had it been available for the T3 at the time!
Hi Martin,
Well spotted! Apologies for seemingly publishing inaccurate information; I didn’t realise that the price I quoted for the rear parking sensors did not include paint or labour costs. I’ve checked this out and can confirm the following costs for the individual components of the Protection Pack, not including VAT or labour costs:
Boot liner = £44.00
Main rear parking sensor kit = £98.28
Cut-off switch [not listed in price list] = £7.12
Paint = £101.12
TOTAL = £250.52
TOTAL + VAT = £288.09
Labour costs differ from Centre to Centre, so I can’t tell you what these would be. I imagine the cost would be more than the £61.91 difference between the parts and the Pack (bearing in mind that we are talking about fitting the four individual parts separately). Therefore, ordering the £350 Protection Pack will save you time and will most probably save you money.
Sorry for the confusion!
Can i get a roof rack to fit this car ?
Hi David,
Yes, a roof rack is available to fit the new Prius
as a dealer-fit accessory. You can find your nearest dealer here.
Please be aware, however, that a roof rack cannot be attached to a new Prius that has the solar roof fitted as an additional option.
I hope that’s helpful.
I have already ordered the Tspirit. Will it be possible to have the electro chromatic rear view mirror fitted when it is available and what are the costs
Hi Jon,
Sorry for the very delayed reply – I didn’t want to respond until I had all the information I needed. The electrochromatic rear view mirror will not be available as a standalone option – it only comes as part of the LED Technology Pack. This Pack is now available to order as of yesterday (5 August) but is only a factory-fit option. It may be possible for you to incorporate the Pack into your order but I advise you to contact your dealer to discuss this. For more information, please see the dedicated LED Technology pack post.
I am going to order a new Prius T Spirt. I would want the Electro Chromatic Rear view mirror. When will this option be added? Thank you.
Hi Robert,
The electrochromatic rear-view mirror will be available to order from 1 August 2009 as part of the Technology Pack. The Pack will cost £895. However, the mirror is part of the Pack and will not be available to order as a standalone option.
Can the rear parking sensors be fitted to the T3? Do I just have to order the optional protection pack?
Great news about the Technology pack, do you have any ideas on price and when it will be available? Also, am I understanding it righ that the electrochrome interior mirror can be ordered as a seperate option?
Thank you.
Hi Stephen,
So sorry for my very delayed reply; whether or not the electrochromatic mirror would be available as a standalone option was unclear for a while, and I didn’t want to give you incorrect information. As it is, unfortunately you cannot order it separately or have it retrofitted. The good news is that, as of yesterday, the LED Technology Pack became available for immediate order at the price of £895. For more information, have a read through of our post on the launch.
Are power folding mirrors to be made available on the Prius ?
Hi Paul,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Unfortunately the power folding mirrors are not available and will not be available any time in the near future.
what is the optional protection pack
Hi Les,
I can confirm that the optional protection pack for £350 includes:
- Rear parking sensors
- Boot liner
Thank you for your question.
Is it possible to have SatNav on a T4 model PriusThank you
Hi Peter,
Thank you for your question.
Yes, it is possible to just fit T4 with a sat nav – you can ask your dealer
about this option. However, we would recommend a T Spirit, as this grade is
the same specification as the T4 except that the T Spirit also includes the
sat nav as standard.
When are you going to fit adaptive cruise control to this car.
Hi John,
There are currently no plans to take the adaptive
cruise control for the new Prius in the UK. It is a considered commercial
decision by Toyota GB not to take ACC in the UK, because the crowded nature
of our roads means that ACC would very rarely be used, and therefore would
not prove popular with customers.
I drive a 2006 Prius, and have just test driven the 2010 version for
an hour and a half, up to 65 mph. It seems noisier than the previous
version when the petrol engine is working, and not accelarating. It seems a
less refined driving experience than the previous version. Might this wear
off as the engine gets run in??
Hi Peter,
Thank you for your question. The new Prius has a brand new 1.8 litre engine,
meaning lower rpm at motorway speeds than the previous 1.5L unit. For this
reason, the engine is actually quieter at speed. Without being with you in
the car, we do not have a complete explanation of why you have experienced
this. It could possibly be due to the road noise increasing slightly as a
result of the new 17″ wheels.
In the winter, and the car is covered in ice,and you want to warm
the car up and defrost the windows and warm the car up for the family,how
do you do this if the enging does not start up like a normal car
?thankswayne
Hi Wayne,
In answer to your query, if your car needs defrosting and the electric
engine cannot provide enough power, the petrol engine will cut in
automatically. As with any car in extreme cold, the engine will need to
start early to ensure it is “warmed up” to power the car when needed.
The design principle is that the systems in the new Prius adapt to the
demands you ask of it. For example, the stop & start functionality will
only work when certain conditions are met. Similarly if the air
conditioning or heater are activated, the engine may start in order to
provide energy to power this as required.
I hope that answers your question.
is the sound system JBL
Hi Chris,
In answer to your query, the standard sound system is not JBL, it is
‘unbranded’ (Toyota’s own). However a JBL upgrade is available as a Dealer
fit option.
For your reference the T3 grade comes with 6 speakers and the T4 and T
Spirit come with 8.
I hope that’s helpful.
when is the release of the new prius
Hi Ian,
The new Prius is released on 1st August 2009.
However, Toyota Centres are already receiving their demo vehicles now so you are able to place an order now should you wish to do so.
Is the smart entry key constantly emitting microwaves? If so, might
this be a potential health risk for those who keep their keys in their
trouser pockets?
Hi Peter,
The car continually emits harmless radiowaves (not
microwaves) from the door handles. The key does not transmit, it simply
responds to the radio signal when it detects the door handle in close
proximity, i.e. within 0.7m to 1m away.
what is the road tax price for the prius
Hi,
In answer to your query, the road tax for the Prius on all grades available
(T3, T4, T Spirit) is £0.
The Prius has a 136HP Petrol engine and 60kW motor, that’s the
equivalent of 212HP, isn’t it a tad quicker to 100km/h than 10.4seconds?
Hi Rob,
In answer to your query, no, this isn’t the case.
The 136hp is a combined power output; both the engine and motor do not
provide 100% power at the same time, they complement each other based on
driving conditions. This results in the stated speed to 100km/hr of 10.4
seconds.
How much will it cost to replace batteries and usually how long are
they meant to last before needing replacement?
Hi Monique,
In answer to your query, the batteries are designed to last the lifetime of
the car so you should never need to replace them.
Furthermore, the Hybrid drivetrain is covered by a 5-year 60,000 mile
warranty.
I hope that’s helpful.
It would be interesting to know what the actual Toyota list price is for the High Voltage battery pack.
I’ve seen figures quoted of around £2,000 being the likely price.
However, in the event of requiring a replacement battery pack the option of finding an insurance write-off Prius in a scrapyard should be considered as the cost of a used (no warranty) battery might be a fraction of a brand new battery.
You seem to have dropped the 8 year warranty on the hybrid system
with the new Prius. Can you tell me: a What percentage of Prius cars need
Hybrid work between years 4 and 8 b The average cost of hybrid repairs
between years 4 and 8 at customer levels rather than Toyota costs. I am
concerned that I may get significant future costs to repair Hybrid parts.
If this is NOT the case, I am sure you will reveal this information, which
you must have.
Hi John,
Thank you for your question.
I can tell you Prius has the lowest warranty claim level of any Toyota
model currently on sale. Furthermore, the Prius has also won the JD Power
customer satisfaction survey in the UK twice – both in 2007 and 2008. This
is a genuine endorsement from customers that the Prius is a reliable and
enjoyable car to own.
I’m afraid we’re unwilling to release more exact warranty data – we
consider this commercially sensitive. However, I can tell you that the
reason we have moved from 8 to 5 years is that we feel the Prius is now
better understood; there’s no longer a need to overly ‘reassure’ customers
with a warranty period that is longer than other cars in our range.
I hope that’s helpful, but please let me know if you have further
questions
What is the difference in performance between 15″ and 17″ wheels?
Hi John,
In answer to your query, there is no difference in performance (0-60mph)
between the 15″ and 17″ wheels. The only difference is to the CO2 emissions
and fuel consumption, as follows:
CO2
15″ = 89g/km
17″ = 92g/km
Fuel consumption
15″ = 72.4mpg
17″ = 70.6mpg
Please be aware that none of this affects the road tax which is still £0 on
all grades.
I’ve read a test report by “Which? (The Consumers Association). They reported that the ride quality was better with the 15″ wheels.
The 15″ wheels have three advantages:-
1. Better (smaller) turning circle
2. Better fuel consumption
3. Much cheaper tyre replacemernt costs
4. (currently) T3 model available for quick delivery [ie. 2 weeks was the case last Saturday]
The only problem with the 15″ wheels is restricted availability – you either have to buy a base model (3) or buy the top model with Solar Roof panels. In round figures you either pay £18,000 for the T3 or over £22,000 for the solar roof panel equipped T-Spirit.
Can i get power folding mirrors on the prius i have ordered
thanks
Paul
The question of power folding mirrors was raised on 11 July 2009 at the MIRA (Nuneaton) demonstration event.
We were told NO, electric folding mirrors are NOT available for reasons of homologation (type approval / vehicle weight issues mentioned).
Is it possible to fit an electro rear view mirrer to the new prius
as I understand this is not even an option
Hi Keith,
In answer to your query, we will shortly be adding an electro chromatic
rear view mirror option to New Prius.
In fact, thanks to customer feedback, we’ll be launching an LED technology
pack which will include:
- LED headlamps
- Headlights washers
- Dusk sensors
- Electro chromatic rear view mirror
- Water-repellent glass
Further details of this pack will be available shortly.
I have just ordered a new Prius and have had a test drive in one. It is excellent.
One query tho’, what is the ‘credit card’ slot for, just above the bonnet release?
Hi Peter,
We are not aware of any specific technical purpose that this serves. However, I will ask our technical team for a more detailed explanation and get back to you on this.
Hi again Peter,
It really is just a business card slot, it seems!
Hi once again Peter,
The mystery is solved: it turns out that the slot is intended to hold a parking ticket, or a credit card (if you pay for petrol with a specific card, for example).
Are roof bars available?If not, will it take a rear mounted cycle
rack?Will it take a tow bar?
Hi Howard,
In answer to your query, unfortunately the new Prius is unable to tow due
to the complexities of its drivetrain. Furthermore, as our Toyota-supplied
rear mounted cycle racks are actually mounted on a tow bar this also
wouldn’t be feasible.
There may be other (non-Toyota) bike racks that fit – but I can’t recommend
or endorse any models. We are currently developing a rear-mounted rack and
details of this will be available in due course (I don’t have timings for
this).
A roof rack, however, is available to fit the new Prius as a Dealer fit
accessory (please be aware that this cannot be attached to the Prius which
also has the solar roof fitted as an additional option). We do supply a
bike rack to fit onto the roof rack.
Thanks for your query.
The new Prius looks great in any aspect. However, I’m troubled by
rumours that in the short future this model will be equipped with Li-Ion
batteries with an even better performance. I hate the idea of buying the
new model now just to find out that I’ve only chosen the second best
option. An honest answer to this question will be very much appreciated.
Your happy Toyota customer, Hans
Hi Hans,
Thank you for your question.
Toyota are indeed researching the potential use of Li-Ion batteries for
their cars. However, there are no immediate plans to replace the NiMh
batteries that are currently in use in the new Prius. I’m afraid that I
can’t give you a more accurate answer than this.
I own a 2004 Prius, I live in USA. I want to upgrade in 2010 to a
plug in Prius I’ve read about. How can I ? I love my Prius !!
Hi Jamas. We are indeed working towards a Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHV), although this
vehicle is at test stage. There is no date fixed for its release. We
believe that it will take a number of years before PHV is ready to go to
market. I hope that’s helpful.
Please do not click this. All the official news, advice and information on the recalls can be found at http://www.toyota.co.uk/recall/ or on this blog.