I'm looking at buying my first hybrid, a prius. I'm trying to decide between the touring and standard verisions. Looks like the only items the touring verison gives you that you can't get with options on the standard is the tuned suspension and the 16" wheels. Are those two options worth the extra 400-800 bucks (depending on other options)?

I would have to say no! To much rubber on the road? Bad for good FE. Get the one with LRR tires. H

"Worth it" depends on whether you want it. If you wanted 16" wheels, then buying a Touring is the least expensive way to get them. You get a few other things with the touring:
16" wheels with slightly better quality tires.
Slightly stiffer shocks.
Slightly stiffer antisway bars.
Larger rear spoiler.
The packages are different in the touring. It may be you can only get pkg #6 in the touring, in fact. In which case it's a lot more expensive if you don't want all that extra stuff.

You will have to make up your own mind if it's "worth it". Test drive each model to see if you can tell the differences. If you're not a handling nut then the standard model is probably just fine. I'm a handling nut and I find the standard model works just fine. Bonus, the 15" tires are cheaper when you wear them out!

Pearl is a
2007 Driftwood Pearl Prius
Package "B" (everything but leather, nav, and rear camera)

after having driven the standards at work for the past two years and now my brand new Touring #3 I have to say yes....for me anyway. The firmer and tighter suspension makes it well worth it and more fun to drive,

plus I did not have to upgrade to package #4 to get the High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps and integrated fog lamps......my aging eyes need the HIDs at night and the foglights look cool

I have a Silver Pine Mica 2008 Touring Pkg 6. and we absolutely Love it!
I am currently averaging 44 to 49mpg (depending on terrain) with only 2800 miles on it.
I believe the bigger wheels and better suspension really makes it a fun and great handling "drivers car".

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I finally got to go test drive the touring and standard models. Both my wife and I found the touring suspension to be better for us than the standard. It is unfortunate that my wife fell in love with the GPS system and the leather seating. Guess it's option package 6, unless the Civic Hybrid proves the better choice.

Hi all - My '07 Touring Package #6 is MAYBE slightly tighter than the office - Govrn'mt Model, but the BRAGGING rights of the Bigger Spoiler are definitely worth it! I bought aluminum 15" wheels and Toyo Observe winter tires, and truthfully, I couldn't tell the difference - they both hang on well in acceleration, turning and braking. I keep thinking the Touring has a smidge less ground clearance, but when I park them together...Just can't actually see it. Love the leather, Blue Tooth phone, Aux input, and I now put up with the stupid 'click prior to use' Nav warning. I put on a Bra, and with the dark wheels, Battery Betty (arctic white) looks BAD from the side.

BeechSportBill
2007 Prius Touring Package 6

luckily in 08 they did away with the click prior to use screen. it just has a disclaimer that pops up and goes to the navi screen. i just bought a 08 touring and the around $500 difference was worth it (pkg 6). on the lower pkg the difference is bigger since the touring comes standard with xenon headlights and fog lights. i like the tighter suspension, bigger wheels and spoiler.

We brought home our new 2008 Prius yesterday. Wound up with a red touring package 3. They had both a red touring and a red base prius parked side by side - the touring was much "hotter" looking for sure. At our dealer the price between the touring package 3 and the base package 3 was only $650.

It was totally worth it.