I drove an awd version. Awd n 50 plus mpg? In a reliable toyota? No brainer. Ur gonne get a good 10 years out of it n all that will degrade is the battery unfortunately. However they can be pulled out of a low mileage car that had some easy damage to it for pretty cheap to have a refreshed car
@@todtalk3912 Most Toyota dealers have never needed to replace a Prius battery. People who replace their hybrid battery simply misdiagnosed their problem. The batteries last a LONG TIME.
I bought 2018 best car i ever owned made in Japan getting 52 MPG wont drive in the snow have a 2005 Exterra 4 wheel 16 MPG so i have the best of both worlds
I wish the backend had alittle more power with the AWDe package, cause 7hp is basically nothing, tbh your better on saving the money and getting FWD from what I've seen during tests, but besides that, this thing is sick. Honestly if I had any amount of money and couldn't get an EV, I would buy a prius. that gas mileage is amazing
@@jettlash1000 Man, I am in contract with a Prius, and just got notice to transfer from Southern desert area of New Mexico to the northern mountains of New Mexico. I am sticking with the Prius. Thanks!!!
When Seattle has a major snowstorm and the whole city is paralyzed, the most common car on the road is a Prius from all the Ubers driving people around while the leave their own cars at home. True story!
I can verify. Back in early 2019 I was over there, and planning to drive home when a snow storm hit that shut the city down. No plows or anything. The hotel was full and I had no choice but to leave and make it as far as I could. The 2016 Prius functioned as a snow plow until I got over the Cascade mountains. Made it home to Spokane in one try, and that was with factory tires. Everyone who was stranded was jaw dropping as I drove past.
That's the snow storm that hit the night I drove my 2013 Prius V home from the dealership 😁 I didn't even have a chance to get used to it before driving through a crazy amount of snow. The traction control impressed the heck out of me. I was going up a hill in Madison and everyone around me was getting stuck and couldn't make it up. My new Prius V climbed right up.
Thank You for your comment. I needed to see this!! Please go get you one. Best car ever made. Most durable. Just brought the 2017 Prius. Black on Black.48 to 65 mpg. I'm in Love! This is my second one!!! I Love it so much.!!!!
The Prius V wagon? I have one the same year. I’ve had mine for two years and I’ve got stuck twice in my driveway up here on New England but I was able to get unstuck when I turned off traction control. Otherwise the car has handled great in the deepest of snows we’ve gotten so far.
I purchased a New 2010 Prius V (Five) NOT a station Wagon, and it did better in Snow once I had Winter Tires installed. Was your Prius a VEE or a Five ? When they sold me the V (five) they had not yet offered the Station Wagon Model yet.
I Love you!! Everyone Please go get you one. Best car ever made. Most durable. Just brought the 2017 Prius. Black on Black.48 to 65 mpg. I'm in Love! This is my second one!!! I Love it so much.!!!! Thank You very much for this video!!
I love this. I live in mountains where we get 3+ feet of snow in one storm. I have a lifted 4x4 Wrangler for bad snow days. But I am getting a Prius V for road tips and commuting. I know how to drive in the snow and looks like you do too. Part of it is the car and a lot of it is the driver.
I love that the Prius performs so well in weather that looks well outside this car's natural habitat. I wonder if the smoother power delivery via the electric motor helps in this scenario - no transmission lurch from gear changes to break traction. Also being from Australia I would survive in those conditions approximately to the first corner
Yep, from Washington state here and this year we had about 20" of snow this winter. It was my first with my 2007 Prius and it did excellent as well. Just like you showed, tons of cars (including 4x4) that crashed or stuck but mine never did! ❤ Prius is all around a great car.
I have a 2008 (same gen 2 as you) and I’m worried how much the traction control will spaz in snow. Did you have to disable yours ever? (It’s an incredible pain and resets when you turn the car off, so not looking forward to having to do it much.) I live in the south but I’m planning a winter driving trip up north. Trying to figure out if my car can handle it.
@@ELITE_INCA_KENNELS I actually moved to Denver and drove many times in the city and mountains in snow last winter. I got a set of real winter tires and the Prius did great. I never even thought about disabling traction control.
My wife and I have switched from Volvo XC70 to Prius. I'm overwhelmed by the amazing gas mileage on my '08 $3000 204,000 mile Prius. The '16 I bought last week for my wife should be delivered this week. Thanks for the videos.
@@hedgehogthesonic3181 Nope lol. I decided to go the cheap route and bought a $1000 Toyota Echo. Drove that for about a year. It was actually great not caring about door dings and stuff like that. Now I have a 2019 Corolla HB
@@landlubber42069 Ohhh i see, not bad, but if what you would like to have is reliability and efficiency, i think you should get a Prius or a Prius C, specially for reliability.
I have a 2007 Prius. During the winter I change my all season tires to Michelin Ice X tires. There is a huge improvement in handling. In fact, it handles just as well or better than my wife's AWD SUV with all season tires.
Two reasons why i think prius worked well in snow. First electric motors make peak torque from 0 revolutions so you have max torque as soon as you step on the accelerator. Second skinny tyres cut through the softer layer of fresh snow to the firmer snow underneath. Some people may tell you fat tyres work better but watch the world rally championship. When they head for Scandinavia they use skinny tyres, admittedly theirs have studs. They race on real roads too. Also real dirt bikes have skinny front tyres because they track better through the soft stuff. Rev heads will tell you the prius lacks power etc. When driving in snow and sand its torque that pulls you through not big power numbers. In a nutshell power gets you better top speed, but torque gives better acceleration.
I have a 2007 Prius with 198,000 miles. It is the best car overall and best in the snow I have ever had. (here in upstate NY) . Makes it through where many other cars get stuck with just regular all weather tires. Thanks for posting this video...get so frustrated hearing people say the Prius is not good in the snow...they obviously have never driven one in the snow!
Is the hybrid battery able to survive Upstate NY climate? Or have you ever replace it? Thinking of getting myself a 2011 with only 75k mileage but im not sure if the battery will die as soon as i buy it.
@@TheShowtimeTV My battery was replaced under warranty at 98,000 miles for some unknown reason- unrelated to the climate (all the warning lights came on). I now have 215,000 miles and the car is running great. Most prius batteries go to at least 300000 from what I hear. My mpg's go down in winter to 39-46, but I drive it like a regular car-definitely not hypermiling! .In the snow and cold -no issue . It has been great and amazingly reliable car
@@tongsansage nice to hear that. I'm from upstate NY too. Thanks for the info. I was told that the hybrid battery has a toyota warranty of 10yrs/150K miles. I'm not sure if that applies to the state of NY. Do you install any heater block? I've heard cold climates kill hybrid batteries. Do you ever experience hard starting especially at around 10°F to -10°F ?
@@TheShowtimeTV No problems or need for heater block. Since it has the gas engine it warms everything up and basically functions like a regular car. Just lower mpg in the winter.
A lot of it can be front wheel drive versus rear wheel drive. I just got a 2012 Prius V and am looking forward to taking off on a cross country trip. One of my favorite cars was a little Tercel and while car after car was stuck that little Tercel just cut through the snow with no problem.
Prius tires are narrower than most for low wind resistance, that makes it better because the less surface of the tire increases pounds per square inch. Many of my customers are happy with their Prius' in or out of snow.
Chris Zeidler wtf? really man... you shouldn't talk about stuff you don't know anything about... smaller tires means more pressure yes... it means you'll sink into the snow faster or dig yourself into a hole faster... also in sand. what you want is the exact opposite... deflate the tyre a bit so you get a bigger surface on the snow/sand.
Choice777 I can tell by your tone that you're not likely to be convinced, however on most snowy surfaces narrow tires are better until the depth exceeds the vehicles limit. A car with snow tires is also better than most AWD systems. Bet I just blew your mind. lol
Chris Zeidler blew my mind cause midway you tried to substitute narrow with snow ? more surface means you don't dig into the snow and you can move without spinning the wheels which will turn the snow into ice. Do you think ice skates have traction or lack of traction(friction) ? and my tone is exactly appropriate when you write such utter stupid nonsense.
I'm from Alaska, so know a thing or two about snow tires. Chris is correct. A taller narrower tire it is preferred to something wide. I remember having a Chevy S 10 with "sporty" wide tires on it. That thing would slip on wet roads, forget about snow. Switched over to some tall, narrow tires, and made all the difference. From what's mentioned on the prius forums, keeping the tires from spinning is key. Nice even momentum, albeit slow, is the way to go. Some even mentioned going to the "B" mode. Incredible torque in an electric vehicle, so I'm sure a step above an average front-wheel-drive.
Chris Zeidler wtf do you even car bro? Car is moving cause it has massive batteries in the back pushing down the rear axle and engine on the front axle. It's well balanced with narrow tires. It's not just the tires
I used to have a 2005 Prius. One hard winter, it comfortably managed up a steep snow covered hill. Sadly, last winter my 2013 Yaris hybrid was less successful. Perhaps it's the added weight of the larger battery that made the difference.
I own a 2006 Prius and live in Iceland where this kind of weather is very common. Even an older model Prius performs well in this kind of weather. I wonder if the Volvo in the beginning of the video had summer tires on.
@@gracey5512 Since my '71 SAAB I've had almost exclusively front drive vehicles. Used to think snow tires wouldn't make much difference till I actually started using them! Yes, they make a difference, no matter the vehicle.
Thanks, excellent video. I'm in a hilly/snowy part of western Massachusetts and want to replace my old Front wheel drive manual transmission Corolla with a Prius. I usually have studded snow tires put on at beginning of season, so that helps and so does the front wheel drive. I would get snow tires for the Prius.
I believe the electric motor in the E-CTV provides the best gradual on power traction which is needed in snow and slippery conditions. Might even help with future off road vehicles.
4:16 "Im using my head mount for my Gopro here so we're being totally safe"...... 5:06 we can see you useing 2 hands on your iPhone no hands on the wheel 😂
One of the things about this car as well: The ABS is sensitive, but I don't feel the pedal vibrate or pulse like you would in other cars. The only way you can tell it's working is because of the noise and flashing light. Probably due to the electronic braking system.
Its true that it handles winter very well. I am from winnipeg and even in these harsh winters all taxis are Prius. The driving dynamics in winter is great for this car.
I have been looking to buy one but my biggest concern was driving it in Northern Michigan. I have seen people put a tiny pile of snow in front of the wheel for tests. This was the most adequate test for what I was looking for. Thanks for the video
@davidlemons5650 the prius was bad on ice too. It's been years since I had the prius, but it just couldn't be GAssed to get out of a patch of ice or snow, felt like a kids remote car with low batter? Lol. Other than snow or ice, the prius was a awesome car, SO ROOOMY for a small car.
I live in Michigan, and with my 2010 Prius when it snows I am going from being one of the slowest (my choice) on the freeway to one of the fastest, way faster and safer than most crossovers, trucks and SUVs...
Once again, many thanks for your skill and excellent demonstrations of this amazing car's capabilities. Here in Cornwall UK it's +48F and unlikely we shall see snow that deep for the entire Winter.
9 inches of snow, but only driving in 9 mm of snow, lol. The Prius does do well in snow due to low center of gravity and good balance overall. Drove one in Vermont winters for 5 years with no real issues, even going to the mountain on a powder day. Battery takes a HUGE hit below freezing, fyi. You can often loose 25% of mpgs.
We are moving from California to North Idaho with our Prius Prime. This was a GREAT video to see how a Prius can handle snow! Maybe we will keep our car and just get snow tires. Great “riding” with you!! Thx!
You soon will learn what British Columbia snow tire laws are. As a owner of a 2017 Prius. Start with snows. Yes it is a stable car. After a winter you will know what you want. You will have gone local or will be gone. (I'm not kidding, Get ready for culture shock) Nothing is next door and Amazon is your friend.
@@2148aa - Your comment was spot on! We survived the winter here in North Idaho AND the culture shock! Non-studded winter tires did the trick. Our Prius Prime worked great, and we found that we love living here. Actually most of what we need is available locally, but we do use Amazon too. Thanks again!
@@flyshacker i do have a question that maybe you can answer. Assuming you could plugin your prime at night. I've been told the reversible ac/ heat pump becomes useless except for cabin moisture removal below freezing. That the prime heats the cabin off the ICE coolant heat. How much range did you get off the plugin batteries in cold weather?? & Where did your cabin heat come from??? My assumption there is alot of ICE running just for cabin heat. I live in northern Iowa and with a normal Prius. I start the car slowly drive down the road to warm the cabin up. Preheating the cabin with a cold idling car just kills MPG. Thanks.
@@2148aa - We plug in all the time to recharge for nearly all our driving. (Nice to have battery driving when gasoline is $7/gallon.) We could run exclusively on battery with our short trips around town, but I learned that’s bad for the engine if we never use it. So we use the engine sometimes anyway. The Prius Prime has 12 selectable driving modes - most people use 2 or 3. YES, our engine came on ALL during winter to heat the cabin! But we fill the gas tank only 3 or 4 times A YEAR. So the decreased range didn’t mean much. Nice to drive an EV 90%+ of the time.
It's the rear battery weight giving it the biggest advantage. My '88 Pontiac Fiero (Which I always drove in the winter) had rear engine weight, and I tossed some blizzaks on it, extended the wheels with 2 inch spacers, ...and it plowed through snow like the snow wasn't even there! It was so fun much. The difference here though its the Prius is font wheel drive pulling you in the snow, as my Fiero was rear wheel drive, pushing you. So deep snow drifts were like dealing with waves in a boat, because of how the Fiero Formula front is designed. When you got stuck were you in "Power Mode"?
My hat's off to you for sticking with the OEM tire for demonstration purposes. For my use I'd either drive my 4Runner or buy a set of Michelin X-Ice's for winter use. Those would kill winter fuel mileage though.
...and pretty soon I am going to find out how my 2018 Prius is doing (with its stock Bridgestone Ecopia tires). I have Continental PureContacts on my 2010 and they work really well on wet and snow.
I think the reason it does so well in snow is because the transmission is able to very gradually increase torque instead of a hard sudden engagement of the engine like with every other car nowadays.
@jamie.777 I truly appreciate this comment. Usually, it is the driver, not the car. Most Front wheel drives do ok if you are not taking risks. Driving like this guy, probably do well in most cars. He clearly pointed out several things he did not risk trying. I would not take a Prius through snow banks, or really test it in the snow. But, a Prius appears to be able to survive.
Texas just got hit with lots of snow the Prius was perfect never got stuck never lost grip unless I wanted it to really predictable the undertray takes a beating though
Loved the video. We moved FROM Sheboygan, Wis in 1970 to get away from that white stuff. We are now on our third silver Prius. We bought new in 2004, 2010 and last June a 2016. Because we live in Largo, FL (west of Tampa) our Prius will NEVER see cold or snow. The 2016 is fabulous and I'm averaging 62.3 mpg no matter how I drive. I did try a tank of ethanol free gas and I got 67.4 for the tank, a big difference. We bought the Prius 4. I have noticed very, very few 2016's. Too bad, they really are great cars, nothing I don't like about them.
My opinion it's the traction control the weight of the Prius because most of the weight is in the front but there is a extra weight in the back which is the batteries along with the Prius has skinnier tires versus a lot of other vehicles on the road today
In snow the tyres make a lot of difference. Mainly what kind of tyre you have (Summer tyres are a real liability in snow) but also the pressures. If you get your self some decent all-seasons you might be surprised how well the car drives on them even on deep snow. Better than your typical AWD crossover would manage on summer tyres (ground clearance not withstanding!)
cold weather actually helps mpg, one your usually going slower so less wind resistance, two cold air is more dense so you get quite a bit more power/efficiency from your engine.
Strange. Cold weather just destroys the mileage in my Prius. Going from 60 - 80 mpg on my commute to as low as 40 mpg. The gas engine seems to run a lot more and I'm sure winter gas isn't helping.
probably blizzaks ws80 or something. if you could get ws80 or ws90 cheaper one or the other it don't matter their both good just ws90 is newer. as long as you got a set of either, you should be good!
Quick question, where do you live? And have you tried going up a mountain with snow on it that has been plowed? I am thinking of going to Oregon this winter and i plan on bringing chains for my prius! Just want to know if they are capable!
Tires have a big effect. I suppose you are on stock OEMs, which generally are only soso for snow. I just bought a '08 Prius. I am thinking new tires to replace at least the front ones, which are Dealer replacement OEM Integrity GoodYears. Probably the Bridgestone Eco tires. I am wondering if my car has traction control.
The tires on this vehicle are very narrow. The weight of the vehicle is concentrated on less area than if the tires were wider; as such the wheels 'dig' into the snow better. Most vehicles on the road have traction control, many of which on dry payment function better than the Prius. The Prius has weight (for it size), narrow tires and an engine that has relatively low horsepower and torque that allow the vehicle to perform well in snow.
I just bought a 2013 Prius and the tires that came with it have plenty of tread left, but were awful in the snow. Just put some Michelin X Ice snow tires on and it is awesome in the snow now! I would recommend those tires to anyone.
Love the videos. I'm debating whether I can justify upgrading to a used Prius or Prius C from my 2005 Scion XB. The Scion gets ~ 34 mpg and is in great shape (125K miles). A used Prius in the $7-10K range (probably a Prius C) would be a net cost of around $5-7K. Logic tells me no- but I'd love 50mpg and something newer!
ahhmazing you actually took the prius awd in to the snowy road and made it to drive way . i have seen some just doing bla bla bla just wonder , what ist he chance run out of rear battery power motor ? anyone ???? i am still debating to get 2023 awd model . thanks for any advice .
What kind of tires did you have on your Prius?? I’m really concerned because I just bought a house in North Idaho with a paved but very long and very steep driveway, like 20 to 30 degree incline!! If I have THE BEST studded winter tires, and if my driveway is snow-blown, do you think I will be able to climb and descend my driveway without sliding?? What do you think?? Thank you!!
You must buy snow tires! The low rolling resistance tires are like skis in snow. Plus snow tires cost me a good 5 mpg . 3 years experience...Chicago. but mpg is still close to 40 mpg, not complaining.
How did your headlights do? On my 2016 I seem to have a problem of ice forming on the headlights and the LEDs not producing enough heat to melt it. That means it isn't long before my lights are pretty much useless.
Does your Prius have defroster for wipers? Our 2015 RAV4 does not and since we are slush/snow mostly in NJ, they become useless after 5-10 min. Always have to bang them off.
I am enjoying your videos and my new 2016 Prius 3. I caught a glimpse of your climate controls at 5:06 and noticed the lights above and below the switch to set the cabin temp. Sometimes the red light is on and sometimes it is off on my car. I looked in the manual to try to find what those lights indicate and couldn't find anything. Do you know when the red and blue lights light up and what they mean? I tried toggling various settings and couldn't get them to come on today.
Alan Oliver I don't own a prius but I assume the red indicates heat and the blue is a/c. I think the prius climate controls work by setting a desired temp and the car does the work of adjusting temps higher/lower automatically to match what you set. If that is the case then it probably lights up red when the heat is running and blue when the a/c is running.
I am beginning to think those are not actually lights. In bright daylight they glow very well and I had mistaken them for actual lights. I think they just indicate which way to flip the switch for more heat and which way for more cool.
As a Canadian, I can tell you that any fwd car with proper snow tires would handle no worse than your Prius. Again, not about the car, it is the tire. So many ppl just wont get snow tires.
So the Prius is designed a lot like the Scion TC and I've had 2 of those. My 06 TC did better than any other car that I have ever owned in the snow, other than my Honda CRV real time 4wd.
Dude,I swear the prius gets such a bad wrap it's no joke. My wife use to rip on me for buying one but now she likes driving it. It's a great car!
it's the peppy car you don't know exists
I drove an awd version. Awd n 50 plus mpg? In a reliable toyota? No brainer.
Ur gonne get a good 10 years out of it n all that will degrade is the battery unfortunately.
However they can be pulled out of a low mileage car that had some easy damage to it for pretty cheap to have a refreshed car
@@todtalk3912 Most Toyota dealers have never needed to replace a Prius battery. People who replace their hybrid battery simply misdiagnosed their problem. The batteries last a LONG TIME.
I bought 2018 best car i ever owned made in Japan getting 52 MPG wont drive in the snow have a 2005 Exterra 4 wheel 16 MPG so i have the best of both worlds
I wish the backend had alittle more power with the AWDe package, cause 7hp is basically nothing, tbh your better on saving the money and getting FWD from what I've seen during tests, but besides that, this thing is sick. Honestly if I had any amount of money and couldn't get an EV, I would buy a prius. that gas mileage is amazing
Best Prius demonstration I've seen online so far! Thanks for your effort and right to the point answers to us Mountain dwellers.
You're welcome, thanks for the nice comment!
@@jettlash1000
Man, I am in contract with a Prius, and just got notice to transfer from Southern desert area of New Mexico to the northern mountains of New Mexico. I am sticking with the Prius. Thanks!!!
When Seattle has a major snowstorm and the whole city is paralyzed, the most common car on the road is a Prius from all the Ubers driving people around while the leave their own cars at home. True story!
I can verify. Back in early 2019 I was over there, and planning to drive home when a snow storm hit that shut the city down. No plows or anything. The hotel was full and I had no choice but to leave and make it as far as I could. The 2016 Prius functioned as a snow plow until I got over the Cascade mountains. Made it home to Spokane in one try, and that was with factory tires. Everyone who was stranded was jaw dropping as I drove past.
That's the snow storm that hit the night I drove my 2013 Prius V home from the dealership 😁 I didn't even have a chance to get used to it before driving through a crazy amount of snow. The traction control impressed the heck out of me. I was going up a hill in Madison and everyone around me was getting stuck and couldn't make it up. My new Prius V climbed right up.
lol
Thank You for your comment. I needed to see this!! Please go get you one. Best car ever made. Most durable. Just brought the 2017 Prius. Black on Black.48 to 65 mpg. I'm in Love! This is my second one!!! I Love it so much.!!!!
The Prius V wagon? I have one the same year. I’ve had mine for two years and I’ve got stuck twice in my driveway up here on New England but I was able to get unstuck when I turned off traction control. Otherwise the car has handled great in the deepest of snows we’ve gotten so far.
@@EONEILL1987 I wish they had kept the Prius V Wagon like they did in the UK
I purchased a New 2010 Prius V (Five) NOT a station Wagon, and it did better in Snow once I had Winter Tires installed. Was your Prius a VEE or a Five ? When they sold me the V (five) they had not yet offered the Station Wagon Model yet.
I Love you!! Everyone Please go get you one. Best car ever made. Most durable. Just brought the 2017 Prius. Black on Black.48 to 65 mpg. I'm in Love! This is my second one!!! I Love it so much.!!!! Thank You very much for this video!!
I love this. I live in mountains where we get 3+ feet of snow in one storm. I have a lifted 4x4 Wrangler for bad snow days. But I am getting a Prius V for road tips and commuting. I know how to drive in the snow and looks like you do too. Part of it is the car and a lot of it is the driver.
I love that the Prius performs so well in weather that looks well outside this car's natural habitat.
I wonder if the smoother power delivery via the electric motor helps in this scenario - no transmission lurch from gear changes to break traction.
Also being from Australia I would survive in those conditions approximately to the first corner
This is a great video. I'm Prius shopping with more confidence now. Thank you!
Yep, from Washington state here and this year we had about 20" of snow this winter. It was my first with my 2007 Prius and it did excellent as well. Just like you showed, tons of cars (including 4x4) that crashed or stuck but mine never did! ❤ Prius is all around a great car.
Lol. Everyone here is stroking their prius prick.
I have a 2008 (same gen 2 as you) and I’m worried how much the traction control will spaz in snow. Did you have to disable yours ever? (It’s an incredible pain and resets when you turn the car off, so not looking forward to having to do it much.) I live in the south but I’m planning a winter driving trip up north. Trying to figure out if my car can handle it.
@Marcel Poisot Get legit winter tires (not all weather/season) and you’ll be in good shape. They make all the difference!
@@mpoisotdid you end up turning it off ? I plan on going to Colorado in my 2020 xle Prius
@@ELITE_INCA_KENNELS I actually moved to Denver and drove many times in the city and mountains in snow last winter. I got a set of real winter tires and the Prius did great. I never even thought about disabling traction control.
My wife and I have switched from Volvo XC70 to Prius. I'm overwhelmed by the amazing gas mileage on my '08 $3000 204,000 mile Prius. The '16 I bought last week for my wife should be delivered this week. Thanks for the videos.
Awesome, so yours is just now broken in :P
I used to rag on Priuses, but after researching and seeing how reliable and cheap they are to run, I'm buying a 2012 Prius C.
Good choise!
Did you got it?
@@hedgehogthesonic3181 Nope lol. I decided to go the cheap route and bought a $1000 Toyota Echo. Drove that for about a year. It was actually great not caring about door dings and stuff like that. Now I have a 2019 Corolla HB
@@landlubber42069 Ohhh i see, not bad, but if what you would like to have is reliability and efficiency, i think you should get a Prius or a Prius C, specially for reliability.
Prius C is a brilliant and elegant car..
that moment when you pass a Volvo stuck in the snow with your Prius
That moment when you pass a car made in Sweden stuck in SNOW with a hybrid originally designed in California
They probably didn't have winter tyres. There's no reason the Volvo would get stuck otherwise.
@@MikeStoddart - As a Norwegian, very used to driving in the snow, spot on! 👍
I have a 2007 Prius. During the winter I change my all season tires to Michelin Ice X tires. There is a huge improvement in handling. In fact, it handles just as well or better than my wife's AWD SUV with all season tires.
Two reasons why i think prius worked well in snow. First electric motors make peak torque from 0 revolutions so you have max torque as soon as you step on the accelerator. Second skinny tyres cut through the softer layer of fresh snow to the firmer snow underneath.
Some people may tell you fat tyres work better but watch the world rally championship. When they head for Scandinavia they use skinny tyres, admittedly theirs have studs. They race on real roads too. Also real dirt bikes have skinny front tyres because they track better through the soft stuff.
Rev heads will tell you the prius lacks power etc. When driving in snow and sand its torque that pulls you through not big power numbers. In a nutshell power gets you better top speed, but torque gives better acceleration.
I have a 2007 Prius with 198,000 miles. It is the best car overall and best in the snow I have ever had. (here in upstate NY) . Makes it through where many other cars get stuck with just regular all weather tires. Thanks for posting this video...get so frustrated hearing people say the Prius is not good in the snow...they obviously have never driven one in the snow!
Yeah, they have a low center gravity, and weighted well with the weight of the motors and batteries.
Is the hybrid battery able to survive Upstate NY climate? Or have you ever replace it? Thinking of getting myself a 2011 with only 75k mileage but im not sure if the battery will die as soon as i buy it.
@@TheShowtimeTV My battery was replaced under warranty at 98,000 miles for some unknown reason- unrelated to the climate (all the warning lights came on). I now have 215,000 miles and the car is running great. Most prius batteries go to at least 300000 from what I hear. My mpg's go down in winter to 39-46, but I drive it like a regular car-definitely not hypermiling! .In the snow and cold -no issue . It has been great and amazingly reliable car
@@tongsansage nice to hear that. I'm from upstate NY too. Thanks for the info. I was told that the hybrid battery has a toyota warranty of 10yrs/150K miles. I'm not sure if that applies to the state of NY. Do you install any heater block? I've heard cold climates kill hybrid batteries. Do you ever experience hard starting especially at around 10°F to -10°F ?
@@TheShowtimeTV No problems or need for heater block. Since it has the gas engine it warms everything up and basically functions like a regular car. Just lower mpg in the winter.
We're expecting snow tomorrow here in Maine and I have a new used Prius. Feeling a lot more comfortable now. Thanks!
You're welcome!
A lot of it can be front wheel drive versus rear wheel drive. I just got a 2012 Prius V and am looking forward to
taking off on a cross country trip. One of my favorite cars was a little Tercel and while car after car was stuck
that little Tercel just cut through the snow with no problem.
Brilliant video! I appreciate how methodical and thorough you are in your explanations. Looking forward to more.
Just brought home my 17-4 prius never owned a hybrid your videos are encouraging. Live in the north east so this video was especially helpful.
Prius tires are narrower than most for low wind resistance, that makes it better because the less surface of the tire increases pounds per square inch. Many of my customers are happy with their Prius' in or out of snow.
Chris Zeidler wtf? really man... you shouldn't talk about stuff you don't know anything about... smaller tires means more pressure yes... it means you'll sink into the snow faster or dig yourself into a hole faster... also in sand. what you want is the exact opposite... deflate the tyre a bit so you get a bigger surface on the snow/sand.
Choice777 I can tell by your tone that you're not likely to be convinced, however on most snowy surfaces narrow tires are better until the depth exceeds the vehicles limit. A car with snow tires is also better than most AWD systems. Bet I just blew your mind. lol
Chris Zeidler blew my mind cause midway you tried to substitute narrow with snow ? more surface means you don't dig into the snow and you can move without spinning the wheels which will turn the snow into ice. Do you think ice skates have traction or lack of traction(friction) ? and my tone is exactly appropriate when you write such utter stupid nonsense.
I'm from Alaska, so know a thing or two about snow tires. Chris is correct. A taller narrower tire it is preferred to something wide. I remember having a Chevy S 10 with "sporty" wide tires on it. That thing would slip on wet roads, forget about snow. Switched over to some tall, narrow tires, and made all the difference.
From what's mentioned on the prius forums, keeping the tires from spinning is key. Nice even momentum, albeit slow, is the way to go. Some even mentioned going to the "B" mode. Incredible torque in an electric vehicle, so I'm sure a step above an average front-wheel-drive.
Chris Zeidler wtf do you even car bro? Car is moving cause it has massive batteries in the back pushing down the rear axle and engine on the front axle. It's well balanced with narrow tires. It's not just the tires
Considering a 2016 Prius. In LA we don’t have snow unless we are taking a trip to Big Bear. Glad to see that I’d be Okay taking the trip. Thank you!
I used to have a 2005 Prius. One hard winter, it comfortably managed up a steep snow covered hill. Sadly, last winter my 2013 Yaris hybrid was less successful. Perhaps it's the added weight of the larger battery that made the difference.
I own a 2006 Prius and live in Iceland where this kind of weather is very common. Even an older model Prius performs well in this kind of weather. I wonder if the Volvo in the beginning of the video had summer tires on.
I'm guessing there were wide summer-only tires on the stuck Volvo.
So Prius can drive in snow as long as it has winter tires on?
@@gracey5512 in general it’s always a good idea to have winter tires on any car instead of all season during the winter season.
@@gracey5512 Since my '71 SAAB I've had almost exclusively front drive vehicles. Used to think snow tires wouldn't make much difference till I actually started using them! Yes, they make a difference, no matter the vehicle.
@@kenm7179 they have roughly around 300% more traction and half the breaking distance on snow vs summer tyres. Check videos from tyrereviews.com
Thanks, excellent video. I'm in a hilly/snowy part of western Massachusetts and want to replace my old Front wheel drive manual transmission Corolla with a Prius. I usually have studded snow tires put on at beginning of season, so that helps and so does the front wheel drive. I would get snow tires for the Prius.
I believe the electric motor in the E-CTV provides the best gradual on power traction which is needed in snow and slippery conditions. Might even help with future off road vehicles.
Nice video thanks for sharing
4:16 "Im using my head mount for my Gopro here so we're being totally safe"...... 5:06 we can see you useing 2 hands on your iPhone no hands on the wheel 😂
Christopher E died
But he was at a red light
@@stin987 there was no cut the whole time he was using his phone and just lied to seem safe lmao
Haha busted!
Awesome video, thanks for sharing!
One of the things about this car as well: The ABS is sensitive, but I don't feel the pedal vibrate or pulse like you would in other cars. The only way you can tell it's working is because of the noise and flashing light. Probably due to the electronic braking system.
Its true that it handles winter very well. I am from winnipeg and even in these harsh winters all taxis are Prius. The driving dynamics in winter is great for this car.
I have been looking to buy one but my biggest concern was driving it in Northern Michigan. I have seen people put a tiny pile of snow in front of the wheel for tests. This was the most adequate test for what I was looking for. Thanks for the video
Drive in 4 inches of slush and u will be stuck in a off ramp. Prius is TERRIBLE in slush
@@jamie.777
True, slush is crazy different than soft powder snow. How about straight black ice?
@davidlemons5650 the prius was bad on ice too. It's been years since I had the prius, but it just couldn't be GAssed to get out of a patch of ice or snow, felt like a kids remote car with low batter? Lol. Other than snow or ice, the prius was a awesome car, SO ROOOMY for a small car.
5:07 mhm loving the head mount
Vagina Dashcam
I live in Michigan, and with my 2010 Prius when it snows I am going from being one of the slowest (my choice) on the freeway to one of the fastest, way faster and safer than most crossovers, trucks and SUVs...
Once again, many thanks for your skill and excellent demonstrations of this amazing car's capabilities. Here in Cornwall UK it's +48F and unlikely we shall see snow that deep for the entire Winter.
My buddy has a 2014 Prius with 4 studded snow tires on it. He said it handles 4" of snow just fine, like my big buick Lesabres.
Great job...this is why subscribed....Prius videos
9 inches of snow, but only driving in 9 mm of snow, lol. The Prius does do well in snow due to low center of gravity and good balance overall. Drove one in Vermont winters for 5 years with no real issues, even going to the mountain on a powder day. Battery takes a HUGE hit below freezing, fyi. You can often loose 25% of mpgs.
We are moving from California to North Idaho with our Prius Prime. This was a GREAT video to see how a Prius can handle snow! Maybe we will keep our car and just get snow tires. Great “riding” with you!! Thx!
You soon will learn what British Columbia snow tire laws are. As a owner of a 2017 Prius. Start with snows. Yes it is a stable car. After a winter you will know what you want. You will have gone local or will be gone. (I'm not kidding, Get ready for culture shock) Nothing is next door and Amazon is your friend.
You can order a 1.5 inch lift kit from Prius off-road and install all terrain tires
@@2148aa - Your comment was spot on! We survived the winter here in North Idaho AND the culture shock! Non-studded winter tires did the trick. Our Prius Prime worked great, and we found that we love living here. Actually most of what we need is available locally, but we do use Amazon too. Thanks again!
@@flyshacker i do have a question that maybe you can answer. Assuming you could plugin your prime at night. I've been told the reversible ac/ heat pump becomes useless except for cabin moisture removal below freezing. That the prime heats the cabin off the ICE coolant heat. How much range did you get off the plugin batteries in cold weather?? & Where did your cabin heat come from??? My assumption there is alot of ICE running just for cabin heat. I live in northern Iowa and with a normal Prius. I start the car slowly drive down the road to warm the cabin up. Preheating the cabin with a cold idling car just kills MPG. Thanks.
@@2148aa - We plug in all the time to recharge for nearly all our driving. (Nice to have battery driving when gasoline is $7/gallon.) We could run exclusively on battery with our short trips around town, but I learned that’s bad for the engine if we never use it. So we use the engine sometimes anyway. The Prius Prime has 12 selectable driving modes - most people use 2 or 3. YES, our engine came on ALL during winter to heat the cabin! But we fill the gas tank only 3 or 4 times A YEAR. So the decreased range didn’t mean much. Nice to drive an EV 90%+ of the time.
It's the rear battery weight giving it the biggest advantage. My '88 Pontiac Fiero (Which I always drove in the winter) had rear engine weight, and I tossed some blizzaks on it, extended the wheels with 2 inch spacers, ...and it plowed through snow like the snow wasn't even there! It was so fun much. The difference here though its the Prius is font wheel drive pulling you in the snow, as my Fiero was rear wheel drive, pushing you. So deep snow drifts were like dealing with waves in a boat, because of how the Fiero Formula front is designed.
When you got stuck were you in "Power Mode"?
My hat's off to you for sticking with the OEM tire for demonstration purposes. For my use I'd either drive my 4Runner or buy a set of Michelin X-Ice's for winter use. Those would kill winter fuel mileage though.
Very true! We are almost through winter now, and it's been surprisingly uneventful in the Prius.
I have a Prius V and it did great in the snow in NM as well.
...and pretty soon I am going to find out how my 2018 Prius is doing (with its stock Bridgestone Ecopia tires). I have Continental PureContacts on my 2010 and they work really well on wet and snow.
I think the reason it does so well in snow is because the transmission is able to very gradually increase torque instead of a hard sudden engagement of the engine like with every other car nowadays.
It does terrible in snow
@jamie.777 I truly appreciate this comment.
Usually, it is the driver, not the car. Most Front wheel drives do ok if you are not taking risks. Driving like this guy, probably do well in most cars.
He clearly pointed out several things he did not risk trying. I would not take a Prius through snow banks, or really test it in the snow. But, a Prius appears to be able to survive.
Texas just got hit with lots of snow the Prius was perfect never got stuck never lost grip unless I wanted it to really predictable the undertray takes a beating though
Loved the video. We moved FROM Sheboygan, Wis in 1970 to get away from that white stuff. We are now on our third silver Prius. We bought new in 2004, 2010 and last June a 2016. Because we live in Largo, FL (west of Tampa) our Prius will NEVER see cold or snow. The 2016 is fabulous and I'm averaging 62.3 mpg no matter how I drive. I did try a tank of ethanol free gas and I got 67.4 for the tank, a big difference. We bought the Prius 4. I have noticed very, very few 2016's. Too bad, they really are great cars, nothing I don't like about them.
My opinion it's the traction control the weight of the Prius because most of the weight is in the front but there is a extra weight in the back which is the batteries along with the Prius has skinnier tires versus a lot of other vehicles on the road today
In snow the tyres make a lot of difference. Mainly what kind of tyre you have (Summer tyres are a real liability in snow) but also the pressures. If you get your self some decent all-seasons you might be surprised how well the car drives on them even on deep snow. Better than your typical AWD crossover would manage on summer tyres (ground clearance not withstanding!)
Prius Offroad makes a 1.5” lift kit 👌🏽
Do you find that driving in eco mode gives you the best traction in snow?
That's an excellent point I forgot to mention. It does give better control of my take offs. Thanks for pointing that out!
jettlash1000 - It makes sense as eco mode is supposed to send less torque to the tires and prevent slipping at take off.
You should do a winter road trip to see how the cold weather affects the highway mileage! Awesome videos BTW...
cold weather actually helps mpg, one your usually going slower so less wind resistance, two cold air is more dense so you get quite a bit more power/efficiency from your engine.
Strange. Cold weather just destroys the mileage in my Prius. Going from 60 - 80 mpg on my commute to as low as 40 mpg. The gas engine seems to run a lot more and I'm sure winter gas isn't helping.
It is probably the batterys, I don't know how a hybrid is affected, my truck gains 2 mpg
on average on the highway in the winter
mike r Maybe it's the cold air it's more dense, great for big gas or d engines hell on aero dynamics
mike r My Jeep Grand Cherokee loses 1-2 mph on average with cruise control engaged on flat ground in winter...
Brutal snow attack in the end :) looking to buy 2020 prime limited or 2019 Rav4 hybrid.Now cant' choose after seeing this video.Great job man!
That is a really hard choice to make. Good luck and enjoy your future Toyota.
@@jettlash1000 Thanks Rav4 won contest :) bought 2 weeks ago,enjoy every trip :)
how much milage do you lose in winter. What year is your prius. is it the AWD.
Wow that was amazing to watch 👍
Good tires! And I like the place you live in, the nature reminds me a lot about Sweden.
Thank you, I love it here.
Great video! Thinking about getting a 2016 Prius and was wondering how it’ll drive in the snow out here in Denver.
So that was 3 yrs ago...do u still like ur Prius in Denver ?
I've got to get a one
is that the all-wheel-drive version
Now they have the Prius in awd
Yup just went to take one. Cant wait to experience it. My firt hybrid car.
Could you please let me know what tires were on the prius. Thanks.
probably blizzaks ws80 or something. if you could get ws80 or ws90 cheaper one or the other it don't matter their both good just ws90 is newer. as long as you got a set of either, you should be good!
Quick question, where do you live? And have you tried going up a mountain with snow on it that has been plowed? I am thinking of going to Oregon this winter and i plan on bringing chains for my prius! Just want to know if they are capable!
Thank you for sharing
Mine is good in the snow with 4 snow tires. Really really well built car.
Were you driving with snow tires in this video?
Tires have a big effect. I suppose you are on stock OEMs, which generally are only soso for snow. I just bought a '08 Prius. I am thinking new tires to replace at least the front ones, which are Dealer replacement OEM Integrity GoodYears. Probably the Bridgestone Eco tires. I am wondering if my car has traction control.
Agreed, they do make a difference. I'm on stock tires.
jettlash1000 i am very surprised that the Prius is handling so well when you're on stock tires! amazing
The tires on this vehicle are very narrow. The weight of the vehicle is concentrated on less area than if the tires were wider; as such the wheels 'dig' into the snow better. Most vehicles on the road have traction control, many of which on dry payment function better than the Prius. The Prius has weight (for it size), narrow tires and an engine that has relatively low horsepower and torque that allow the vehicle to perform well in snow.
I just bought a 2013 Prius and the tires that came with it have plenty of tread left, but were awful in the snow. Just put some Michelin X Ice snow tires on and it is awesome in the snow now! I would recommend those tires to anyone.
Great video. I am thinking of buying the 2019 or 2020 Prius Prime and live in some hilly areas of West Virginia.
Thanks :)
I wonder what happens with snow and ice with the active shutter grill
I actually put a heater in the garage after days like this to let it all thaw out.
Love the videos. I'm debating whether I can justify upgrading to a used Prius or Prius C from my 2005 Scion XB. The Scion gets ~ 34 mpg and is in great shape (125K miles). A used Prius in the $7-10K range (probably a Prius C) would be a net cost of around $5-7K. Logic tells me no- but I'd love 50mpg and something newer!
In my opinion, Toyota is one of the best investments as far as cars go (whether it’s new or used).
lol 9" of snow where? you're driving on paved road
Winter or all season tires?
ahhmazing you actually took the prius awd in to the snowy road and made it to drive way .
i have seen some just doing bla bla bla
just wonder , what ist he chance run out of rear battery power motor ?
anyone ????
i am still debating to get 2023 awd model .
thanks for any advice .
Have you tried covering your engine vents? I do it when it is 60 F outside and it works great. The Prius does not over heat, engine or inverters.
Interesting thought! I see diesels do that a lot.
Thanks, what make/model of tires?
What year and model is this? What tires are on it?
What kind of tires did you have on your Prius?? I’m really concerned because I just bought a house in North Idaho with a paved but very long and very steep driveway, like 20 to 30 degree incline!! If I have THE BEST studded winter tires, and if my driveway is snow-blown, do you think I will be able to climb and descend my driveway without sliding?? What do you think?? Thank you!!
Nice camera.
LOL at the assistent recording. And then your go-pro head mount.. lol
:) Special effects...
You must buy snow tires! The low rolling resistance tires are like skis in snow. Plus snow tires cost me a good 5 mpg . 3 years experience...Chicago. but mpg is still close to 40 mpg, not complaining.
So it that is why your team is called the packers? Cause it’s packed with snow?
What kind of tires do you use?
Stock tires.
I love my Prius
How did your headlights do? On my 2016 I seem to have a problem of ice forming on the headlights and the LEDs not producing enough heat to melt it. That means it isn't long before my lights are pretty much useless.
Does your Prius have defroster for wipers? Our 2015 RAV4 does not and since we are slush/snow mostly in NJ, they become useless after 5-10 min. Always have to bang them off.
What kind of tires are you using in this video? The standard "OEM" all-seasons, or actual snow tires? Thanks!
Do you have chains on?
Does the Prius have winter tires on it ? ?
are studded tires a good idea for prius?
In certain areas, you don't have a choice. I haven't had studded, so I couldn't tell you.
Just curious where you are...? My wife and I want to move to where it snows after I fully retire in another 4 years.
Do you mostly drive in ECO mode? Does it drive better in the snow than in Normal?
Is it all wheel drive or just front wheel drive?
What kind of wipers do you use? I'm using the rain X wipers and it leaves sa streak on the window
Where is this?
How warm is the heater.....heard it warms slowly. Anyone use it in 30 below zero?
I am enjoying your videos and my new 2016 Prius 3. I caught a glimpse of your climate controls at 5:06 and noticed the lights above and below the switch to set the cabin temp. Sometimes the red light is on and sometimes it is off on my car. I looked in the manual to try to find what those lights indicate and couldn't find anything. Do you know when the red and blue lights light up and what they mean? I tried toggling various settings and couldn't get them to come on today.
Alan Oliver I don't own a prius but I assume the red indicates heat and the blue is a/c. I think the prius climate controls work by setting a desired temp and the car does the work of adjusting temps higher/lower automatically to match what you set. If that is the case then it probably lights up red when the heat is running and blue when the a/c is running.
That was my assumption, but it doesn't seem to work like that. The heat is on but no light.
I am beginning to think those are not actually lights. In bright daylight they glow very well and I had mistaken them for actual lights. I think they just indicate which way to flip the switch for more heat and which way for more cool.
I love PRIUS
As a Canadian, I can tell you that any fwd car with proper snow tires would handle no worse than your Prius. Again, not about the car, it is the tire. So many ppl just wont get snow tires.
Very true. I’ve seen small cars with snow tires do better than AWD SUVs with all seasons.
Is this an AWD-e? Or just a plain front wheel?
So the Prius is designed a lot like the Scion TC and I've had 2 of those. My 06 TC did better than any other car that I have ever owned in the snow, other than my Honda CRV real time 4wd.
Hello did you use snow tyre or standard tyre ? Cheers from France ;) Thanks
I had the standard tires on it.
So you're 5 years into a prius, is it still your daily driver? Any real issues with the car? did you get rid of it for another car?,
I had to trade it in due to our family growing. I'm looking at some other options, but thanks for watching and commenting!
is this lithium?
Amazing