He spoke very fluidly,distinctly,and can understand every word. No stammers or pausing. Didn`t even take a breath. Great review. Very extensive. 5 stars.
This is the best, most thorough and clearly-stated Prius review that I have viewed. And, the video is well-done. Thank you. With cheap fuel prices and with the 2015 model being end-of-life, where I live, the out-the-door price on a Prius Two is $20,644. Very tempting.
Just helped my mom get a new '15 Prius model 2 at a great price since the '16 model is now out. We looked and drove the '16 but for with the Toyota $3k incentive and the dealer willing to negotiate heavily it made more sense to get the '15.
I just got my 2015 Prius about a month and a half ago. I love it! Even though it is not fast, it is comfortable and it is very quiet. Not sure why this guy says it is noisy. It is not. My other high mileage car I had was a 1991 Honda CRX HF and they both have a lot in common. The CRX got around 48 MPG and also had a lot of room in the back. It finally died after over 498,000 miles on a highway in northern Georgia. Swallowed a piston ring. The PIOUS....that I used to call them....was my next choice as it was pretty much like the CRX except it is a lot more quiet and lots more comfortable. I used to call them a PIOUS because the people I talked to that owned them seemed to be so self righteous about driving a car that gets over 50 MPG. I like not paying the gas stations money so this car fit the bill. I am getting on average, 56 MPG with some trips averaging over 70 MPG. I bought the 2015 because Toyota was dealing on the 15's in stock since the 16's are now out. I used to be a big muscle car fan but since getting more wise with age, the Prius is the best car I have had to pleasure to drive. It fits for what I use it for....cheap gas costs and lots of room plus a real nice soft ride. It is fun trying to get the best mileage on each trip. You do have to think to eek out the best mileage from this car. Like I said...the Prius is a great car and I love mine.
My almost 3 year update......I am now getting close to 60 MPG with my 2015 Prius Two. I have about 42,000 miles on it and still going strong. Not one problem with it. Changing oil every 5K miles....did have one problem....I spilled some pop on my window controls and shorted out the window switches. My power windows stopped working. Do not have the dealer replace it....it will cost over $400 dollars with labor. They sell those switches on the internet for $50.....I bought it and installed it myself....very easy. I do my own oil changes. Get the special oil wrench for Toyota / Lexus..it costs about $35 but is well worth it. I save a ton on oil changes doing it myself. Still on original tires. Going to change them soon. Rotated them every 5k miles. Brakes still look great. Spark plug changes are kind of a pain....have to remove the wiper motor assembly to pull the plugs. A bit of work but easy to do. I wish they had designed it a bit better. A little tip on keeping your interior looking great.....I haul steel with my Prius. Not a lot but I can haul about 500 lbs of steel in it.....7 foot lengths. Perfect for me. Steel is dirty. So what I did was buy a cheap bed spread and laid it out over my folded down rear seats. Keeps the inside looking great and cleaning the spread is easy....just pop it into the washer. That and it makes the interior quieter....a lot quieter. Just test drove a 2018 Prius Prime Plus. Rides better than mine but the cost is a bit more. Like all the new safety features. Especially the adaptive cruise control. I drive highway a lot. Really nice. My 2015 is still a great car. I get some looks as a guy driving a Prius is kind of out of character.....especially a guy like me who looks like Grizzly Adams. I would buy another one again.
Steve smith we just bought a one owner 2010 Prius. It's our first Toyota. While it's probably not as nice as yours, we really like it so far. The only thing I don't like is after a four hour trip, stopping twice to stretch, my lower back hurt a lot and I rarely have back pain. We haven't figured out how to program the radio frequencies yet either. It has the up line model four cd changer
I have a 2012 Prius Plug-In Advanced... Bought it for $17k over 6 years ago. It's been rock solid and very cost efficient to own, but I want something taller with a bigger back seat for road trips, a quieter cabin, and the same hybrid system. Everything is so expensive now, making me feel like buying anything would be a bad choice. Hopefully Subaru will put this system in the Outback soon, and I'll save my money until then. The Highlander is too big, the RAV4's back seat feels too small... The RX450h is too expensive... I keep coming back to these old review videos to convince myself to keep my car a few more years, but it's getting harder and harder. Anyway, thanks for the great videos, Alex! I've watched many of them, and you're my favorite auto review guy!
2010 Prius 155k miles ... Zero Maintenance ===> Once a year synthetic oil change $80 !!! It is time for it to get a make over Center Console, Lights, Speakers, seat covers !! The most Practical car i have owned in my lifetime (FYI this is my 5th car)
Toyota Prius, 2010s: _"Glove compartments are nice, so we gave you two!"_ 😇 5:55 Toyota BZ4X, 2020s: _"You'll take zero glove compartments and you'll like it!"_ 😈
Great review of a the Prius - an unusual car. By providing an explanation of the Prius' mission and mechanics, a consumer can now make an informed decision when prospecting this car. No longer is it just simply about fuel economy but how to get the most out of the fuel economy and as to why it is a reliable car. Thanks, Alex!
You can't put the Prius in the same line up with the accord, and Camry. This is a compact sized car, and in that class it dominates the others. Also not that Honda doesn't not have a true hybrid system. Those are more of a assist or push driven system and not a stand alone Drive like the Prius.
Excellent review. It would be fantastic to compare this to a Golf TDI. Many reviewers prefer that car to the Prius for highway warriors because the diesel engine gets 50 mpg, but the interior is better, and the torque and driving experience is much more engaging. How about it, Alex? You have great Golf reviews already up, but the TDI hasn't been touched. Oh, BTW--I'm anxiously awaiting a 2016 Pilot review!
Alex, I love these reviews of hybrids and EVs. In general, I think your channel is great because it's consumer-oriented more than any other channel on UA-cam. I would love to see you do a review of the Honda CR-Z at some point and see your thoughts on it.
Alex, thank you for your thorough reviews as always. Personally I prefer the Honda Accord Hybrid for the same reasons you pointed out. For 35000 dollars, Toyota should have used soft touch materials instead of the hard plastic interior. I don't like the instrument panel not being in front of the driver. Do you know how the fuel economy is affected when you drive the prius in cold weather like -18 degrees Centigrade ?
Alex as one of your regular reviewers I feel like I'm a little spoiled. I thought the review was good, but lacked some of the comparisons at the end that I so love. I would like to have heard something about the Chev Volt and a little more about the price comparisons. I hope you had a great vacation! Scott
This felt more like your TTAC reviews rather than your usual very detailed and insightful reviews. You have such a wealth of information and are able to cross analyze every car out there, so this felt a little abbreviated. For example, I would have preferred some comparison with the Ford C-Max, Lexus ct200, maybe a little more about the Honda CR-Z and Insight. I understand you were emphasizing the Prius V is more mid-size sedan-like. What, no Trunk Comfort Index? Grading system is fine. Otherwise, no once else reviews cars as well and thoroughly as you.
Mine drives at 30 miles per gallon because i always push the speed to the limit. It consumes gas like a normal car when you always push the accelerator to the floor.
4:30 It bites that you got the power seats rather than the manual seats... I have a 2015 Prius Persona Series, which was slotted above the Prius Five (the one you're driving), even though it was basically a Prius Three (mid-range) with a few changes... Those seats absolutely SUCK with no lumbar adjustment! They're fine for a little while, but your lower back will hurt like crazy if you drive anything farther than 30 miles or so.
Fantastic video. I have a 2012 Toyota Auris Hybrid, which is a Prius under the bonnet, and the same transmission. It has just over 100,00 miles and I get 58 mpg to even 72 mpg. If I go for a scenic drive up the mountains my mpg drops to 57 to 58 mpg. I usually get about 58 to 61 in urban roads to 59 to 72 or so on open roads. Overall it's a fantastic car, and cost's about €35 to 45 to fill to the brim.
@@camposvazquez Since 2021 I got the spark plugs replaced so now I get 70 mpg or so in the winter and 74 to 90 mpg in the summer. I have a few tips for you. First change the Spark plugs to Iridium Spark plugs, check the air filter, and check your tires regularly. Also, don't carry loads of weight in the car, don't drive at the speed limit (drive a few miles below it), going at 70 mph does use more fuel regardless of what power train the car has, and lastly pulse and glide to get up to speed. Please make sure to clean the hybrid air filter as well.
@@WolvesInferno THANK YOU.. I currently use pure copper ngk plugs... My buddy who's a Tech said copper sparks better but needs replacement at 20-30k where platinum and iridium have a longer service life I will get an aftermarket TPMS to see individual psi on tires Maintenance is good at 3-5k intervals with all synthetic fluids PLUS AND GLIDE... I fail to learn this driving style... I lose focus quickly I bought a throttle pedal controller to better modulate and keep it in EV mode and ease acceleration... Thank you again... Going to reevaluate the spark plug dilemma... I will see if I can find the appropriate NGK/Denso units on sale and run a test...
You didn't mention the centre console. It's where I found the "cigarette lighter plug" used these days for charging mobile phones. Is there a USB port somewhere ?
Hi Alex. Your reviews are top notch. Did you experience any glare from the vast area of dashboard wasteland in front of you behind the steering wheel? That dashboard configuration I find to be against nature or something ;) Also I still find it hard to believe that a constantly changing digital speed readout wouldn't cause epileptic fits (ok - slight exaggeration but you get my drift). I'll take the dial (reference) readout any day. And stop working while on vacation! You deserve a break. Thanks again for your informative reviews. I especially like your multi camera views during your test drive piece.
How does the Prius handles in the winter? Do you drive it in power mode when is snowing? What is the manufacturer warranty like? And does it transfer to the 2nd or 3rd owner?
Alex, I've been watching your channel for about a year now, and it's overall pretty solid and very informative. Keep up the good work! In watching this review of the Prius, I have a couple questions. First, is there a reason why Toyota places the instrument panel in the center of the dashboard rather than on the left side like in most other vehicles? As in, is there any sort of advantage in doing so? Second, speaking generally, what specifically causes a vehicle's steering to have more or less driver feedback/"road feel"? This is brought to my mind because other automotive reviewers, namely Consumer Reports, have described the Prius's steering as "video game-like," which leads me to wonder what mechanically causes this to be the case.
Andrew Braun I think it's because there is so much space under the rakish windshield that it makes sense to use that space ahead of the traditional location for the speedometer. Note how the Civic also has an odd speedometer design placed forward, and it too has a steeply rakish front windshield. Alex on Autos
Desperate4Attention If one's front bumper enters the intersection while the light is yellow then even a cop directly behind one could not legally ticket them. If it is yellow when you enter then it is legal. It doesn't matter if the light is yellow for 10min before your front bumper enters the intersection, as long as the light does not turn red till after your front bumper has crossed the white line designating the intersection. - It was a legal light crossing and only highlights the ignorance of those trying to shame.
I suppose that it is dependent on what state that you are in. The Federal Highway Administration refers to the two different versions of red light laws as “permissive yellow” and “restrictive yellow.” Thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia have permissive yellow laws and nine have restrictive yellow laws. In Washington and 36 other states with “permissive yellow” rules, drivers can legally enter an intersection during the entire yellow interval, and a violation occurs if a driver enters the intersection after the onset of red. In states with a “restrictive yellow” rule, drivers can neither enter nor be in the intersection on red, and a violation occurs if a driver has not cleared the intersection after the onset of red. Source --> www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/traffic/article25886749.html
"In states with a “restrictive yellow” rule, drivers can neither enter nor be in the intersection on red, and a violation occurs if a driver has not cleared the intersection after the onset of red." That seems easy to fight in a court of law, especially dependent on how long the yellow light is programed to last at the intersection, but the largest problem would be you have to read the future to know when the light is going to turn red before it actually does turn red. no one knows when the light is going to turn red because every single intersection (due to varying road speeds) has different length yellow lights, so you either have to time and know the length of every yellow light in the entire state or read the future. That is too high of a threshold and I'd be willing to bet my own money that if you entered an intersection under a yellow, in one of those supposed 13 states that even if a cop gave you a ticket for it, the judge would dismiss it. If that were upheld, then it would be as if the yellow light never existed and went directly from green to red. - Three lights were invented because 2 didn't cover the situation.
Hi Alex, I think it'd be really interesting to see your opinion on the new Prius! I'm curious how you'd compare it to other similarly priced, reliable and practical cars, such as the Camry or even the new Civic!
Speaking about lift backs have you reviewed the Audi A7? I'm interested in it and not too sure to get the A6 or A7. I either sacrifice headroom or trunk space.
We bought a 2014 Ford C-Max SEL over the Prius. Over the first 5,500 miles of very mixed driving, we are averaging almost exactly 43 mpg. This is a very close competitor to the Prius so I'm surprised you never mentioned it.
Had a Chevy Volt briefly. What this video doesn't tell you is the Volt requires premium gas. With that being more expensive and requiring to be plugged in, you pay more at the pump and you have a draw on your electric bill. It is also very light so not practical on ice/snow or even roads with significant gravel or dirt. Found it consistently lost traction when turning corners.
When comparing Fuel Efficiency, you state, "It's rare for me to drive a car that gets above 30 MPG, and this vehicle beats that by a full 18 MPG..." That's accurate, that's correct etc, but I think a percentage comparison would provide a more realistic impression about any vehicle's fuel efficiency. I've always liked the Fuel/Distance metric, rather than the traditional Distance/Fuel.
Cannot see nothing on display via sunglasses in sunny day. Big problem with Speed monitoring. I bought in eBay "Car GPS Speedometer" with big Digital Display and use in sunny Day.
I'd like that too, and I guess comparison with the wagons on the market. Thinking Golf, Volvo and Subaru entry-level options in particular. I probably won't go Toyota because of the dead driving feel and cheap interiors but Prius still impresses the hell out of me and maybe the next design cycle....
On my 2006 Prius,my left turn signal, high beam light, and parking/emergency brake lights don't display. However, they are all functional. What do you think is the issue?
Alex, is it possible to charge the battery when in EV mode only - i.e capturing the charge when going down the hill? i have a feeling the 2016 would have the Mirai look - I hope I am wrong since it looks terrible!
Alex, Have you driven the current generation Prius in winter conditions (snow and ice). I might try and find a deal on a 2015 now that the 2016 has been shown.
+Mm Mm It really is no different than any other small FWD car with similar tires. If you live in a snowy area you will want to put winter tires on any car you buy.
Really nice video Alex, keep it up! BTW, will you be getting the Chevy Volt for review? EDIT: I´m not really sold on the look of the Toyota´s since the last design language review, and the Mirai is not a good-looker imo...this Prius looks nicer, but still looks...off...
As always you created an excellent review, however you may want to pay closer attention to traffic lights. You recorded yourself running a red light at the 11:00 mark.
Lol he did not run the red light at all, it was yellow, and in California if your front wheels are over the white line when it turns red then you didn’t run it, his whole car was over the white line, might wanna watch the video again…
@@MugatuJag It's illegal to enter an intersection on a yellow light in some (many?) states. Also, in some states a vehicle must have fully passed through and be clear of an intersection before a light turns red, or it's considered illegally running a red light. Red light cameras document this numerous times each day. If that's not the situation in California, that's great. I'm sure California is full of excellent, careful drivers who are driving fully insured vehicles. Therefore passing through an intersection displaying a red light probably rarely results in a traffic accident. Rock on...
@@utuberagain18 Going 40 miles an hour through a intersection and being on the other side of the intersection before it even turns red is not a threat to others on the road, and yeah that’s the law in California. So all I’m saying was that he was abiding by the laws of the state…
@@utuberagain18 And red light cameras in California do document this, only though if your front wheels were on the white line or before the white line before it turned red, I have successfully won several red light camera cases as it is the stated of law here..
Yeah, all that gas savings that then goes to the battery replacement if you keep the car that long. I have never owned one, but I have driven them before. Its a descent drive, however isn't the battery replacement cost about $3-5 grand...?
Fact: There are 2nd generation Prii with over 400,000 miles covered on the original drivetrain AND traction battery. The widely touted HV battery failure and replacement scare story has turned out to be very largely a myth. And.....they're no longer expensive to replace, if it fails after, say, 12 years! Prii were over engineered!
how come diesels are so unpopular in the us? 48 mpg is quite easy to obtain in most european diesel cars, which mostly are faster and more practical than the prius.
Fredrik Melin They’re more expensive to maintain and repair and atleast in the US they have complicated emissions system that reduce reliability and are expensive to fix. Plus people don’t like the extra noise, paying more for diesel than regular, and the turbo lag. Tho turbo lag and noise aren’t as bad as they used to be in the early 2000s.
Somebody needs to make a phone app that compares fuel usage in detail. If I compare the Prius to a Fiesta that costs 10,000 less, when do I break even? If I spend $400 on low rolling resistance tires, how far do I have to drive to get the payback. If I keep the car for 10 years, and in 2025 gas costs $6/gallon, how does that change my ROI? Somebody smarter than me needs to make such an app!
That would be EXACTLY the kind of thing that would be in this hypothetical app. You may know this; I should be able to compare LLR tires and regular tires by the treadwear number, right? I'll look into it, but you'd think LLR tires would be harder, and thus last longer.
I think LLR tires have less tread depth which means they will wear down quicker. Driving style is obviously a huge factor in mpg. If you live somewhere with common highway speeds of 75-80 mph your mpg will be be lousy .
Your point is well taken, but I do expedited freight in a Ram Promaster, and I drive 110,000-120,000 miles a year. Over those distances, tiny improvements in fuel economy add up. But I agree; for the average passenger car it's pointless fun. Everyone likes playing with numbers and money.
Dude, I respectfully differ. The Benz Sprinter was sold as a Dodge/Freightliner from 2000-2008. The Promaster, introduced in 2014, is a Fiat design, sold as the Ducato, Citroen Jumper, and a few others. The basic Fiat design has been in production in Europe for 25 years. The US version is built in Mexico with a Pentastar 3.6 gas engine, or a VM Motori 3.0 diesel. For the record, the Benz product is a hateful, horrible maintenance nightmare that drives many expeditors out of business. They say when you buy one, just put $26,000 away for maintenance. Some last forever, but most are just money pits. As to acetone, I tried it and it does absolutely nothing. There ain't no magic bullets. I also experimented with biofuels - I modified a school bus to run on fryer grease. This works, but it's too cumbersome for a commercial application. Further, all modern diesels already run on bio blends, and many states sell only bio blends, just as they do with gasoline and ethanol. I know this will cause a shitstorm, but I am firmly of the mind that diesels are over-rated. Yes they get great mileage, but they are so complicated they can be unrepairable, and so expensive to maintain that any advantage in fuel economy is quickly lost. If you are going to put 500,000 to 800,000 miles on an engine, you need the simplest gas engine you can get. In that past, for me that's been Chevy vans. 433,000 on my last one and I junked it still running fine. 384,000 on the previous one.
Ivan Vojt Eh totally not true. Easily 42 if u feck around. Alex even said this. Also it's rarely ticketed at all. If anything cops dgaf about them. At late night sobriety checkpoints, cops just wave it on.
+Ivan Vojt I see so many people speeding in them passing me when Im doing between 67-71 in a 65. No wonder. If your going to get 40mpg going 75...fuck it. lol Meanwhile I get 25...or less in my beetle. Im thinking of saving some major money and cutting my fuel bill in half with a Prius. May not be fun to drive or pretty to look at, but the savings are like money falling from the sky. In 5 years I could make it rain with 5 grand just from switching to a Prius. :)
+Randy Sullivan Seck I fill up 4-5 times a month in my V6 Dodge Magnum. $50-$65 a pop depending on the best price GasBuddy has to offer. A Prius is tempting but I couldn't get comfortable sitting in one.
Ivan Vojt Im going to try. My new beetle convertible costs about 28 to fill...gets 25 per gallon...and Im pretty sure the stiff and harsh ride and the lack of sound proofing is giving me hearing loss and air pockets in my facial bones...not fun at all. lol Hoping to save money and my health but I guess we shall see.... Certainly not beatuful or fun to drive but I guess the money Ill save will help me ive the dream later on.....lol
+Randy Sullivan Seck by the time you've saved maybe there will be good finance offers on the 2016 model with the new platform. they switched from rear torsion beam to multi link suspension, which should make it handle a lot better. also promised was better steering feel and fun, the reality of which will unfold in coming months' reviews
He spoke very fluidly,distinctly,and can understand every word. No stammers or pausing. Didn`t even take a breath. Great review. Very extensive. 5 stars.
He's like rick steve on "travel to europe" when talking..so much fluidity.
the power of editing? and a very good microphone with pop filter?
My 2010 Prius still easily doing 55mpg and up to 65mpg on country roads. Love it.
Mine too i have 2010 toyota prius. I get over 50mpg.
@@totomu401 8
This is the best, most thorough and clearly-stated Prius review that I have viewed. And, the video is well-done. Thank you. With cheap fuel prices and with the 2015 model being end-of-life, where I live, the out-the-door price on a Prius Two is $20,644. Very tempting.
It's nice that you do actual in depth car reviews. Most similar channels are thinly disguised commercials or laughably bias.
Just helped my mom get a new '15 Prius model 2 at a great price since the '16 model is now out. We looked and drove the '16 but for with the Toyota $3k incentive and the dealer willing to negotiate heavily it made more sense to get the '15.
I just got my 2015 Prius about a month and a half ago. I love it! Even though it is not fast, it is comfortable and it is very quiet. Not sure why this guy says it is noisy. It is not.
My other high mileage car I had was a 1991 Honda CRX HF and they both have a lot in common. The CRX got around 48 MPG and also had a lot of room in the back. It finally died after over 498,000 miles on a highway in northern Georgia. Swallowed a piston ring.
The PIOUS....that I used to call them....was my next choice as it was pretty much like the CRX except it is a lot more quiet and lots more comfortable. I used to call them a PIOUS because the people I talked to that owned them seemed to be so self righteous about driving a car that gets over 50 MPG. I like not paying the gas stations money so this car fit the bill.
I am getting on average, 56 MPG with some trips averaging over 70 MPG. I bought the 2015 because Toyota was dealing on the 15's in stock since the 16's are now out.
I used to be a big muscle car fan but since getting more wise with age, the Prius is the best car I have had to pleasure to drive. It fits for what I use it for....cheap gas costs and lots of room plus a real nice soft ride.
It is fun trying to get the best mileage on each trip. You do have to think to eek out the best mileage from this car.
Like I said...the Prius is a great car and I love mine.
My almost 3 year update......I am now getting close to 60 MPG with my 2015 Prius Two. I have about 42,000 miles on it and still going strong. Not one problem with it. Changing oil every 5K miles....did have one problem....I spilled some pop on my window controls and shorted out the window switches. My power windows stopped working. Do not have the dealer replace it....it will cost over $400 dollars with labor. They sell those switches on the internet for $50.....I bought it and installed it myself....very easy.
I do my own oil changes. Get the special oil wrench for Toyota / Lexus..it costs about $35 but is well worth it. I save a ton on oil changes doing it myself. Still on original tires. Going to change them soon. Rotated them every 5k miles. Brakes still look great. Spark plug changes are kind of a pain....have to remove the wiper motor assembly to pull the plugs. A bit of work but easy to do. I wish they had designed it a bit better.
A little tip on keeping your interior looking great.....I haul steel with my Prius. Not a lot but I can haul about 500 lbs of steel in it.....7 foot lengths. Perfect for me. Steel is dirty. So what I did was buy a cheap bed spread and laid it out over my folded down rear seats. Keeps the inside looking great and cleaning the spread is easy....just pop it into the washer. That and it makes the interior quieter....a lot quieter.
Just test drove a 2018 Prius Prime Plus. Rides better than mine but the cost is a bit more. Like all the new safety features. Especially the adaptive cruise control. I drive highway a lot. Really nice.
My 2015 is still a great car. I get some looks as a guy driving a Prius is kind of out of character.....especially a guy like me who looks like Grizzly Adams. I would buy another one again.
Steve smith we just bought a one owner 2010 Prius. It's our first Toyota. While it's probably not as nice as yours, we really like it so far. The only thing I don't like is after a four hour trip, stopping twice to stretch, my lower back hurt a lot and I rarely have back pain. We haven't figured out how to program the radio frequencies yet either. It has the up line model four cd changer
@@theladiesofuke255 You'll need a lumbar support which you can get on amazon. Your back will love you.
It's absolutely all of things you said! Also, because it's so light it can be a pretty sporty car in the corners
I have a 2012 Prius Plug-In Advanced... Bought it for $17k over 6 years ago. It's been rock solid and very cost efficient to own, but I want something taller with a bigger back seat for road trips, a quieter cabin, and the same hybrid system. Everything is so expensive now, making me feel like buying anything would be a bad choice. Hopefully Subaru will put this system in the Outback soon, and I'll save my money until then. The Highlander is too big, the RAV4's back seat feels too small... The RX450h is too expensive... I keep coming back to these old review videos to convince myself to keep my car a few more years, but it's getting harder and harder. Anyway, thanks for the great videos, Alex! I've watched many of them, and you're my favorite auto review guy!
2010 Prius 155k miles ... Zero Maintenance ===> Once a year synthetic oil change $80 !!! It is time for it to get a make over Center Console, Lights, Speakers, seat covers !! The most Practical car i have owned in my lifetime (FYI this is my 5th car)
This man randomly carrying around tiny plants and peppercorns.
Toyota Prius, 2010s: _"Glove compartments are nice, so we gave you two!"_ 😇 5:55
Toyota BZ4X, 2020s: _"You'll take zero glove compartments and you'll like it!"_ 😈
Great review of a the Prius - an unusual car. By providing an explanation of the Prius' mission and mechanics, a consumer can now make an informed decision when prospecting this car. No longer is it just simply about fuel economy but how to get the most out of the fuel economy and as to why it is a reliable car. Thanks, Alex!
This is the best review...Going to buy one...Thanks
You can't put the Prius in the same line up with the accord, and Camry. This is a compact sized car, and in that class it dominates the others. Also not that Honda doesn't not have a true hybrid system. Those are more of a assist or push driven system and not a stand alone Drive like the Prius.
Excellent review. It would be fantastic to compare this to a Golf TDI. Many reviewers prefer that car to the Prius for highway warriors because the diesel engine gets 50 mpg, but the interior is better, and the torque and driving experience is much more engaging. How about it, Alex? You have great Golf reviews already up, but the TDI hasn't been touched. Oh, BTW--I'm anxiously awaiting a 2016 Pilot review!
Jeff Arnholt I
This review was fantastic. I am trying to choose between a Prius and a mazda3 hatch and this helps me very much. Thank you.
Alex, I love these reviews of hybrids and EVs. In general, I think your channel is great because it's consumer-oriented more than any other channel on UA-cam. I would love to see you do a review of the Honda CR-Z at some point and see your thoughts on it.
Alex, thank you for your thorough reviews as always. Personally I prefer the Honda Accord Hybrid for the same reasons you pointed out. For 35000 dollars, Toyota should have used soft touch materials instead of the hard plastic interior. I don't like the instrument panel not being in front of the driver. Do you know how the fuel economy is affected when you drive the prius in cold weather like -18 degrees Centigrade ?
Alex as one of your regular reviewers I feel like I'm a little spoiled. I thought the review was good, but lacked some of the comparisons at the end that I so love. I would like to have heard something about the Chev Volt and a little more about the price comparisons. I hope you had a great vacation! Scott
The all-new 2016/2017 Toyota Prius is expected to be released at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November
This is easily my favorite version of the Prius. As soon as used car prices return to sanity, I'm buying one.
This felt more like your TTAC reviews rather than your usual very detailed and insightful reviews. You have such a wealth of information and are able to cross analyze every car out there, so this felt a little abbreviated. For example, I would have preferred some comparison with the Ford C-Max, Lexus ct200, maybe a little more about the Honda CR-Z and Insight. I understand you were emphasizing the Prius V is more mid-size sedan-like. What, no Trunk Comfort Index? Grading system is fine. Otherwise, no once else reviews cars as well and thoroughly as you.
cadsux Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
What a great review. Thanks for being so thorough!
7:12 “ Good for storing plants and pepper corns” 😳🤣
My lupo 3l from 2001 does 71mpg with a regular gearbox.
No batteries and did only cost me 2000 dollar.
Diesel ftw!
Mine drives at 30 miles per gallon because i always push the speed to the limit. It consumes gas like a normal car when you always push the accelerator to the floor.
I got 40 mpg with a Yakama sky box, and fully loaded going 75-80 mph from la to mammoth round trip. People that track these cars get 30 mpg lol
4:30 It bites that you got the power seats rather than the manual seats... I have a 2015 Prius Persona Series, which was slotted above the Prius Five (the one you're driving), even though it was basically a Prius Three (mid-range) with a few changes... Those seats absolutely SUCK with no lumbar adjustment! They're fine for a little while, but your lower back will hurt like crazy if you drive anything farther than 30 miles or so.
This is an awesome review video. Very good job, thank you.
Fantastic video. I have a 2012 Toyota Auris Hybrid, which is a Prius under the bonnet, and the same transmission. It has just over 100,00 miles and I get 58 mpg to even 72 mpg. If I go for a scenic drive up the mountains my mpg drops to 57 to 58 mpg. I usually get about 58 to 61 in urban roads to 59 to 72 or so on open roads. Overall it's a fantastic car, and cost's about €35 to 45 to fill to the brim.
Any mpg tips?
I own a 2008.. 40 psi in my tires and drive the speed limit.. I get 49mpg winter - 55mpg summer
@@camposvazquez Since 2021 I got the spark plugs replaced so now I get 70 mpg or so in the winter and 74 to 90 mpg in the summer. I have a few tips for you. First change the Spark plugs to Iridium Spark plugs, check the air filter, and check your tires regularly. Also, don't carry loads of weight in the car, don't drive at the speed limit (drive a few miles below it), going at 70 mph does use more fuel regardless of what power train the car has, and lastly pulse and glide to get up to speed. Please make sure to clean the hybrid air filter as well.
@@WolvesInferno THANK YOU.. I currently use pure copper ngk plugs... My buddy who's a Tech said copper sparks better but needs replacement at 20-30k where platinum and iridium have a longer service life
I will get an aftermarket TPMS to see individual psi on tires
Maintenance is good at 3-5k intervals with all synthetic fluids
PLUS AND GLIDE... I fail to learn this driving style... I lose focus quickly
I bought a throttle pedal controller to better modulate and keep it in EV mode and ease acceleration...
Thank you again... Going to reevaluate the spark plug dilemma... I will see if I can find the appropriate NGK/Denso units on sale and run a test...
You didn't mention the centre console. It's where I found the "cigarette lighter plug" used these days for charging mobile phones. Is there a USB port somewhere ?
Yes it is in the compartment between the front seats.
Alex - Great review. Thank you.
I love my 2012 prius more because of this video
Hi Alex. Your reviews are top notch.
Did you experience any glare from the vast area of dashboard wasteland in front of you behind the steering wheel?
That dashboard configuration I find to be against nature or something ;)
Also I still find it hard to believe that a constantly changing digital speed readout wouldn't cause epileptic fits (ok - slight exaggeration but you get my drift). I'll take the dial (reference) readout any day.
And stop working while on vacation! You deserve a break.
Thanks again for your informative reviews. I especially like your multi camera views during your test drive piece.
Mario Dalla Riva I dislike the style as well but glare was minimal, the surfaces are not very reflective by design.
My Audi A3 TDI from 2002 reaches also easily over 55 miles per gallon and was used 2,500 EUR.
You ran a red light at 11:00. Lol.
He was already halfway through when it was yellow that is legal
How does the Prius handles in the winter? Do you drive it in power mode when is snowing? What is the manufacturer warranty like? And does it transfer to the 2nd or 3rd owner?
I hope you got to check out some of the restaurants in Petaluma!
Thanks Alex
Always a fantastic review
Prepared, clear and concise.
Any planned review of the V model ?
Finn Green Probably not until it gets redesigned.
Alex, I've been watching your channel for about a year now, and it's overall pretty solid and very informative. Keep up the good work! In watching this review of the Prius, I have a couple questions. First, is there a reason why Toyota places the instrument panel in the center of the dashboard rather than on the left side like in most other vehicles? As in, is there any sort of advantage in doing so? Second, speaking generally, what specifically causes a vehicle's steering to have more or less driver feedback/"road feel"? This is brought to my mind because other automotive reviewers, namely Consumer Reports, have described the Prius's steering as "video game-like," which leads me to wonder what mechanically causes this to be the case.
Andrew Braun It's really just a styling exercise.
Andrew Braun I think it's because there is so much space under the rakish windshield that it makes sense to use that space ahead of the traditional location for the speedometer. Note how the Civic also has an odd speedometer design placed forward, and it too has a steeply rakish front windshield. Alex on Autos
I propose a drinking game. "Mid sized sedan".
This is my dream car
The Prius is the best car ever made.
Hey Alex, you blew thru that red light at the 11 minute mark!
*Technically* it was yellow when we entered the intersection....
Alex on Autos You would have failed your driving test going through a stale yellow. Shame.
Desperate4Attention If one's front bumper enters the intersection while the light is yellow then even a cop directly behind one could not legally ticket them.
If it is yellow when you enter then it is legal. It doesn't matter if the light is yellow for 10min before your front bumper enters the intersection, as long as the light does not turn red till after your front bumper has crossed the white line designating the intersection. - It was a legal light crossing and only highlights the ignorance of those trying to shame.
I suppose that it is dependent on what state that you are in.
The Federal Highway Administration refers to the two different versions of red light laws as “permissive yellow” and “restrictive yellow.” Thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia have permissive yellow laws and nine have restrictive yellow laws.
In Washington and 36 other states with “permissive yellow” rules, drivers can legally enter an intersection during the entire yellow interval, and a violation occurs if a driver enters the intersection after the onset of red.
In states with a “restrictive yellow” rule, drivers can neither enter nor be in the intersection on red, and a violation occurs if a driver has not cleared the intersection after the onset of red.
Source --> www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/traffic/article25886749.html
"In states with a “restrictive yellow” rule, drivers can neither enter nor be in the intersection on red, and a violation occurs if a driver has not cleared the intersection after the onset of red."
That seems easy to fight in a court of law, especially dependent on how long the yellow light is programed to last at the intersection, but the largest problem would be you have to read the future to know when the light is going to turn red before it actually does turn red.
no one knows when the light is going to turn red because every single intersection (due to varying road speeds) has different length yellow lights, so you either have to time and know the length of every yellow light in the entire state or read the future.
That is too high of a threshold and I'd be willing to bet my own money that if you entered an intersection under a yellow, in one of those supposed 13 states that even if a cop gave you a ticket for it, the judge would dismiss it.
If that were upheld, then it would be as if the yellow light never existed and went directly from green to red. - Three lights were invented because 2 didn't cover the situation.
That means I can backup at 80mph on the highway..?
I'm sure voltage is regulated and good luck steering/controlling in reverse that fast.
Best review ive seen
Hi Alex, I think it'd be really interesting to see your opinion on the new Prius! I'm curious how you'd compare it to other similarly priced, reliable and practical cars, such as the Camry or even the new Civic!
Incredibly well done review
Could you do a 2016 Prius comparison with the 2015 model. It's so unattractive that I'd go with the 2015 model if there's not much to gain. Thanks.
Speaking about lift backs have you reviewed the Audi A7? I'm interested in it and not too sure to get the A6 or A7. I either sacrifice headroom or trunk space.
I owned two and they were great but we have moved on to the Volt
We bought a 2014 Ford C-Max SEL over the Prius. Over the first 5,500 miles of very mixed driving, we are averaging almost exactly 43 mpg. This is a very close competitor to the Prius so I'm surprised you never mentioned it.
Had a Chevy Volt briefly. What this video doesn't tell you is the Volt requires premium gas. With that being more expensive and requiring to be plugged in, you pay more at the pump and you have a draw on your electric bill. It is also very light so not practical on ice/snow or even roads with significant gravel or dirt. Found it consistently lost traction when turning corners.
Is the dumb back up beeper still inside the cabin or outside where it should be?
Inside. It can be turned off however.
very nice info layout , easy to follow and review already sayd figures
When comparing Fuel Efficiency, you state, "It's rare for me to drive a car that gets above 30 MPG, and this vehicle beats that by a full 18 MPG..." That's accurate, that's correct etc, but I think a percentage comparison would provide a more realistic impression about any vehicle's fuel efficiency. I've always liked the Fuel/Distance metric, rather than the traditional Distance/Fuel.
Joshua Bosworth It would, but sadly few in the USA would be able to relate.
Cannot see nothing on display via sunglasses in sunny day. Big problem with Speed monitoring. I bought in eBay "Car GPS Speedometer" with big Digital Display and use in sunny Day.
Brilliant presentation...thanks.
Great Review !
10:59 😂 almost reviewed the airbags
I love my prius!
AAhhh, when did you film this?! I'm kicking myself not getting to see you in action!!
11:00 I would normally say you just blew threw a red light but since you're in a Prius, I'll say you just leisurely strolled through a red light.
Sean, the driving shots do use GoPros
Can you please do 2016 Mazda 6. Thank you
I am looking forward to Maria hydrogen car from Toyota for you to give it your fine review. Hydrogen is what cars will use in 2045.
Is it possible for you to review the Prius C?
Kitikitibangbang I think he did a while ago. Search or look through his old videos.
Vikram Bath It's an old video and I'm a little embarrassed about it in hind sight. I'll see what I can do.
Alex on Autos thanks. its just that with the new version coming out I wanted to get your opinion.
Alex on Autos I thought the Prius C video was great! Don't be embarrassed. The V video was useful and brought attention to the weird back seat.
I'd like that too, and I guess comparison with the wagons on the market. Thinking Golf, Volvo and Subaru entry-level options in particular. I probably won't go Toyota because of the dead driving feel and cheap interiors but Prius still impresses the hell out of me and maybe the next design cycle....
Very professional work nicely done
On my 2006 Prius,my left turn signal, high beam light, and parking/emergency brake lights don't display. However, they are all functional. What do you think is the issue?
Per the mechanic, there was corrosion on the cluster, cleaned it, and it works fine now.
You rate the acceleration as a "C". What vehicle gets an "F"? A loaded dump truck?
I am thinking about buying one. Can someone tell me, at what mileage the battery starts to fail, and it needs to be fixed?
How are they on the highway? Like 75-85mph for long periods ?
Good review!.can you review on 2016 Prius?? .
Am I the only one who watches the video till the end? I see that the Prius can be a supercar with a record top speed of 979 mph in 1/4 mile! (17:51).
XxLowellxX Oops. That should be 79 MPH...
Alex, is it possible to charge the battery when in EV mode only - i.e capturing the charge when going down the hill? i have a feeling the 2016 would have the Mirai look - I hope I am wrong since it looks terrible!
jowowetan Yes, all hybrids allow you to do that. The new Prius probably will have a little Murai going on.
Why not use a GoPro camera for the driving shots? They look much better than the Sony
Very nice review Alex!
Will you be getting the ecoboost mustang anytime soon?
Rajat Dixit No, but I will have the 5.0L Mustang in about 3 weeks.
When will you review the new Chevy Volt? Can you get per-release access?
Brian Alan I don't know but I have my fingers crossed!
Alex, Have you driven the current generation Prius in winter conditions (snow and ice). I might try and find a deal on a 2015 now that the 2016 has been shown.
+Mm Mm It really is no different than any other small FWD car with similar tires. If you live in a snowy area you will want to put winter tires on any car you buy.
Really nice video Alex, keep it up!
BTW, will you be getting the Chevy Volt for review?
EDIT: I´m not really sold on the look of the Toyota´s since the last design language review, and the Mirai is not a good-looker imo...this Prius looks nicer, but still looks...off...
***** I hope so, but I don't have dates yet
thks,for.time.and.love.video.congratulations
Seems to me you have to give up everything for fuel economy, based on the score given...
Fiesta Ecoboost, Golf Sportwagen TDI
/thread
As always you created an excellent review, however you may want to pay closer attention to traffic lights. You recorded yourself running a red light at the 11:00 mark.
I like the video it's very informative. Agreed pay attention I am assuming it's Sunday but still
Lol he did not run the red light at all, it was yellow, and in California if your front wheels are over the white line when it turns red then you didn’t run it, his whole car was over the white line, might wanna watch the video again…
@@MugatuJag It's illegal to enter an intersection on a yellow light in some (many?) states. Also, in some states a vehicle must have fully passed through and be clear of an intersection before a light turns red, or it's considered illegally running a red light. Red light cameras document this numerous times each day. If that's not the situation in California, that's great. I'm sure California is full of excellent, careful drivers who are driving fully insured vehicles. Therefore passing through an intersection displaying a red light probably rarely results in a traffic accident. Rock on...
@@utuberagain18 Going 40 miles an hour through a intersection and being on the other side of the intersection before it even turns red is not a threat to others on the road, and yeah that’s the law in California. So all I’m saying was that he was abiding by the laws of the state…
@@utuberagain18 And red light cameras in California do document this, only though if your front wheels were on the white line or before the white line before it turned red, I have successfully won several red light camera cases as it is the stated of law here..
Which is better Prius or Fielder WXB?
The ergonomic on my 05 Prius absolutely SUCK. I still love it.
REAL ECO DRIVE ! This car can contribute to the improbement of the global environment !
Back to the rooftop! You have a camera person now? did you before?
Anthony Levens Sometimes I do and sometimes I'm on my own so I usually default to shots and angles that can be done solo.
Yeah, all that gas savings that then goes to the battery replacement if you keep the car that long. I have never owned one, but I have driven them before. Its a descent drive, however isn't the battery replacement cost about $3-5 grand...?
Yeah Goodluckwiththat Yes, but it is a very long term thing, 200,000 miles on the original battery isn't abnormal.
Coworker 250,000 miles original battery...zero repairs.
Fact: There are 2nd generation Prii with over 400,000 miles covered on the original drivetrain AND traction battery. The widely touted HV battery failure and replacement scare story has turned out to be very largely a myth. And.....they're no longer expensive to replace, if it fails after, say, 12 years! Prii were over engineered!
I very much prefer the V over the regular
How do you turn on the fog lights?
how come diesels are so unpopular in the us? 48 mpg is quite easy to obtain in most european diesel cars, which mostly are faster and more practical than the prius.
Fredrik Melin They’re more expensive to maintain and repair and atleast in the US they have complicated emissions system that reduce reliability and are expensive to fix. Plus people don’t like the extra noise, paying more for diesel than regular, and the turbo lag. Tho turbo lag and noise aren’t as bad as they used to be in the early 2000s.
Car looked decent enough excellent fuel efficiency.. Why did they ruin its looks and made it quirky
979 MPH! W0W!!
*tsk* You drove through a red light at 11:02. (-:
Acceleration a C? Have you tried Pwr Mode? 🤷🏼♂️
Pwr mode doesn't matter when you're flooring it. Maximum acceleration would be the same.
Good review... lay off the caffeine though!
This video needs a mid-size sedan counter!!!
Missed a zero on 15,000 miles/year at the end of the video. Great video though, I'd consider a Prius if I drove that many miles a year or more.
Brian peotter Darn it!
Somebody needs to make a phone app that compares fuel usage in detail. If I compare the Prius to a Fiesta that costs 10,000 less, when do I break even? If I spend $400 on low rolling resistance tires, how far do I have to drive to get the payback. If I keep the car for 10 years, and in 2025 gas costs $6/gallon, how does that change my ROI? Somebody smarter than me needs to make such an app!
***** Don't forget to calculate the extra replacement costs associated with LRR tires as their lifespan is shorter than high end all season tires.
That would be EXACTLY the kind of thing that would be in this hypothetical app. You may know this; I should be able to compare LLR tires and regular tires by the treadwear number, right? I'll look into it, but you'd think LLR tires would be harder, and thus last longer.
I think LLR tires have less tread depth which means they will wear down quicker. Driving style is obviously a huge factor in mpg. If you live somewhere with common highway speeds of 75-80 mph your mpg will be be lousy .
Your point is well taken, but I do expedited freight in a Ram Promaster, and I drive 110,000-120,000 miles a year. Over those distances, tiny improvements in fuel economy add up. But I agree; for the average passenger car it's pointless fun. Everyone likes playing with numbers and money.
Dude, I respectfully differ. The Benz Sprinter was sold as a Dodge/Freightliner from 2000-2008. The Promaster, introduced in 2014, is a Fiat design, sold as the Ducato, Citroen Jumper, and a few others. The basic Fiat design has been in production in Europe for 25 years. The US version is built in Mexico with a Pentastar 3.6 gas engine, or a VM Motori 3.0 diesel. For the record, the Benz product is a hateful, horrible maintenance nightmare that drives many expeditors out of business. They say when you buy one, just put $26,000 away for maintenance. Some last forever, but most are just money pits.
As to acetone, I tried it and it does absolutely nothing. There ain't no magic bullets. I also experimented with biofuels - I modified a school bus to run on fryer grease. This works, but it's too cumbersome for a commercial application. Further, all modern diesels already run on bio blends, and many states sell only bio blends, just as they do with gasoline and ethanol.
I know this will cause a shitstorm, but I am firmly of the mind that diesels are over-rated. Yes they get great mileage, but they are so complicated they can be unrepairable, and so expensive to maintain that any advantage in fuel economy is quickly lost. If you are going to put 500,000 to 800,000 miles on an engine, you need the simplest gas engine you can get. In that past, for me that's been Chevy vans. 433,000 on my last one and I junked it still running fine. 384,000 on the previous one.
I thought the Prius was a compact?
They go by interior volume cubic feet so it ends up a mid-size.
Lol. My car easily can get 22km/l in highway driving. Even it not hybrid. You should import malaysia car more. It call perodua axia
The Prius is the most ticketed vehicle since like Alex said even if you drive like a moron it's hard to get this into the high 30's Combined.
Ivan Vojt Eh totally not true. Easily 42 if u feck around. Alex even said this. Also it's rarely ticketed at all. If anything cops dgaf about them. At late night sobriety checkpoints, cops just wave it on.
+Ivan Vojt I see so many people speeding in them passing me when Im doing between 67-71 in a 65. No wonder. If your going to get 40mpg going 75...fuck it. lol Meanwhile I get 25...or less in my beetle. Im thinking of saving some major money and cutting my fuel bill in half with a Prius. May not be fun to drive or pretty to look at, but the savings are like money falling from the sky. In 5 years I could make it rain with 5 grand just from switching to a Prius. :)
+Randy Sullivan Seck I fill up 4-5 times a month in my V6 Dodge Magnum. $50-$65 a pop depending on the best price GasBuddy has to offer. A Prius is tempting but I couldn't get comfortable sitting in one.
Ivan Vojt Im going to try. My new beetle convertible costs about 28 to fill...gets 25 per gallon...and Im pretty sure the stiff and harsh ride and the lack of sound proofing is giving me hearing loss and air pockets in my facial bones...not fun at all. lol Hoping to save money and my health but I guess we shall see.... Certainly not beatuful or fun to drive but I guess the money Ill save will help me ive the dream later on.....lol
+Randy Sullivan Seck by the time you've saved maybe there will be good finance offers on the 2016 model with the new platform. they switched from rear torsion beam to multi link suspension, which should make it handle a lot better. also promised was better steering feel and fun, the reality of which will unfold in coming months' reviews