Thanks for the write up. I hope to one day have a chance to take a cruise in one. I am sure , like most Toyota products, it well designed, built, and executed

 

haha very funny

 

Wow, thanks for the write-up. Must say it was more interesting than the "motor trend types reviews". Seems like it's quite an appliance.

 

What happens in the POWER mode (which is more or less expected) is that the gas engine cuts in quicker, with less pedal-pressure, to boost the electrics...and recharge them. Though the Prius doesn't have a conventional tach for the gas engine (a digital RPM readout, I think, can be set up through the adjustable electronic displays), you can usually tell when the gas engine cuts in by a slight increase in the underhood hum and by the electronic power-flow arrows.

Come on. The Prius is not a torque monster, even in POWER mode....nor it it designed to be. If you want to light up the tires, get a Mustang GT with a live rear axle.

 

Paul, have you written a review yet of the new RX450h, the hybrid you said you would buy ?

 

Great concise review written from the perspective of knowledgeable enthusiast, especially liked the sales droid comments. Around here the techie commuter droids love the new Prius, they are everywhere.

 

i live too far from a damn lexus dealer to have the opportunity to drive one.

 

They are very popular both in CA and in the urban/suburban Northeast, especially around D.C.

 

np. Yeah sometimes you really have to dig for the info. A pity it isn't readily shown on the car.

IPA? I've used it to show people as a demo. It's quite cool I must say. Do I use it every day? No. I may use it once in a while to park at home when I'm tired from work (I always back into the space at home).

And the effect is quite noticeable. You know me mmarshall. I don't bs on this board. I don't have a 300+hp 335i in my garage so naturally my perception is gonna be different than someone who has (or is used to) a higher powered vehicle but I must say, it definitely feels less of a slug.


In PWR Mode, you will spin the tyres. I kid you not.

 

using IPA for parallel parking is crazy... when i tested it, i went outside the car to see how close it was getting to the car next to it... it was 5"-7" only from the front right bumper! It will park the car better than 98% of the drivers out there, but it feels so strange to trust the computer as it seems that you will be hitting something.

of course, keep in mind that i live in the city in europe... i parallel park around 10 times per day, during normal course of the day... at least in half situations, i barely fit with my GS.

 

Yes, I know that you are a credible poster ....as are the majority of posters here on CAR CHAT. But it's hard to imagine any real tirespin out of a Prius, no matter how you have the system programed.


On dry pavement? You wouldn't necessarily have to be on ice, but seems like it would probably have to be on a lower-friction surface. And the Prius, like most Toyota products, has a pretty low-tolerance traction-control unit that doesn't allow much spin even if you can induce some.

 

Here in America, driver-training tends to be somewhat of a joke, but parallel-parking, at least in my home state of VA, is one thing that you MUST demonstrate that you can do at least reasonably well before you are issued a license. Doing it with the electronics, like in a Prius or LS460, won't cut it on a checkout ride here.

 

If you guys want a new RX review, here is the one I did this year. I had to do it in two parts....RX350 and a 450h update....because the 450h was not available last winter when the new 350 came out.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...xus-rx350.html


https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...x350-450h.html

And here is Mike's (1SICKLEX):

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...-rx-350-a.html

 

saw a black one today, looked great imo.

 

The new Prius does look much better than the prior versions, mostly white ones around here.

btw, anybody have pics of customized new Prius's?