My wife and i are looking to buy a hybrid to replace the odyssey.

We test drove the blizzard pearl prius with cloth interior and navi at fremont toyota today.

The interior is very cheap. The plastic dash material is very cheap and rough to the hand. The steering wheel texture is also bad.

My biggest peeves is that the sound insulation is very poor. Just way too loud.

Although i got to say the powertrain is smoother than the camry hybrid. We drove the camry hybrid as well. Often when gasoline engine kicks in the car would shake (drove two, and both has same problem).

But the camry interior is simply much better than prius. With $2k rebate right now, my wife and i are leaning toward camry hybrid.

 

Although I haven't driven a 2010, every review that I've read states that the 2010 model is far superior to the 2009 Prius in the ares of noise and interior quality.

The Camry's interior is about the same as the 2009 Prius, at least in terms of quality. There are a lot of hard plastics in both.

 

I disagree.

I had/have two gen 6 camry (08 SE, 09 LE 4 banger). While the dash fitment is not particularly good (especially around the side vent area). The dash material is softer to touch and texture is not bad. The '10 prius entire dash material is hard and rough surface plastic. That really turned me and my wife off.

We had not driven the 09, so can't comment on it. But the 10 we drove was really loud especially from underneath the car. The road noise is just too much.

 

The 2008 Prius rental that I had several time had a Walmart quality rubbermaid dash. Again, I haven't driven nor sat in the 2010 so I'm not sure how it compares.

 

My biggest diss against the new Prius is the need to have the Navigation package to have either Bluetooth or the nifty cooling moonroof. The colors of fabric and exterior don't do too much for me either. Call me spoiled, but I love my darker red on my 2004 Prius. I really don't see much reason to trade my car in so far...

 

My biggest complaint is that you have to pay $20k to get a super-reliable, 50-mpg car, that seats five and their luggage. Oh wait... I guess I have no complaints.

nf

 

No complaints here either.

 

Nice to hear no to mild complaints..I have a 2008 TCH and my DH now wants the new 2010 Prius..tired of hearing me brag about mpg!!! Oh well,,,how about he traction control on new 2010?? Anyone drive it thru bad weather yet?? Oh perhaps it wasnt out during the past winter....

 

krispykreme,

I own a 2000 Lincoln Continental and a 2000 Buick Park Avenue Ultra. I'm 6'2" and a big guy. I have driven two 2010 Prius cars, a II and a IV. And, quite frankly, I have no idea what you are talking about.

The '10 Prius has about as much room in the front seat as the Lincoln. It rides and steers better than the Lincoln, and not quite as good as the Buick Ultra.

If you want a leather-covered dash, you need to be looking at a Cadillac DTS or a Buick Lucerne Super. But of course, you will NOT be getting 50 MPG.

I have the ability to buy any of those cars, and I will buy the Prius, as soon as I can find one here in South Texas with a Solar Package in the color I want.

As for the feel of the material of the dash, I really have trouble believing anyone uses that as a buying criteria for a new car. But, to each his own.....

Joe

 

I don't know why people are upset with krispykreme selection criteria. it's not like krispy said anything super negative about the car.