First, I'd like to say thank you to all those who have posted about the TCH. I've learned much as I've lurked on this site for the past couple of months.

After several false starts - deposits on cars that never showed - I finally received the great news last week (and subsequent excellent service) from Pedersen Toyota in Fort Collins, Colorado. Squeaking under the end of month tax deadline, I picked up my Jasper Pearl base TCH (+ sunroof, heated mirrors, and bumper applique) for MSRP.

I had never seen this color in the "flesh" before I picked up the car, and initially I was bit shocked. I tried to prepare myself by looking at all the photos I could find and even made side trips to various dealers in hopes of spotting one, without success. My first choice was Magnetic Gray followed by Desert Sand, but now I'm very pleased to be driving something so distinctive. It appeals to my non-conformist side! I like that it changes color in different light. I'll post photos sometime soon because I don't think there are enough examples to show those who may be considering the color.

I love how this car drives, how it rides, and how quiet it is. Currently, I have 450 miles on the original tank of gas with an average of 45.1 mpg. I'm very happy with this and obviously hope it continues as the miles increase. By the way, to my pleasant surprise, the dealer had all tires at 40 psi when I picked up the car.

I do not make any special efforts at maximizing mileage, but I believe I have learned quite well how to drive a hybrid after almost three years in the new generation Prius. I work out of my home, so my driving consists mostly of errands into town about six miles away on two-lane roads with 45 miles per hour speed limits. I've made one highway trip for about 70 miles at speeds up to 65 miles per hour on this tank. I consider my type of driving about ideal for a hybrid. My lifetime average for the Prius, currently with 41,000 + miles on it, is 53.2 mpg (calculated).

Comparing the TCH with the Prius, the obvious differences are size and ride. When I get back in the Prius, it's smaller size and lighter feel make it feel quicker and more sprightly. It's an undisciplined teenager compared to a well-seasoned adult. That doesn't mean I find the TCH heavy; it's just that I'm definitely aware of its size. The best part of this for the TCH is that it feels more stable at speed and it treats me really well over bumps, RR tracks, and pavement cracks. The TCH is a much more restful ride. It is definitely quieter than the Prius as well.

It seems to take the TCH a moment longer to kick in the ICE when starting up quickly from a standing stop, and I notice the transition slightly more. After startup, however, I hardly ever notice the transitions. The state of charge seems to last longer in the TCH. I can cruise in town between lights or stop signs much longer and at higher speeds than I can in the Prius before the ICE kicks in. And once I have momentum in the TCH, I can "coast" further in the TCH than the Prius. Speaking of coast, true coasting, where there is no activity from the ICE or traction motor, is more difficult to obtain and maintain in the TCH. Bottom line is that if I can maintain something close to 43 mpg average, the advantages of the TCH outweigh the extra 10 mpgs I can get in the Prius. Besides, my 17 year-old son has appropriated the Prius for the most part, and I couldn't be happier that he has an interest in hybrids, has a belief in their benefits, and is excited about driving and being seen in a Prius.

Other specific likes (and wishes) about the TCH:

- cloth seats, which I find more comfortable in all temperatures.
- no fingerprints on a large center nav screen like in the Prius.
- bluetooth phone
- iPod aux. connection
- mpg meter next to the speedometer.
- larger than expected trunk, though smaller than standard Camry. It's still plenty big enough for my needs. I do also have a 2001 Highlander for the much bigger hauling needs.

- wish the driver's window had auto-up
- wish the base energy monitor showed condition when there is power from engine to wheels AND power from engine to elec. motor to battery regeneration. This is the only condition the display lacks.
- wish climate control defaulted to "fresh" rather than "recirculate."
There may be a way to change the default, however.

Hope this long tome is helpful. Thanks again to everyone who has paved the way.

Welcome, and thanks for the comparisons!

Steve Villatoro
www.stevenvillatoro.com
“An enlightened guide to small business mastery.”

Very nice review Jim!! Thank you!!

Regards - Randy




If there's one thing I've learned in online forums its this:
Never argue with an idiot, they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience!

Nice job. I have two comments.

I one time tried pulse and glide and had a lot of trouble getting a consistant glide. It's interesting that the TCH is harder to do this with.

Also, the dealer can reprogram the climate control to default to fresh air. A word of warning. A couple of people have had it done. One was done complementary. The dealer for the other person charge 1/2 hour labor. I plan on changing mine at the first service, but I'm first going to make sure it's done for free (otherwise I will let them know there are closer dealerships for me to have the TCH serviced).

We don't have fresh air on the SoCal freeways, unless you want your eyes to burn.

Just cut off a chunk in the morning, stick it in your pocket and grab a bite every time you need a breath. I know what it's like. I lived there in the early 80s.

Thanks for the comparitive review. I wondered what the differences would be and I guess it's like comparing a Camry to a Corolla, both good but...

I love my TCH but I hate the pull handle on the door. My wife and I both like to rest our arm fully on the door panel ledge but that handle forces you to insert your hand behind the door pull, a bad mistake in the event of an accident--broken arm above the wrist. How about a simple slot on the arm rest the next time around?

Thanks for the info about dealer reprogramming of the climate control. I certainly hope my local dealer does it for free, especially as I support their "boat payments" with servicing of three Toyotas.

A note on pulse and glide... I don't really do this in either the Prius or the TCH. I prefer a smoother, more consistent driving experience. What works best for me is to get up to speed limit fairly quickly from a stop and then back off the accelerator and maintain that speed. I'm still discovering the differences between the Prius and TCH, but in both cars this usually means that power is then supplied either from the engine and battery or battery alone. The TCH mpg meter responds to this situation with either an "E" or 60 mpg reading (if the engine is also providing power), and it glides for a long time (longer than the Prius from my observation) in this condition. Momentum seems to take the TCH much farther than the Prius, my assumption being that this is a factor of weight.

Mossy Toyota's hybrid-trained Service Tech told me that there are NO feature reprogramming can be done to the TCH. Refer to my other posts about bad service and advice from Mossy Toyota.

Moral: never believe your dealer's service department without verification.

Steve Villatoro
www.stevenvillatoro.com
“An enlightened guide to small business mastery.”

ABSOLUTELY good advice, Steve... as I have definately had 2 features changed on mine, and a friend of mine, has had as well, at my recommendation. We both had the "default to recirc" changed and we both now have it configured to open all doors with one push of the FOB unlock button, when needed. We were able to reprogram (by ourselves) the smart entry system so all doors open with just putting your hand around the driver's door handle, per instructions in the manual.

I have NO CLUE why some dealers are so inept! It just makes me mad...such a fine automobile, and such inept service personel....