Toyota Prius

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Toyota Prius

Toyota Prius questions and answers

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Q: Does the 2003 Toyota Prius have a gps installed into the dash?
I am thinking of getting the 2003 Toyota Prius and wondering if it has a gps navigation system installed in the dashboard.

A: Not standard but avoid the Prius if trying to save $$$$ Most people buying a hybrid are assuming they will be the least expensive vehicle to operate but that is totally untrue. Yes they are very good on fuel mileage BUT you have to consider ALL costs, not fuel alone. When including all costs over a three year period no hybrid including the Prius even makes the top ten list of most economical cars as can be seen here: http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1442/cheap-dates-the-10-least-expensive-cars-to-own/ The Chevy will be the most reliable. So if your plan is to save money on operating costs then choose one of the top ten most economical cars form the list and avoid all hybrids sense not even one of them made the top ten list. The other two answers are from the same guy using two accounts. Typical Toyota deception.....

Q: What are the benefits of having a Toyota Prius?
I'm looking to buy a Toyota Prius and I am wondering about the benefits of the car in the realm of savings. For example are there any tax credits, can I use the car pool lane when driving solo, etc.

A: well when it comes to savings, Prius is not a bad choice. Prius will easily do over 55 MPG, the official says 50MPG city to 48 MPG....I think. But depending upon your driving conditions you can easily do 55MPG. you will definitely save ALOT on gas.....the prius has an 11.1 gas tank. Suppose the gas price in your area is 2.60......now your not completely filling up your whole tank but suppose your filling about 9 gallons of the 11.1 gallons. $23.4 gallons. (PRICE may vary depending upon how gas costs in your area) you will also be helping the environment meaning it releases less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. you will be receiving government tax break. **Not sure** there are more out there but you have to keep one thing in mind....Toyota Prius isn't the only car out there There's the Honda Insight, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Ford Fusion hybrid, honda civic hybrid....list goes on and on... research more on google.

Q: How is the Toyota Prius on trunk space?
How roomy is the Toyota Prius? We have a 2 year old and a newborn baby so we are needing enough room for them as well as well as room to put our things. We have a double stroller so I am wondering if the trunk will be able to fit that and if it can will it fit anything else in it?

A: Cargo area is pretty good. The Prius is a mid-sized car, not a compact. The back seat is split so you can have about 3/4 of the rear room available by folding down one side. It's probably best to actually bring your stroller and see as there is a wide variety. With both rear seats down I can put in a couple of bicycles without removing their front wheels.

Q: Anyone have honest pros and cons about a Toyota Prius?
I am considering purchasing a 2010 Toyota Prius. I've done research and test drove it. Any input, good or bad, will be greatly appreciated. How does it handle? Is the slow acceleration a problem? I've read all sorts of great reviews on it, but want some honest answers from people who actually drive them.

A: - How does it handle? It handles just fine, although once the original tires wear out you can put on better handling tires if you like. It's a family sedan so if you're coming from a Porsche you won't think it handles that great. If you're coming from a Tarus or Jetta, it will seem very good. - Is the slow acceleration a problem? No, not at all. There are a few things that confuse people about the acceleration: A. When getting the zero to sixty numbers for a review, the reviewers rev the engine and pop the clutch (or the automatic equivalent). The Prius won't let you do juvenile stuff like this so the times are about three seconds slower than an old fashioned car with similar power and weight would be. However, most people don't pop the clutch at every start so the extra three seconds isn't there for all practical purposes. So you either have to subtract three seconds from the Prius' acceleration times or add three seconds to the old fashioned car's times. If your last car was a 550 hp Barracuda, you'll likely think the acceleration is slow. B. The engine RPMs aren't tightly coupled to the vehicle speed like they are in an old fashioned car. However, many people accelerate by the engine sound. When you press the accelerator in the Prius, the engine revs up fast (don't worry, you can't over-rev a Prius engine). This causes people who drive by sound to back off (most probably they don't even realize they are doing this). If you back off acceleration will slow down. Note that the larger of the two motors provides about 195 ft. lbs. of torque regardless of speed in addition to what the engine provides. This means that the Prius is quite peppy for a family sedan and will accelerate nicely even from highway speeds. C. Because the Prius never shifts gears, you don't get that low-gear jerk that you get with old fashioned cars. Instead the Prius accelerates smoothly and rapidly all the way up to it's computer limited top speed (about 105 mph). I have two Prius, a 2004 that I drive and a 2001 that my wife drives. I purchased the 2004 for myself because the 2001 was so good. Both are still so good that I'm not tempted to spend the money for a 2010, though if something were to happen to one or both, I'd get a 2010 in a second. The 2001 has about 80,000 trouble-free miles and the 2004 has 108,000 trouble free miles. I keep a logbook on the 2004 and it shows that the lifetime average is 56 mpg. EPA rating is 55 mpg combined for the 2004--which is closer to how I drive it than either the city or the highway ratings. However, on my regular commute, which hasn't changed since I purchased the 2004, I get from 60 to 69 mpg, and on vacations I get 50 to 55. (A 2,000 mile vacation is equivalent to 50 round trip commutes). Of course, no one has made a car that you can't drive like an idiot and kill the mpg but in general you can expect about double the mpg than you would get from a similar mid-sized car driven under the same conditions. The problems with the Prius are: 1. If you have a significant other and only one Prius, you won't get to drive it all that much. 2. At lunchtime your co-workers will automatically head to the Prius because no one has to yell "shotgun". 3. After you drive one for awhile, it will be hard to go back to driving an old fashioned car.

Q: How many the level complete liter in toyota Prius?
i just boutgh a new toyota Prius but i don know about it all point,,so i need to find answer for my wondering..

A: You need to f*cking speak English

Q: how much more would it cost to get a new toyota prius custom painted?
well i went on toyota.com to look at the new prius and the solor options are really dull so i want to know for one would i have to pay more for a color i want and how nuch more would that be?

A: It will cost about 5 grand. If you are planning to buy a Prius to save money though then forget it since it doesn't even make the top ten list of cheapest cars to operate over a 3 year time period. Proof here: http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1442/cheap-dates-the-10-least-expensive-cars-to-own/

Q: How does a toyota prius charge itself?
Hi i m thinking of buying a toyota prius but i m not sure how they are good for the eviromnet does anyone know thanks

A: the Prius has two motors; one electric and one gasoline powered. the gas motor is used when you're at decent speeds or need more power to climb a hill. when it's running, it charges the electric motor the same way it charges the car battery, by using the alternator to produce current which is sent to the electric motor. they're NOT good for the environment. do you know how much uranium is used to make your average hybrid? yes, you're saving gas, but now we're tapping into another resource altogether.

Q: can you upsize the wheels on a 2004 and up toyota prius hybrid?
Im planning to buy a toyota prius .like a 2005 model, you know thanks to those outrageous gas prices but im not digging the size of the wheels in it like a 15" to 16".. is it possible to put at leat 17" to 18" ? thanks i'll apreciatte any help!

A: You don't want to change the rims to a larger and/or heavier type. Here's why... There are computers that control how the engine reacts to input from various sensors and changing the rolling characteristics of the rims by making them larger or heavier would throw off those sensors. There are two different sensors on each rim of the Prius, one on the wall of the rim that measures revolution speed and one built into the valve stem that measures air pressure. Removing the rims removes those two sensors (you can't switch them to aftermarket rims) and you will have no tire pressure monitors. The tire pressure monitors are recent additions to the Prius, but you may not be able to find a 2004 or 2005, or you may not find one you like and may have to switch to a 2006 or 2007 with gas prices what they are now. There are other sensors involved including ones that match the gas engine performance to the specific rims that come on the Prius (this is actually common for most vehicles). Switching to a much larger rim, such as two or more inches larger, can throw off those computers and they would have to be reprogrammed. You will probably set off the check engine light because the input from these various sensors would be either missing or not match established ranges in the computer programming. You can override one or two of those sensors, but not all. The check engine light stays on to let you know that something isn't right and a tech needs to read a code from the black box. Plus, the wheel wells may not accomodate much larger rims, especially on a vehicle that is as aerodynamically sculpted as the Prius. The Prius has been designed to be as tight and flow as easily through the air as possible. You may not be able to fit just anything into the wheel wells and have the room to turn the wheels without having them rub on the wells. My advice is to stick with a rim that is the same size as what's on the car and to stick with standard alloys, not chromed rims, which are much heavier. One of the other responders mentioned this and it's a good idea. Good luck.

Q: When will the next body style come out for the toyota prius?
i was just wondering when the next body style for the toyota prius and when that specific body style be avaible for consumers in America, please list your source, thanks

A: Toyota will debut the 2010 Prius at the Detroit Auto Show in January. It will go on sale a couple months after.

Q: How long does a Toyota Prius battery last? How much does it cost to replace one?
Also, if there are any major repairs and/or parts needed for a Prius?

A: There are two batteries in the Toyota Prius. Which one are you asking about? In the US, the entire hybrid system (which includes the hybrid battery pack) is warrantied for 8 years/100,000 miles. If you are in a California-emission state, the hybrid battery pack in a 2004-2009 Prius is further covered under the CA emissions warranty for 10 years/150,000 miles. (But that is just the hybrid battery and certain emissions components, not the entire hybrid system...) Last I heard the upcoming 2010 Prius will have a longer warranty. That's a full warranty (not pro-rated). No cost to you for parts or labor. (But just because the warranty is over, doesn't mean that the item will fail! You don't see bumpers falling off at the end of the 3 year/36,000 mile bumper-to bumper new vehicle warranty that is on most vehicles...) If for some reason you do need to replace the hybrid battery out of warranty, do note that your Toyota dealer should offer you a $200 rebate/bounty on it, so that it gets properly recycled. Used Prius hybrid battery packs (such as from wrecked vehicles) have been selling for less than US$1000 on eBay. Why pay a dealer the price of a new pack for a used car? Alternately, an individual bad cell could be replaced, but Toyota dealers usually prefer to replace the whole unit as it is easier than a cell by cell basis. The price for new Prius hybrid batteries has recently come down. They used to be priced in the US at $2985, but now for the NHW11 model (US 2001-2003 model years) it is $2299 and the NHW20 model (US 2004-current model years) is $2588. http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/toyota/TYT2008092372406.aspx?ncid=12067 (Dealer labor charges (which price varies depending on where you live) for moving an approx. 100 lb. hybrid battery pack could easily add up to another US$1000 depending on your dealer and their competence...) Average life span? no one really knows. There just hasn't been enough of them failing for us to tell you how long they'll last. (It is still a rare occurrence, even for the US Prius which have been out for almost 9 years now, with many over 200,000 miles without any hybrid battery issues...) To quote Toyota's press release: http://pressroom.toyota.com/photo_library/display_release.html?id=20040623 http://pressroom.toyota.com/Releases/View?id=TYT2004062345528 How long does the Prius battery last and what is the replacement cost? The Prius battery (and the battery-power management system) has been designed to maximize battery life. In part this is done by keeping the battery at an optimum charge level - never fully draining it and never fully recharging it. As a result, the Prius battery leads a pretty easy life. We have lab data showing the equivalent of 180,000 miles with no deterioration and expect it to last the life of the vehicle. We also expect battery technology to continue to improve: the second-generation model battery is 15% smaller, 25% lighter, and has 35% more specific power than the first. This is true of price as well. Between the 2003 and 2004 models, service battery costs came down 36% and we expect them to continue to drop so that by the time replacements may be needed it won't be a much of an issue. Since the car went on sale in 2000, Toyota has not replaced a single battery for wear and tear. Is there a recycling plan in place for nickel-metal hydride batteries? Toyota has a comprehensive battery recycling program in place and has been recycling nickel-metal hydride batteries since the RAV4 Electric Vehicle was introduced in 1998. Every part of the battery, from the precious metals to the plastic, plates, steel case and the wiring, is recycled. To ensure that batteries come back to Toyota, each battery has a phone number on it to call for recycling information and dealers are paid a $200 "bounty" for each battery. However, the Prius' 12v accessory battery (like every other car has) is used to power the accessories (lights, fans, radio, alarm, etc.) and the computers. Unlike other cars' 12v accessory batteries, though, it is not used to start the car (so it is physically smaller and therefore easier to drain), but it does start the computers. The computers open a relay that hooks up the 200+v hybrid traction battery, and it is really the hybrid traction battery that starts the gasoline engine (using an electric motor). It is possible to drain the 12v accessory battery (leave the headlights on overnight, leave the car undriven for over 2 weeks, etc.), just like on any other car. With age (5+ years, usually) or repeated drainings/misuse, you'll probably need to replace it eventually. AGM style, small physical size, and odd posts, mean that you'll probably have to go to the dealer, $150 - $300 (depending if you need an adapter). there's a lot of myth, urban legend, and misinformation out there on hybrid vehicle batteries and vehicle production, thanks to a flawed marketing paper by CNW and a poo

Q: Does the Toyota Prius really pollute more that it saves?
I heard that the Prius' battery or something causes more environmental harm than helping it, and that the Hummer is more cost/waste efficient that the Prius. Is this true?

A: Utterly false. That allegation was brought forth by CNW Marketing (who markets for GM no less, so there is an ulterior motive to plug the Hummer and bash the Prius), which has been repeatedly discredited. They cited pollution around the Sudbury nickel mines in Ontario Canada, but that plant had been polluting the environment for 30 years before the first Prius ever came onto the market. Consider this: The U.S and Canadian governments use more nickel to mint its coins every year than Toyota uses to make Prius batteries. Yet nobody is screaming bloody murder about how your coins are causing environmental harm. How about the aircraft jet engines, which needs high-temperature nickel alloys by the ton for its compressor fan blades, or nickel stainless steel by the ton for building construction? The amount of nickel used in all the Priuses made to date is miniscule compared to all the other uses for Nickel. The CNW Marketing report has been refuted by organizations like the Argonne National Laboratory and the Pacific Institute. It's not worth the paper it's printed on. Funny that years after CNW came out with their tissue of marketing lies, their client GM decided to jump on the hybrid bandwagon with their 2-mode hybrid system that cost a billion dollars to develop.

Q: How many batteries are used in the Toyota Prius Hybrid? What is the battery voltage and current at start up?
Are the Prius batteries made with conventional lead plates and sulfuric acid with multiple cells rated at about 2 volts per cell?

A: Which model Prius? NHW10, NHW11, or NHW20? Which battery? The 12v accessory battery is a standard conventional lead-acid battery, but it is an AGM about the size of a motorcycle battery. It is only used to power the computers and run the accessories (radio, clock, fans, etc.). Once the computers are on, they flip a relay which connects up the hybrid traction battery. The hybrid traction battery is what starts the gasoline engine through one of the electric motor-generators, and also provides power for electric propulsion. The hybrid traction battery is NiMH (nickel-metal hydride), NOT lead-acid. They are built by Panasonic EV Energy Corp. in Japan: http://www.peve.jp/e/shouhin.html The differences in the battery pack designs and voltages are highlighted on this page: http://john1701a.com/prius/prius-history.htm#Generations The author calls the NHW10 model the "Original," the NHW11 model the Classic, and the current NHW20 model the "Iconic." You may want to read more through the Toyota training document "Hybrid03 High-Voltage battery.pdf" found at http://www.autoshop101.com/autoshop15.html#Hybrid For the NHW11 and NHW20 Prius (the models sold internationally), the hybrid battery pack is comprised of many prismatic modules (28 or more). Each prismatic module is made up of six 1.2V individual NiMH cells, so each module is 7.2V. Toyota is experimenting with lithium-ion LiO packs for future Prius releases, but none are commercially on the market yet...

Q: Highway driving experience on Toyota Prius?
How does the Toyota Prius rate against other cars in terms on road-noise, stability and acceleration while driving on freeways and long distance drives. Does it have enuff power to merge quickly or accelerate swiftly for overtaking traffic on single lane roads at 65 mph.

A: I find it to be the most pleasant driving experience I've ever had, and enough power is available for all normal driving conditions. If you "just drive it" as you would any other car, but avoiding very fast movements on the pedals, you'll find it to be incredibly smooth. No jarring gear changes, and power instantly available whenever you want it. Peak acceleration is available instantly at any time, without having to wait around for a gear change, and for the initial part of the acceleration, it doesn't even need to wait for extra fuel to reach the engine for an initial burst of power, as this is instantly available from the electric motors + battery. Other cars may have higher peak acceleration once they get there, but by the time they've waited for a gear change and for the engine to respond to the extra demand, they have a bit of catching up to do. Generally the performance of the its 1.5 litre petrol engine + 50 kW electric motor is considered to be about equivalent to a regular 2.0 litre diesel car of a similar size.

Q: Does a Toyota Prius qualify as a certified Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV)?
I just noticed that in the HOV lane there is a sign that says that Certified AFV's are OK. Does this mean that my mom, who drives a Toyota Prius, could drive in the HOV lane when she's by herself?

A: Depends on the state, and it depends on which hybrid, but typically you'd have to apply for, receive, and apply the state's HOV stickers or a special license plate to your hybrid car in order to use the HOV lanes without the required number of passengers. http://go.ucsusa.org/hybridcenter/incentives.cfm and look to the "Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV)" column at http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/progs/tech_matrx.php AZ: Honda Insight, Honda Civic Hybrid, and Toyota Prius, with special license plate CA: Honda Insight, Honda Civic Hybrid, and Toyota Prius, with special stickers (stickers have run out, so the only way to get the stickers is to buy a used hybrid with them!) CO: with special permit and transponder FL: with special sticker GA: with special license plate NJ: Ford Escape Hybrid, Mazda Tribute Hybrid, Toyota Prius, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Honda Insight, Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Accord Hybrid, and Lexus RX 400h on the NJ Turnpike's HOV lanes NY: with special sticker on the LIE TN: new for 2009! with special sticker UT: with special license plates VA: with special license plates Of course, if you have the required number of passengers, you can drive in the carpool (HOV) lanes. Otherwise, you need that state's special license/sticker first.

Q: How do you fold down the back seats in the toyota prius liftback?
Also, do you think i'll be able to fit two bike boxes into the prius with the seats down (the boxes are each 52x29x9 inches)?

A: There is a button on the top outside of the seat, press it and fold the seat dow,. I do not have a Prius here to mesure and see if the box will fit sorry.