Toyota Prius Forum banner

Prius Owners: Input for Prius Redesign

14K views 56 replies 32 participants last post by  hyperion 
#1 ·
Fellow Prius Owners:

My husband had the recent pleasure of speaking to the COO of Toyota Motor Sales, USA. He passed on xgadlp's story about the hurricane and how he and his family relied on their Prius, and then mentioned we also own one.

He thanked us for buying one! (just thought that was kinda cool)

He then gave my husband his card and told him if we knew of any improvements that could be made, to let him know. They are working on the redesign right now, apparently.

I know you've read this topic before, but I'm looking for fresh, current opinions here. What do you want to see on the next Prius? What should they change? Help these guys out. We're the ones who know best. I will e-mail rhe results of this thread and the one I started over at PriusChat in a week. Please stay on topic and be serious about improvements. Thanks :D
 
#2 ·
You're right, there are a half dozen threads on this subject, some of them dedicated strictly to that.
Look for wish list threads on here and on PriusChat.
The biggest one probably would be improved handling, 2nd would be more/better audio/visual stuff, 3rd would be fully adjustable seats.
Better blue tooth support.
Get rid of the lockouts! (Speed, I Agree)
More vehicle status information in the MFD, including DTCs.
 
#4 ·
Hmm, realistically speaking and within budgets I'd have to agree with Dan as the basic must-have updates are handling, audio and fully adjustable seats.

I, for one, hope they keep the hatchback design. It's sooo practical yet doesn't give the impression of a <shock> station wagon. I'd like a customise menu such as those on Saabs in which the owner can adjust everything from how long the auto headlights should stay on after the car is locked to whether the clock can be shown in 12h or 24h format.

What would be cool though is reclining rear seats. If you look at our current setup, it would be fairly easy since it's a hatchback but that would mean either giving up a nice tonneau cover to those crappy ones found on the Matrix or RAV4 or Toyota coming up with a sliding track in which a tonneau cover such as ours move with the seatback so that it can still function as a cover whether the seat's fully reclined or fully upright.
 
#6 ·
How about keeping to just the important ones. For the price I imagine they want to keep it in the mid-size economy model and there is little need for suspension improvements unless you want them in a separate package for big bucks. How about the interior, seats and steering wheel position. How about making the info available on "scanners" being able to be viewed on the MFD. Pick realistic improvements. Skip the solar and plug-in's. Ask for an EV button if that is what you wish and ask to have the bladder removed if that's what bothers you. Keep it simple and we "might see changes." Ask for the "petty" stuff and we'll probably see a color change.
 
#8 ·
I Live in the mid west and vent my windows almost every time i get out of the car. I would like two things on all toyotas a swich to lockout auto up/down and a vent button that would open all windows A 1/4 inch so its not so hot in there. Its a pain to open all four windows and if you have auto down and tap the button then you have to push it back up. A preset would be great.
 
#9 ·
This is my first post, even though I've been following PriusOnline since May 2004, when I purchased my Prius. Thanks to all who have provided great tips over this period.

My wish list for design changes would be to eliminate the green reflection that appears on the windshied after dark and to improve soundproofing to lower road noice.
 
#10 ·
DGC said:
I Live in the mid west and vent my windows almost every time i get out of the car. I would like two things on all toyotas a swich to lockout auto up/down and a vent button that would open all windows A 1/4 inch so its not so hot in there. Its a pain to open all four windows and if you have auto down and tap the button then you have to push it back up. A preset would be great.
Hello DGC, is that avatar of yours a 01~03 THS Prius ? You can lower your
driver's side window a crack or lower to more extent by inserting your key
to the door key tumbler. Just "twist" your key and the window will lower
I used to show to my customers at the time of their Prius delivery in hot summer days !
 
#11 ·
Hi all,

First of all, many thanks to galaxee for collecting and eventually forwarding the wish list to the relevant individual.

It's hard not to sound harsh when disagreeing with the majority and I know this will sound dumb, but if I could I would focus on improving the engine's performance even further. I see the Prius as a car, not the NCC 1701 Enterprise. It's my vehicle to move from one place to the other. Honestly, would you really prefer having cool visual stuff or an engine that does 80 mpg?

I completely agree with hyperion:

Skip the solar and plug-in's. Ask for an EV button if that is what you wish and ask to have the bladder removed if that's what bothers you. Keep it simple and we "might see changes." Ask for the "petty" stuff and we'll probably see a color change.
Our little jewel is already doing very well, don't misunderstand me; it's competitive as it is. Just imagine if it performed even better than now! I still like to think that Prius owners (somehow) still care about the environment and don't think of their car just as a videogame on wheels. Having one Prius every 1000+ cars doesn't really do much to reduce pollution. But if there were even stronger reasons to justify buying one, there would be more on the roads, and maybe the environment would actually benefit a little.

My 2½¢
 
#12 ·
I'm a techno-nerd. I bought my Prius as much for the gadgetry as for its environmental responsibility. I suspect many others feel the same.

#1 on my wish list, (as stated in other threads), is 5.1 DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD playback. The JBL audio system already has an appropriate speaker layout and multichannel amplification, so a DVDA & SACD audio decoder in the stereo head shouldn't be too much of an additional step. A co-worker's Acura TL has it, and it's pretty impressive sounding.
 
#13 ·
I agree that the toys are fun, but the car is still about economy and environment. Improve the handling by changing to complete steer by wire. This would decrease the weight and improve the MPG. Alter the engine to allow for high ethanol content gasoline, (or other alternative fuels) to further reduce dependency on oil. And yes, I agree, do something with the seats.
 
#14 ·
The climate control should really have a heat/cool/fan only setting.

As it is now, the only way I know to get fan-only is by adjusting the temperature control down sufficiently then making sure the A/C is off.

Even better would be if there were a temperature range to maintain rather than a single number. Then I might never have to change it.
 
#16 ·
MikeFromEastCoast said:
The climate control should really have a heat/cool/fan only setting.

As it is now, the only way I know to get fan-only is by adjusting the temperature control down sufficiently then making sure the A/C is off.

Even better would be if there were a temperature range to maintain rather than a single number. Then I might never have to change it.
That's a good point. You can turn off the AC, so that it doesn't cool if the cabin temp gets higher than your set-point (though you lose dehumidification too if you do this), but you can't turn off heat with AC on so that if the temp gets too much lower than setpoint, the heat comes on.
Like the latest home HVAC thermostats, there should be an off, heat, cool, auto setting.
 
#17 ·
:idea: 1. An increased capacity Auxiliary 12v battery;
2. Keyhole for the hatch to allow easy access if the battery is depleted - (or "cable release")
 
#18 ·
The audio is adequate. This is vehicle not a sound studio. No music or voice is ever going to sound that good in a metal, glass & plastic box being pushed through the air by an engine, at 65mph, on four rubber rollers over concrete or macadam !! So save the sophisticated audio for the home studio.

Make the car quieter in highway driving.

Would like to see a hand brake instead of, or in addition to, or optional to, the foot operated parking brake. Certain Disabled drivers might cheer and become customers.

A larger, knurled, volume & station knob on the radio. (I'm serious) :eek:
 
#19 ·
:idea: 1. An increased capacity Auxiliary 12v battery;
2. Keyhole for the hatch to allow easy access if the battery is depleted - (or "cable release")


If you want Charlie, you can fashen a "cable" release yourself with ten minutes work with a small drill and about five feet of something like tail-light wire. Drill a small hole in the manual release lever, pass the wire through it and knot it in the back side. Then pass the wire across the back of the car and let it lie on the floor of the trunk for emergency use. Once installed, all you have to do to operate is give the wire a pull. No dismantling of anything and Toyota can concentrate on different seats!
 
#21 ·
Frizzycat666 said:
I know replace the ICE with a Wankel cycle ICE concentrate more on fuel efficency. maybe with a diesel ICE option. :D
Hmmmm, neither sound like very good options considering that a major objective is reduction of emissions.

From http://encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/Wankel_engine :
Just as the shape of the Wankel combustion chamber prevents preignition, it also leads to incomplete combustion of the air-fuel charge, with the remaining unburned hydrocarbons released into the exhaust. At first, while manufacturers of piston engined cars were turning to expensive catalytic converters to completely oxidize the unburned hydrocarbons, Mazda was able to avoid this cost by paradoxically enriching the air/fuel mixture enough to produce an exhaust stream which was rich enough in hydrocarbons to actually support complete combustion in a 'thermal reactor' (just an enlarged open chamber in the exhaust manifold) without the need for a catalytic converter, thereby producing a clean exhaust at the cost of some extra fuel consumption.

Unfortunately for Mazda, their switch to this solution was immediately followed by a sharp rise in the cost of gasoline worldwide, so that not only the added fuel cost of their 'thermal reactor' design, but even the basically lower fuel economy of the Wankel engine caused their sales to drop alarmingly.
Diesel is an interesting idea and it's entirely possible that Toyota is working on a system to make diesel and/or biodiesel even cleaner. The fuel efficiency would be dramatic but they won't do it unless the car is clean...at least as clean as the current generation Prius. That ISN'T to say they wouldn't make a hybrid diesel Corolla or something though.... I just don't think they'd compromise the basic premise of the Prius to produce it as a diesel.
 
#22 ·
An04Prius said:
The audio is adequate. This is vehicle not a sound studio. No music or voice is ever going to sound that good in a metal, glass & plastic box being pushed through the air by an engine, at 65mph, on four rubber rollers over concrete or macadam !! So save the sophisticated audio for the home studio.:eek:
Hey c'mon, Bear. They asked for a wish list, not a debate on whose ideas are better than others. In my opinion, the audio could be improved. Please don't shoot down my earlier suggestion just because you don't think it's important. As I stated, I've heard multichannel sound in other cars, and I think it's pretty spectacular. As a technology-forward car, I think 5.1 audio would be very appropriate for the Prius.
 
#24 ·
Well isn't this more of a "want" list than a wish list? We can't ask for power heated massaging rear seats cause that won't happen. But the smaller things like automatic wipers and a better JBL audio (e.g. the one from the Camry) is well within budget.

Hyperion, that's a pretty good idea on the internal hatch release.
 
#25 ·
Hopefully the US COO will really listen to our requests, and thanks for relaying them. I also think the biggest change needs to be in the seats, adjustible seats and inflatable lumbar pillow would really be a great addition. A better premium sound system is my second request. After this,
maybe little changes-example-a computer display change that would add lifetime MPG, a better rearview mirror (we've put tape on the mirror so cars coming up behind us at night don't blind us), an I-Pod and XM, Sirius interface directly into the audio system. Thanks again. :D
 
#26 ·
evander said:
Automatic lock of all doors after initiating drive. I forget to manually do so all the time. Also, I agree with DanMan, the AC/Heat system is too complicated.
I wasn't exactly saying it was complicated, I find it simple enough. I thought though that it was missing a mode: Cool if you must, but never heat. All you can do right now is: Do nothing (Auto off), Heat if you must but never cool (A/C off), or heat or cool as needed (full auto).
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top