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Pricing is not yet available but the list of options is. (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19502)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2010_Toyota_Prius-III_2.jpgSean Welch - CleanMPG (http://www.cleanmpg.com) - Feb 11, 2009

Is anyone else drooling? --Ed.

The complete list of options is quite impressive. Have a look! They offer a broad range of configurations for owners who desire anything from basic to luxurious appointments. With plenty of interior volume, comfortable seating, improvements in fuel economy, and vastly improved ergonomics for the driver, what's not to like?

You can find more details and impressions from the Detroit Auto Show here (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=180469#post180469), but now you can decide what configuration you'd prefer, in anticipation of the test drive you are waiting for. What configuration tickles your fancy?

Models


Prius II (model 1223): Standard equipment includes AM/FM/CD with WMA/MP3 playback capability, auxiliary audio jack, remote keyless entry, driver door Smart Key System, power door locks and power windows with auto up/down control, cruise control, tilt/telescopic steering wheel, driver seat vertical adjust, Push Button Start, electronic shift lever, 60/40 split fold down rear seats, Touch Tracer Display, Front, side, curtain, and driver knee airbags, 4-wheel disc brakes, STAR® Safety System, active front headrests, EV/Eco/Power modes, Multi-Information Display, 15” alloy wheels with wheel covers, halogen headlamps, rear wiper, heated outside mirrors
Prius III (mode 1225): Prius II equipment, plus JBL® AM/FM/6-CD changer with Bluetooth® hands free capability, integrated XM Satellite radio, and eight speakers
Prius IV (model 1227): Prius III equipment, plus leather trimmed seats and steering wheel, heated front seats, power driver lumbar support, 3-Door Smart Key, illuminated entry, Plasmacluster™, and autodimming rearview mirror with Homelink®
Prius V (model 1229): Prius IV equipment, plus 17” alloy wheels, LED headlamps with washers, and foglamps

Available Packages


Navigation Package: Voice-activated navigation system and backup monitor (available on Prius III, IV, and V)
Solar Roof Package: Tilt-slide moonroof with solar powered ventilation system and remote air-conditioning system, and voice-activated navigation system and backup monitor (available on Prius III and IV)
Advanced Technology Package: Lane Keep Assist, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Pre-Collision System, Intelligent Parking Assist, and voice-activated navigation system and backup monitor (available on Prius V)

Some notes of interest:


What of the Prius I model? Stay tuned, but it is not available at launch timing.
There are 10 possible ways to configure the 2010 Prius (excluding colors of course)
“Silver” = Prius III, “Gold” = Prius IV with Solar Roof Package, and “Platinum” = Prius V with Adv. Tech Package.
No Solar Roof is available with LEDs/fogs or Adv Tech Package (weight and engineering challenges prevent this configuration)
The Safety Connect service will not be available until Fall ‘09

Is anyone else drooling? --Ed.

Chronic Prius Envy.

Solar Roof Package: Tilt-slide moonroof with solar powered ventilation system and remote air-conditioning system, and voice-activated navigation system and backup monitor (available on Prius III and IV)
Advanced Technology Package: Lane Keep Assist, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Pre-Collision System, Intelligent Parking Assist, and voice-activated navigation system and backup monitor (available on Prius V)

[...]
Some notes of interest:

What of the Prius I model? Stay tuned, but it is not available at launch timing.
No Solar Roof is available with LEDs/fogs or Adv Tech Package (weight and engineering challenges prevent this configuration)


:mad: about incompatibility between Solr Roof and Lane Keep Assist, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Pre-Collision System. The Advanced Technology Package may have my preference, if money isn't a problem.

Could the Prius I be a trimmed version to go against the Insight II ? ;)

Denis.

Could the Prius I be a trimmed version to go against the Insight II ? ;)

That would be sweet, for me. But I doubt they can get the price down there with the 2010. I think they may strip the 2009 down for that contest.

P-III for me, but the P-IV's heated seats can be tempting for those below-0 mornings in the mountains.
All available packages are nicely equipped. From what I'm reading above, all that's missing is the Yuppie Button. :D

I hate how they always just leave a few items short of what you really want on a car. In the Prius, the backup camera is nice and useful. Auto dimming rear view mirrors are so very convenient. Alot of other stuff isn't really required, but this "Advanced Technology Package" sounds like stuff that should be standard equipment. I mean if the tech already exits, why not put it on every car? Cause they can charge $2k for this package that's not worth that much.

I remember back when I was looking for a car in 2003, some of the one's I looked at didn't include ABS unless you opted for some sort of premium package.

I'm just trying to say, wtf is the point in having safety options optional? Is there anyone who wouldn't want a lane assist feature, and radar cruise control so they can avoid an accident?

There's a nice bundle of safety features in the base (II) model. They'll charge extra for a while until these new features are similarly ubiquitous.

It's already safer than my preferred vehicle (bicycle).

To a point, I prefer the simplicity of fewer features. Less energy demand = more FE. Fewer features = more chance to avoid the stealership service center.

Prius II would be PLENTY for me.

Funny how I always feel like the snob when we're discussing 5-door entry level hatchbacks, preferring the trim level of the Fit to the Yaris or Aveo ... but when it comes to more upmarket cars like the Prius, I feel like a cheapskate wanting the most stripped down model. Safety's important, but in terms of convenience features all I've ever REALLY wanted is A/C, power windows and locks, a headlight warning buzzer and a decent stereo in which I can play MY music (which these days means an aux or iPod jack). Having once had heated seats, I can say I sure wouldn't mind them, but I'm not willing to step up 2 trim levels to get them (especially since they come with leather seats, which I dislike).

My guess is even the Prius I would be just fine for me, except that what automakers usually do is leave off the aux input jack on the sound system at the base level.

Really ticks me off to be forced to spend an extra $2k just so I can plug in my iPod without buying a (possibly superior, but vastly more theft-prone) aftermarket system.

It's already safer than my preferred vehicle (bicycle).Not necessarily. Among adult riders, bicycling incurs about the same rate of serious injuries and fatalities per mile as driving (and 1/3 of the rate per hour).

When you eliminate the most risky activities (each of which alone accounts for half or more of all bike fatalities):
- riding/driving while inebriated,
- riding/driving without a helmet/seatbelt,
- riding at night without lights, or
- riding the wrong way/on the wrong side of the road;

then bicycling becomes substantially safer than driving. Yes, you might feel safer with a steel cage around you, but that's the same false sense of security that most Americans feel in giant SUVs. At bike speeds you have many times the ability to avoid collisions than you do at car speeds, and crashes at those speeds are rarely serious. The scenario most feared by novice cyclists -- getting "run over" from behind -- only accounts for 3% of fatalities, just going to show how wrong our intuitions about safety can be.

Sorry for the OT rant, and I know you may already know this since you said it's your preferred mode, but I try to point it out whenever I can. I can't tell you how often people tell me to "ride safe" or "be careful out there" when they know I'm going to be on my bike. I always respond "you too" because driving is at least as dangerous as cycling.

Also, remember that even if cycling were more "dangerous", it would still result in a net increase in average life expectancy due to the health benefits.

i'm just wondering what some of the pro's in here will get for mileage out of this sweet thing.Does'nt really matter how you trick it out it.

I wait anxiously for the pricing. That's what will make or break this car.

I'm just wondering if I can swap out my Prius II seats for more comfortable, more adjustable Prius III seats. They did improve the seats, right?

Harry

I'm just wondering if I can swap out my Prius II seats for more comfortable, more adjustable Prius III seats. They did improve the seats, right?

Harry

It did say driver side vertical adjustment. For me that solves the biggest problem.

P-II with backup camera is what I want. But that seems to require paying for P-III + Nav.

But there will be no decision until Wayne reports his driving test (about March 25?), and pricing is out. I'm expecting Honda and Toyota to set the Insight / 2009 Prius / 2010 Prius price differentials just right to make my decision difficult.

I hate how they always just leave a few items short of what you really want on a car. In the Prius, the backup camera is nice and useful. Auto dimming rear view mirrors are so very convenient. Alot of other stuff isn't really required, but this "Advanced Technology Package" sounds like stuff that should be standard equipment. I mean if the tech already exits, why not put it on every car? Cause they can charge $2k for this package that's not worth that much.



I'd always rather have the option to not get the stuff that is nice, but not essential, and save a little extra, all else being equal.

...Is there anyone who wouldn't want a lane assist feature, and radar cruise control so they can avoid an accident?

How have reviews of these features been on other cars? Do any readers here have direct experience?

I want to know how well Lane Keeping Assist works on urban Pacific Northwest roads before consenting to pay for it. With the many road construction projects and realignments around here, it is very easy to get confused by original pavement seams going one direction, established pavement ruts going another, glue spots from just-removed temporary turtles or ground-off temporary stripes going a third, and the fresh new real lane going a fourth direction. In heavy rain, the (incorrect) #3 markings are by far the most visible. The last thing I need is an LKA device locking on to the wrong markings and issuing a confusing warning.

I wish they had a max greenie package with no frivolous electronics except for the solar roof. If I could, I'd opt for the Prius II or I package and add the solar roof. As it stands you have to step up to the Prius III to get the solar roof. :rolleyes:

I think there are a couple of pure marketing strategies at work here. One is putting out on the street all the goodies, bells and whistles so each of us will be tempted to select a package "we would buy", like many have done here:) So that when the pricing is announced the product is pretty much pre-sold. The second is, in order for hybrid cars to sell, they have to go mainstream. This means they have to offer all the amenities an average buyer will want in a typical car. By the way I'm drooling too.

Didn't anyone tell them that Car Name+Roman Numeral is how we have beenkeeping track of the different gererations, or did they do this on purpose to mess with us?

I'm just wondering if I can swap out my Prius II seats for more comfortable, more adjustable Prius III seats. They did improve the seats, right?
Harry

It depends on what your problem is. The seats themselves are definitely better, with the available lumbar support as well much better side bolsters. So your rear end and back will be happier.

The seat height adjustment works well. I can find a good position for my 6'2" frame. But here's the catch: it **only** works because there is a tilt/telescopic steering wheel. When I pulled it all the way toward me I was comfortable. That corresponds to an inch or two closer to my body than the steering wheel in my 2G Prius.

Which brings us to the punch line. I improved my driver's seat last summer by adjusting the frame to make it lower and more bucket-like. Now I have thigh support and my head is low enough that I can see traffic lights and such. That was a BIG improvement...it's actually a nice place to sit now. But the steering wheel is still too far away from me. To fix that we either need to transplant the telescopic wheel adjustment or buy the new car. Or buy something else, as Wayne mentioned that the new driving position still isn't right from his perspective.

why not put it on every car? Cause they can charge $2k for this package that's not worth that much. . . .

I'm just trying to say, wtf is the point in having safety options optional?

The prime directive for Toyota, or any other corporation, is to make money and return shareholder value. Everything else is secondary to that. I'm sure they're looking to advertise the new Prius with as low a MSRP as possible then bulk them up with enough options to actually make some money. Car makers, including Toyota, have been following this model for years.

What Kacey said. Did they seriously assign a series of roman
numeral trim levels??! After the community has been talking
about the gen II vs gen III for MONTHS??! We need to come up with
a distinctive differentiation and seed it into the "internet
meme" hopper ASAP, or this is going to get ugly.
.
_H*

Shirt sizes? S, M, L, XL, and "American" sized Prius III's? :p