Shankovich We should go to Motortrend reviews and spam links to SG's review of the same car. Lol. I don't know why he doesn't have 500K subscribers, he 100% deserves it.
The 8-Bit Guy I can just imagine you owning this car for ten years, and when the white plastic on the dash yellows, making a video renewing it to pristine glory!
As an automobile industry enthusiast and avid driver I consume many reviews. Imho, your's are some of the very best. You conveyed so much pertinent info in 29 minutes, and in such a real way. Btw, loved the new cross weight analysis!
I own a Prius Prime Advanced. My wife and I went out to the east coast and back a couple of weeks ago and got a bit over 56 miles per gallon for the trip of 3000 miles total. We did not plug it in the entire trip so it was driven as a hybrid. There is no rear window wiper but when it rains the water doesn't even hit the rear window while driving because of the air flow, pretty weird but appreciated. The satellite radio is great on trips and makes the miles so much easier to deal with. The comfort is way way better than on our 2010 Prius. Much quieter inside and makes listening to the radio a pleasure. The gps on the larger screen is amazing and is so much better than traveling with maps. Yes, we payed plenty for this car but we are well satisfied so far. My wife goes to work and back and it is a 19 mile round trip. It is on electric motor drive the entire way and she usually gets home with an indicated 15 t o almost 20 miles left on the battery. The heads up display shows mph, miles left on the charge and other stuff when necessary. A full charge has been displaying 35.7 miles when the car is started. I know that Toyota only claims 25 miles to a full charge but ours does better. The strange thing about having a plug-in vehicle is that you can drive this car everyday and as long as you only use the electric drive , the engine never fires up and the engine oil isn't wearing out. Toyota Care includes oil changes and the like for the first 2 years. They will probably be changing pretty clean oil. One last thing to point out is that because of regenerative braking, the brakes last a very long time. We gave our son our 2004 Prius and it has about 120,000 miles on it and it has the original brakes. Show me another car that can go that far without 1 or 2 brake jobs. Our 2010 Prius has close to 90,000 miles with the original brakes. We are so far very pleased with our 2017 Prius. I am looking forward to when Toyota comes out with a full on electric drive vehicle.
It will run on just electric for probably 30 miles and seamlessly go to normal Prius hybrid drive. If you are doing highway speed then it probably when you think it will run out of juice then it probably not smart to have the engine kick on cold at 70 or 80 mph. Might be better to start out in hybrid mode for the first of your commute and then change over to electric drive when you have about 30 miles left. That can be done with the push of the EV button. It is a great car. Can't wait until Toyota comes out with a full on electric vehicle. As for loosing power, not really but you can tell when the car changes to hybrid from full-on electric. Sorry I took so long to answer this but I hadn't noticed it in my social gmail box. Feel free to ask anything about the car and I'll answer it as best I can. I'll keep an eye out for questions.
My answer was a bit incoherent because I didn't edit it correctly. What I meant to explain is that driving down the highway on the electric charge alone is okay but cold starting the engine at highway speed is frowned upon in the owner's manual. Once the battery gets down to normal hybrid drive level it will automatically switch over to hybrid operation to conserve that battery power that a normal Prius would operate on. Seems like our car will go at least 30 miles in pure EV mode before the level of the battery dictates the Prime go to gas engine/hybrid drive. So if you had a 53 mile commute it won''t go that far in pure EV mode. My wife's commute is 9 miles each way and when she gets home the Prime will have at least an indicated 14 miles left and I've seen as high as almost 20. Most of the commute is interstate at 60 mph. If you think plugging in the car would be a hassle, we haven't found it to be at all. Beats the heck out of going to the gas station. Usually only have to ever visit the gas station when we go on an extended trip. We have a 2010 Prius also and the 2017 Prius Prime Advanced is so much nicer. Nicer ride, way quieter, technology out the ying yang. I have not seen another one in Omaha, NE so they are rare as hen's teeth. I don't believe we've seen another one except at the dealer. We also test drove a Chevy Volt and we were not too impressed and it seemed the dealer could care even less about the Volt than we did. Kind of strange.
I live in southern california and have only seen a Prime a handful of times. I was leaning more towards the normal Prius 3 touring but after watching some reviews of the prime it seems like it would be great for my kind of driving. Usually just city driving so i can drop it into full EV mode for driving around town. Then when i hop on the freeway i can just use full hybrid. Not sure if the normal prius' can do full EV. Just started doing research a few days ago.
The underbody video piece was very good. This is a very good review and adds new perspective on the Prime. This may not have been the first review of the Prime but I can say it is the best. The very best I have seen.
I test drove this thing back to back with a ct200h at the same dealer. Literally out of one car into the other. Both 2017 models. The suspension, NVH, powertain of the new Prius Prime is wildly better than the CT200h. The difference is astounding.
I can't believe I clicked on a Prius review. Well played Savage Geese. Was this your plan all along? Feed car guys high quality content, and then BAM! Sneak in a Prius video. Well it worked, you son of a bitch.
this Prius is honestly the only one worthy of review. I was offered a Prius a year or so back, and was like this wouldn't be a review-- it would be a slaughtering.
As a mechanic I listen to your reviews with great interest. Most cars drive well when they are new. For me it's all about how cars age, and how much you have to spend on them during there life span. (200,000.00klm) I would appreciate if you could do a Rav4 hybrid review and how well they last. Pros and cons between normal and hybrid
Michael Philpotts usual failure of older hybrid toyotas is the cooling of battery. Don't let it get blocked, don't let it get hot. I don't think those have air filter because it's getting air inside the cabin. That's all I know about it though, it might be different failure on other places.
Remember back when Toyota sold their 26% tesla stock? They had big disagreements with Elon Musk because the titanium underpanel. Thats why teslas are not profitable.
IKR. Though I laugh when he gets angry over glossy black surfaces, I agree that it needs constant wiping. However I don't mind wiping those surfaces once or twice a week. It is a bit therapeutic to clean it weekly IMO
Agreed! The white reminds me of Apple's distinctive white colour, which is a refreshing change. Kudos to Prime designers for daring to be different! I'm sad that they're taking it away in 2019.
Dude - you just sold me a car. What a thorough and detailed review. If not for its quirky looks, this car would be the best value for the money in the world, hands down.
Excellent review. People in comments often try to argue with success. The Prius is successful, period. Don't ask why you hate it (nobody cares about your feelings!), but what makes it successful. The Prius fulfills exactly its customers expectations. It is no Dogde Demon, and it doesn't lead you into thinking that it might be. You see a Prius and you know it's a everday traffic hybrid. And it plays its everday traffic hybrid role perfectly. It is what it is, and that is more than you can say about a number of 'cool' cars.
I have a 2018 Prius prime, and I don’t know what he’s been driving, but I know mine has no trouble passing anything on the highway, and no trouble leaving the lights, so don’t believe everything you hear
This is the best review of the Prime and I guess a Prius I've seen. You have a new subscriber. You guys actually know what you're talking about and aren't testing this around a track to try and see if it's good for the average consumer. Thanks!
Loved the vid have had my Prius prime premium for about two months and already did a +1000mi. Road trip. I'm so happy with it and it's enjoyable to drive every single day. Great vid.
My wife and I are taking delivery tomorrow on a Prius Prime. We are planning a 2000 mile trip; San Diego>Nashville>San Diego. What was your trip MPG? Thanks in advance.
I worked at a Toyota dealership for 2 years. When the 4th gen. Prius came to the lot and I drove it for 50 feet on the lot, I instantly felt the difference how the vehicle felt. Excellent vehicle for anyone without a ego and no fear of the battery life etc.
Seems like a great daily driver. Wish I would have considered this over my Corolla hybrid, but no complaints, both are very solid vehicles. Hybrid technology is a huge investment for Toyota and is where they've been placing a lot of their focus on reliability and efficiency. To be aware, transmissions are different for every hybrid (regardless of the CVT designation); Toyota uses a bullet-proof planetary gear set... if you want a hybrid, look at Toyota before everyone else if you care about reliability and innovation... is not the same engineering as other company hybrids. If I get rear-ended, my family won't be paying, the person that didn't maintain control of their vehicle while driving can take responsibility.
Thank you for the honest review - for what the purpose this car has been built for. And being detailed on its level. Many now will review it with comments such as "does not handle as a GTI".
Brilliant review. Really. I think that you captured the essence of the Prius experience: "just drive." There is nothing to get in the way of the driving experience, not even a desire to rush. It's all just so competent and pleasant. When I get behind the wheel of a Prius, I care less about passing and accelerating. It's remarkable. So many reviewers point out pertinent facts. You, Geese, described the car's soul - and why so many red-blooded people might love a slow car. Bravo.
We purchased a 2014 Chevy Volt last year off lease and have been very impressed with it. Drove it on a 2500 mile trip and still got 42 mpg although it did drop to 38 when traveling 90+ mph keeping up with traffic. Super quiet solid car and while I do not enjoy the center console/dash design it's a small issue and the quality is surprising for a GM car. Amazingly the off-lease price was $14,000 for a car with 40,000 miles on it so a great pre-owned vehicle to consider and reliability is pretty good too. We are currently over 60,000 miles now and still running great but also considering a 2nd gen Prius as a beater car for my daily driver. Thanks for the review.
Mad props for the effort of still showing the under carriage using floor jacks. Especially considering most of the potential buyers for this car probably don't care to see it. Great review as always!
I have a 2017 Prius prime Advanced model. Love the looks of it and all the technology. Don’t mind the white interior. It stand out in a parking lot like a little space craft.
Great review as always! You know I just got the regular Prius to review and especially with the styling on the Prime, I didn't hate it as much as I thought.
One of your best videos yet! Not because it's about the Prime, but because this is the first video I've seen on it that is so totally devoid of BS! You totally call Toyota out where needed, but give the car praise when earned. Yes, you've done this with other cars too, but to actually see someone who is any sort of auto enthusiast give ANY praise to anything with a Prius nameplate on it . . . color me impressed. THIS is why I watch your channel! Keep up the FANTASTIC work!
Update. We are in Canada and we use KM/H. Currently the car has 2048 KMS and we still have just a bit more of half tank of gas, we got it first week of september. At this rate we think we can achieve around 4000 to 4400 KMS. Our daily commute is about 40 to 45 KMS by the time we come home we have barely use gasoline. We have a neighbor who says he drives around 30 kms a day and he got around 7000 KMS with the same gas tank. The way we see it is that the monthly budget of gas was 100% transferred to the car payment… in we are a family that has reduced 95% of gas compsumtion which is great for our Mother Nature.
I actually like the look of the exterior, although the interior is horrible. Instrument clusters are where they are on nearly every car for reason, because it works. I'm not sure I could get used to it being in the middle but I'm sure some people can. Also, all the shiny plastic makes it look like a Fisher-Price toy. But the fact that Toyota has the hybrid thing down to science is good. When gas prices go back up to $4-5 a gallon again, and they will some day, something like this will make a lot of sense. Sure you use no gas on an EV, but then the battery runs out and you're done driving. Hybrids still make sense because you can actually take it on a trip, and get incredible gas mileage doing it. I give Toyota props for trying to make the Prius platform better instead of abandoning it.
I love your reviews. The 2016 Tacoma review really influenced my decision to buy one myself. I wanted to comment on the infotainment unit on new Toyotas. I have to agree...graphically, it's not the prettiest thing in the world, and the gloss screen is a fingerprint magnet. I've never been one for aftermarket car audio stuff, but I was close to installing an Apple CarPlay aftermarket unit. However after using it for 6 months, I'm pretty impressed. Just like what'd you'd expect out of a Toyota, it's boring, not the prettiest, nor packed with features, but it does everything I want to quickly and reliably. I can't say that about the new Volvo, Porsche, Audi, VW...or any other modern car with touch screen infotainment. They might be prettier or more feature packed, but at the end of they day, they just seem to get in the way more. The Toyota system does everything without fuss, and from a strictly utilitarian standpoint, it disappears from the driving experience. It's does add or detract from the experience/character of my Tacoma. Isn't that the point of a good infotainment system? The ugliness of it drove me crazy at first, but truth be told, it's been great otherwise (ugliness makes it exceptionally clear to read/operate).
After 178k miles, I have had no mechanical issues. The lack of storage space is an issue and I can't get past the white plastic. But, it does it's job, gets 29 miles in ev and around 60 mpg on the gas engine alone
"It's not a pet project like some other car manufacturers that have just made cars so that he can fund his mission to Mars." So glad someone finally said it!!! Never understood the idol worship of that guy.
M M Elon Musk has a mission to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport. It isn't for the betterment of just himself, but for the world as a whole, and this is evident by his releasing of his patents. No other car manufacturer has shown the level of altruism that Elon Musk has shown and continues to show. This is why I have so much respect for him.
Super Jeepin Careful, slow down or you'll choke on that kool-aid. Saying that a Billionaire is altruistic is pretty much an oxymoron. The very fact that he was able to accumulate that amount of wealth casts doubt on his supposed altruism. For the record, I'm all for capitalism. You earn it you spend it how you like. But I would never try and paint a Billionaire as some sort of Ghandi like figure like many seem to want to do with Musk. 1. You do realize that ultra wealthy individuals get tremendous tax breaks for giving portions of their wealth away, right? It's a wealth preservation strategy. 2. If he's anything like Bill Gates with his Eugenics then he can keep his damn money. The last thing the world needs is yet another Billionaire cramming his jacked values down our throats. 3. If he is really interested in his fellow man then why doesn't he increase his workers salaries? Say double their pay. Or even better, do what the owner of Chobani did and share the company with his employees. Now that's altruism I can respect! Or hey, how about cutting the profit margin on his cars. Sell direct instead of through dealers. He could get more "earth saving" electric vehicles out to the people. 4. You do realize that electric cars are worse for the environment than their combustion counterparts right? Look into it. Here, I'll give you a head start, the US derives 40% of its electricity from coal. When you drive an electric car you are effectively burning coal, the dirtiest fuel that we produce in the modern age. Congrats.
"You do realize that electric cars are worse for the environment than their combustion counterparts right?" Here's where you lost it. All your other points were arguable, but this is just wrong. It's been studied to death, and when comparing cars with comparable size and performance, EVs release fewer greenhouse gases over their lifetime than ICE cars. That doesn't even consider the dangerous gases and particulates that harm human health, which are much easier to control at a stationary power plant than in millions of mobile ICE vehicles. EVs also make it much easier to clean things up in the future. Instead of replacing millions of ICE vehicles, we just have to clean up a few generating plants, or replace them with non-carbon sources of electricity.
Very good video. It contains lots of great information, it is professionally edited, the multiple great camera views are helpful, the audio is clear. Best video about the Prius Prime on RU-vid. Also, I love the matter-of-fact style of narration and comments like "there's no point in driving this car like a complete maniac...it's not about that...so we're not going to spend time talking about it." Haha. Yes. This Prius Prime is still quirky but definitely better-looking that the old ones.
ive been a sports car guy my whole life but i had a brief stint in an old prius and goddamn theres just something about the relaxing, quiet, and affordability that keeps me interested in these cars. i am in love with this interior too it looks so cool.
I just ranked this show above Alex on Autos and Roadshow. Reason - he explains so much about the technology. Also, driving detail is very important for a new car buyer.
A very accurate review as we own both a 2017 Prius Prime Plus (lowest trim) and 2014 BMW i3-REx. They bookend plug-in hybrids and have SUV-like visibility. Comparing features: 2017 Prius Prime Plus (new) / 2014 BMW i3-REx (used) dynamic cruise control: standard / vast majority collision avoidance: standard / vast majority initial miles: 4 mi / 6440 mi warranty: Jan 2020 / Feb 2019 price: $28.5k - 4.5k tax credit / $29.9k EPA EV range: 25 mi / 72 mi EPA MPG: 54 MPG (regular) / 39 MPG (premium) EPA total range: 640 mi / 150 mi HP: 121 hp (front wheel drive) / 168 hp (rear wheel drive) cruising fun: 60% / 40% zipping fun: 40% / 60% Bob Wilson, Huntsville AL
There is an excellent web site, www.fueleconomy.gov, that supports side-by-side comparison of the Prime, Volt, and BMW i3-REx. In our case, the Prime and a used 2014 BMW i3-REx turned out best choice. Especially since safety sells and the Volt charges ~$3k more for dynamic cruise control and collision avoidance.
There is a misconception that the USA Prime will always turn on the gas engine under hard acceleration. The USA driver has three modes: "EV", "EV-Auto", and "HV" (hybrid.) In "EV" mode, the engine will NOT come on no matter how hard the accelerator is pushed even when driving up a grade. There are reports that the European Prime allows the engine to come on under load but I am unable to test one in the USA.
And 5 years later, they're taking the next step and refining it more in a stunning redesign. But I guess the redesign is a bit more conventional. This is really a creative looking vehicle. Rarely see Mark this enthused about a hybrid. Must be a really impressive car.
I put about a gallon of gas in the tank, and hyper mile. I get over 40 miles on EV. I don't remember when it was the last time I went to the gas station.
I love that you talk about the damn center console. NO ONE talks about the center console. It's soooo important. Also, caps lock is like cruise control for being cool on the internet.
I just drove 1300 miles from Denver to Louisiana to buy a Prime. Trading in a 2020 Miata RF Club manual. (Side note, not fun putting on 630 miles/day with those Recaros!) One thing you didn’t mention is that Priuses hold their value insanely well-now more than ever.
OMG first video of your's I've seen I just spit out my coffee when you mentioned the part about the center console lmao! Keep up the funny ass reviews!
Toyota is very future thinking in the design. Many times that is off putting bc people are behind the curve. They need a Prius Prime TRD with performance wheels, trans, small turbo / higher torque electric motor, suspension, exhaust. Basically a hot hatch hybrid bc, that is the way of the future ie F1 / Le Mans.
Thanks to SavageGeese. Overall a very good review. Video production quality is very good compared to a lot of the self proclaimed 'auto reviewers' on RU-vid. I have to challenge a few of the statements as they are contrary to my experience. I am very familiar with the 2017 regular Prius which is very similar in most ways. 1) The Prius is not slow at all. Off course its no rocket ship but it has plenty of pep and when one is cruising on the highway it feels plenty powerful enough. At a traffic light one can easily get a significant jump against more powerful vehicles because of the light weight and torque from the electric motor. 2) The interior is not a downside in my opinion. The sense of openness and even beauty is very apparent. I love the swooping curved angles of the low set front dash. The interior is so roomy. I believe in some ways Prius is ahead of the pack here. 3) I think the black shiny plastic facia design on the Prius looks fantastic. 4) The low-slung. long, hatch-back lines of the Prius Prime make this a very attractive car.
Great review. Over the years I owned several American V8 muscle cars, but now I enjoy driving my old Toyota Auris Hybrid on a daily basis. Altough I hated the Prius look before, it will be my next car for sure. Toyota is just a great car builder.
that would be fascinating!! We have a Ironiq coming soon (I say that because 1st Genesis implementing the Lexus service strategy and now a hybrid that's supposed to drive like a regular Hyundai).
