After seeing this slip test fail on the part of the new AWD Prius, I see little incentive to spend the additional money for this feature. Just buy FWD and a good set of spare snow tires and wheels. Thank you Tommy for providing this useful information.
Yeah this is why I'm getting a Prius Prime instead. Plus it works out to be cheaper than the regular hybrid due to all the Federal/State EV tax incentives you can get for it (provided you lease to get the Federal incentive).
@@justinf79 For some people it may work out to be cheaper. Those tax intensives only work out if you actually owe that much in taxes. Its not like they cut you a check.
if I get stuck in this thing and peak out the door to see the tires arent even spinning 🤬 as somebody who relies on my CRV’s AWD system from time to time.
I don't think Its a traction control issue. It worked well in the front. But I really don't understand how nobody in Toyota can figure out the AWD. However I'd love to see it in the snow rather than rollers. I'm starting to think the software struggles specifically with the rollers. Not trying to defend it as other cars don't have that problem but this happening across the whole hybrid range.... I don't know, there must be something else happening that we don't know about. Still, really good looking and practical car. And as I said traction control looks pretty decent now so I would just go with the fwd and with the money I saved install some snow tyres and go on a ski trip to test them :D
The front tyres caught on to the edges of the rollers, that’s why it ‘passed’ the test. I’m surprised you didn’t realize that. I don’t think it’s down to the lack of power at the back. 40bhp is plenty enough to push the car forwards. It’s just a poor traction control system. Toyota obviously needs to put in A-TRAC and a rear diff lock on this.
glad i'm not the only one who caught that! tires caught the edge of the roller hardware for grip, otherwise it would have been stuck. that test was a fail.
It's the traction control. I used to drive Prius's for a livery company maybe 10 years ago and the moment the car would detect slip it just cut all power. It's funny to see 10 years later it's the same.
@@bavarianbanshee it might be a combination of both. There is a sequence you have to do to fully turn it off. Press start/stop twice, hit the gas pedal 2 full times etc etc. in any case the Prius traction control is terrible. I don't know why Toyota thinks cutting power is the right thing to do in that scenario
@@maverick7526 It's so the rear tires can't slip before the front tires and a Prius driver isn't confused by oversteer. Letting the rear tires slip a bit would provide better handling, but someone who had only driven front wheel drive might not consider it benign.
If you watch Matt's Off Road recovery , he turns traction control off in every type vehicle he tries to rescue. Traction control for some reason does not help when you are stuck somehow.
I live in an area that gets a lot of snow. I can tell you that many of the vehicles that do poorly on roller tests, are actually quite capable in real life winter conditions. I own a 2024 AWD Limited and have not yet had the chance to test it in snow since I bought it in April. One thing I can say for the AWD on this car, is that it takes off like a rocket and you get some additional brake regen compared to the FWD model thanks to the extra motor.
I spoke with someone on New England who owns 2025 XLE AWD and he said he’s noticed better traction in the rain due to the AWD kicking in. Is this possible or maybe just the new tires helping out?
Eh, I own the AWD version here in New England. It works phenomenally in the ice and snow. I hate to say it, but maybe you need a better method to simulate real world low traction scenarios. I’ve been in many situations where AWD SUVs and trucks found themselves stuck in the mud or snow, but to everyone’s surprise, I was able to get out without a problem while they needed a push. Objectively speaking, I like the idea of these tests, it would seem logical to perform the tests as you have been with the low traction rollers, but after this test, I’m starting to question its real world translation.
@@4x4.tests.on.rollers something is amiss here then. How are auto manufacturers testing? I know they have real world test mules in different climates. My experience over two years in the snow and ice aren’t indicative of the sentiments in the video test. This video would lead me to believe that the AWD system is ineffective and a waste of money. If I were a newly prospective buyer, a simple video like this could easily dissuade me from buying. However, as someone that knows better, I think it did more harm than good in demonstrating potential. Are we to believe what seems like objective testing or an automaker with a huge research and development budget? I have been a fan of roller tests for years, but now I question this methodology since my experience isn’t mirrored. I drive far more than the average user in these conditions, so I feel a little justified in my reasons; not just speaking to be contrarian.
@@User.Joshua Roller tests do not show full view. They show some certain, usually difficult situations for the system. It doesn't mean the system is entirely bad. But it may show the system is one of the worst on the market etc. My previous comment was about the system using rear Q510 1MM electric motor, which sometimes fails in real conditions even more then in roller tests.
I have a gen 2 prius and thought about upgrading to gen 5. But I didn't like that they removed alot of space for the "aesthetics" and my gen 2 has gotten me out of heaps of snow. They really over engineers gen 2, so I still think it's better than even gen 5 at some things.
I don't think the slip test yields the same conclusions I found driving a Jeep XJ on snowy highways. The Jeep had dual switched lockers which I never ran on the highway -- only off road. So in 4WD open differentials it also would have failed your slip test. But 4WD made a massive difference in highway snow/ice capability. 4WD on and the Jeep tracked true though packed snow and ice. 2WD and it oscillated back and forth --- very unnerving at highway speeds. I would expect the Prius AWD might have similar characteristics. More stable on snowy/icy highways than the 2WD model. So while I'm a fan of testing, it needs to be confirmed with real world use. I suspect in this case the testing is misleading.
I think I miss heard a few things, AWD? more like front wheel drive. Back tires don't appear to do anyting unless the car is already moving. But worse I think I heard him say it looks good. I didn't see anything good looking in this video.
8:01 That front driver’s tire actually hits a bit of the rollers frame and catches some traction (played it back at .5 speed). Did it “really” pass that test?
For the fellas who are disappointed... after a snow storm, only my neighbors with AWD SUV's, trucks and myself (in my Prius AWD Tech Package) are the only one who dare to leave the driveways. I have done it on 10, 20 CMS of snow like a charm, 25 I am pushing my luck, as a told to another fella in here... I got stuck in 35 cms. This dude's test is silly.
How the hell does Toyota's R&D department 1) not try tests like this, or 2) greenlight this after doing a test like this? Yikes. Toyota should be seriously embarrassed by this video.
This is due to the smaller diameter tires sitting deeper inside the rollers - which means they have more resistance to overcome to get UP and out of the rollers. It’s not as much about the awd - in my estimation. In snow or ice, it would likely be the match of any awd car with these tires
Toyota is programming the car to use its AWD in a different manner. 15K on my '23 AWD prius and this test gives me the heebee jeebies about taking the car up into the mountains. I haven't had it in snowy conditions at all to say it will do better there or not but I sure would like some feedback from your contacts at corporate on the test results. Why would I buy an AWD prius again if AWD doesn't work like I think it should?
To avoid pushing the vehicle your testing whenever it gets stuck, you should redesign your rollers to have a lockable rollers. Or some rubber pads that you can tighten on the side of the rollers that you can tighten to lock it.
When stuck in snow, one needs to turn OFF traction control. (Pages 425 and 597 of owner's manual). Page 425: "Disabling the TRAC system: If the vehicle gets stuck in mud, dirt or snow, the TRAC system may reduce power from the hybrid system to the wheels. Pressing to turn the system off may make it easier for you to rock the vehicle in order to free it. To turn the TRAC system off, quickly press and release".
@@SavoyPrimeableI had an LR4 in 2014 and while it may be decent looking, but it had catastrophic failures at 88k miles. I’ll take the ugly Toyota over another Land Rover any day.
Great video! I'm glad you put the new Prius through its paces in the slip test. I was considering an AWD Prius to replace my 2021 AWD CX-5 when the lease is up, but I might have to reconsider. I certainly don't need AWD here in San Diego, but my parents moved to a cabin in the northern tip of Idaho (one mile from the Canadian border) so AWD is handy for driving up in the snow months. But ground clearance would also be just as helpful, so perhaps the Prius isn't a grand idea anyways. Perhaps I'll just exercise the purchase option at the end of the lease, although I'd really appreciate something with significantly better fuel economy. Maybe Mazda will finally release the CX-50 Hybrid by then, although it remains to be seen if they can improve on the Toyota hybrid AWD powertrain that it is inheriting from the RAV4.
...i know this should be an indictment of the AWD software... but imho, this is proof positive that there should always be a way to turn off traction control. Cause sometimes, you just need some wheel speed goddamnit.
We just finally got our 2024 Prius Prime after a 21 month wait, a month ago. It's our third one but first plug-in. So far we love it. The Prius we traded in was the C model and it served us well for 12 years. One bother with it though was the Traction Control. Our winter climate here is best described as temperate. It hardly ever gets colder than -7 or -8 C (for those folks still using Imperial measuring, that's about 46 ~48 F), and days closer to 0 c (32F), are common. However, what this means is we generally get a lot of wet, heavy snow. And it's hard to believe how fast snow can accumulate. With the C model the Traction Control could not be switched off (unlike with our first Prius). So, when ever snow built up on our always hilly roads you weren't get anywhere. It refused to spin the front wheels. In reverse gear the TC did not work though so if you were lucky you might have been able to back your way out of trouble. The new Prime has a switch to defeat the TC thankfully. It needs to be pointed out; Traction Control in any car is not there for the purpose of getting your car "unstuck" from snow and such. It's designed to help the driver maintain control when the roadway is slippery by selectively increasing/decreasing torque to all the drive wheels and or, applying brake action to wheels independently with the aim of keeping your car under control.
I suspect that it's not the rear motor itself that's the limitation, but the inverter. The earliest all wheel drive Toyota hybrids had some issues with burning out the section of the inverter for the rear motor when driving off-road. Later models probably restrain the amount of current allowed to the rear motor to prevent damaging the inverter. Because upgrading the capability of the inverters would probably be less cost effective
As someone who owns a 2023 Prius, it is amazing in Montana and Colorado snow. It is clearly better than my FWD cars on the same tires. I'm not convinced that the roller test is as relevant for paved road use in poor weather, as opposed to off-road use. I do understand the difference between AWD and 4WD as a modded 4Runner owner, too.
Toyota Hybird is designed with fuel economy as priority , than reliability and than as last priority comes performance or whatever there is left for it . Even that they improved driveability over the years their cars are build to sell and obviously it sells very well so they have no resson to make cars with performance, engagement, tight road feel in mind .
Nobody noticed that the other wheels are actually spinning on the concrete, the tires have no traction and system is wigging out cutting even MORE power 😂
8:02 actually the front left tyre got grip at the roller frame and as result the car was able to pull away, this was a failed. If you do another test you will get stuck most likely
I’d want Toyota to reimburse me for my car and take it back over this. This is terrible advertising and I shouldn’t have to turn traction off to get AWD working 🤦♂️
Reimburse you for what? They advertised this as an AWD drive vehicle not an off-roading vehicle. Crappy AWD aside both axles are powered, if it’s not good enough for you then get the FWD model, save some money, and have an added range benefit. Also if you plan on driving around in the snow you should have good set of snow tires anyway.
The 2005 charger we had could pass all of these easily. Guess ill keep the ram with a trac lock. I would be pretty upset buting an awd car that couldnt make it up my droveway. Its also kind of scary the torque making the vehicle kick like that. Ive had a few awd/4wd vehicles that were much more stable in the snow. Not ones that are set up to be a if you get stuck assist
@@jack8356but snow tires will help your front not get stuck to begin with. I drove fwd sedans most of my Canadian life and with real snow tires I never really struggled in the snow. People who say you need AWD in the snow really are either just inexperienced or for some reason assuming everyone is offroading up unplowed forest roads in the winter.
I’ve consistently been skeptical of Toyota’s hybrid AWD setups. It’s a real shame that even their latest in the Prius is basically a joke. If it can’t accomplish these basic tasks, it serves no practical purpose at all. Might as well save money and weight and just get the FWD models. Super disappointing, given the disconnected front and rear axles actually gives Toyota a lot of opportunity to make the AWD very effective.
it provides benifit when the car is moving and on slippery conditions but just not in these extreme test scenarios. I do agree that you are most likely better off getting the fwd version and maximizing your gas savings. I would love to see a wet test track test a slalom and a figure 8 on the awd prius versus the front wheel drive. Also 0-60 of the fwd and the awd.
@@BassRacerx I think I’d rather just put snow tires on a FWD Prius for the few months of the year most might actually benefit from an AWD car (if the AWD system were up to snuff).
@@davidc-l9174 i don't subscribe to the all Wheel drive and all seasons mentality. However I live in south alabama where there is zero snow so you can run all seasons or even summer tires 365 days a year.
I am curious if the Corolla Cross Hybrid would perform any better, on paper the powertrain is very similar to the AWD Prius, but Toyota had been known to have pretty great traction control programming for their SUVs.
I don't think Its a traction control issue. It worked well in the front. But I really don't understand how nobody in Toyota can figure out the AWD. However I'd love to see it in the snow rather than rollers. I'm starting to think the software struggles specifically with the rollers. Not trying to defend it as other cars don't have that problem but this happening across the whole hybrid range.... I don't know, there must be something else happening that we don't know about. Still, really good looking and practical car. And as I said traction control looks pretty decent now so I would just go with the fwd and with the money I saved install some snow tyres and go on a ski trip to test them :D
@@4x4.tests.on.rollersGood to see you here hehe!! I watched it actually, it was with the yaris cross... But this one has way more power on the rear plus TC seems a bit better... Maybe it's different i don't know. But yeah, it still needs sorting, i wouldn't expect it to suddenly become an audi quattro
I had a 2008 prius for 10 years. It was fantastic. It allowed me to travel alot and got me back and forth to work too...if the weather wasn't scary. I bought a subaru forester after that and both are great cars. If you need to occasionally go through 6 inches of snow or more do not take the prius. The traction control is so over aggressive it won't even budge. Luckily my wife has a 2012 forester and when I stole it everytime it floods or snows in Newark NJ I said that's what I need. She got a ride in locally from jeep owners and works 2 miles from our house so don't hate on me🥺
It's common sense on the slip test when the front tires are on the rollers the computer system sees no need for rear tires 💯 it's all about fuel economy.
So, the moral of this story is don't buy and AWD Prius, it's not worth the money. If you buy a Prius and have a place to plug it in, get the plug in hybrid. More power, better gas mileage and electric only for 40 miles. I've got a 2012 Prius that I purchased new and it's still running with 290k miles on it. MPG has dropped from 52 to 46 overall, and had to get the head gas get replaced at 260k, but otherwise trouble free. Pretty much paid for itself over the years will all the miles I drove and got reimbursed for about 50k of the mileage at .55 cents per mile.
Nah, these rollers don’t simulate real world conditions properly. I own a previous gen AWD Prius and the new plug-in version. I live in New England with tons of ice and snow in the winter. The AWD has performed well on stock all season tires. I have experienced many scenarios where people nearby in SUVs and trucks need a push and I simply drive around them. Not sure where this test fails in replicating low traction scenarios, but it’s not indicative of how it actually performs with AWD.
@@User.Joshua Thanks, good to hear. I grew up in NH and went to college in VT, now living in IN, wife is a Hoosier. I miss all the snow and ice we used to get. Dad tough me to drive in snow on a hill in Brattleboro VT back in 1975 ... the good old days.
40 hp motor should be able to push that car off. Maybe its doesn't have enough torque. Well the camry e awd might be disappointing with the 5 hp or was it 8 hp rear motor.
I drove one of these in summer conditions last year. Isn't there an eco type mode to drive without gas power at all? I would have thought the rear could have pushed it of the front only rollers driven gently in that mode. But yeah, not a winter warrior, I'll take my Golf R for that thanks. I don't believe that's been tested on the rollers.
Would be interesting to see what the BRZ4X’s AWD is like, and see if it is any better since Subaru has the equivalent car and Subaru is a pioneer of AWD, and has one of the best AWD systems going.
Any of Toyota’s hybrid AWD vehicles suck, their normal AWD is fine, and their 4x4 is obviously very good. Honda’s IVTM4 is arguably the best awd on the market right now.
The newest Prius is easily the most attractive looking model and the AWD system is surprisingly good. Sure, it’s not Subaru AWD, but for 95% of people this will be more than adequate.
It’s true, most people won’t even notice the system is there and don’t even need it. However to the people that bite the bullet and pay extra for this system expecting it to function anywhere near as well as other AWD vehicles in the market it’s gonna be a bad time. When you peak out the door when stuck to see if those tires are even spinning and they aren’t it’s going to be aggravating.
