The Vectrix isn't, but that's a problem of the Vectrix company, not the fuel cells.

That FCHV sounds like driving a bomb... compressed hydrogen... dangerous. It's cool Toyota's already got a hydrogen-based vehicle but the storage of it needs to be improved - you basically need a car that can work off of gas, or hydrogen-combined liquids that are easy to catalyze, let the car propagate using existing gas stations, then hope there's so many out there some stations begin to offer the hydrogen-mixed fuel to take advantage of the market. So it would basically need 2 fuel tanks and catalyze either, which might mean 2 fuel cell stacks - but again those Protonex cells are a good example of cells that can provide all a Prius needs with very little volume and mass consumed.

 

So, you commented about the non real products.
I've never heard of any accidents.
Have you?

Ken@Japan

 

Well, all I want to point out is that those fuel cells are ready to do exactly what Toyota had mapped out, today. The scooter is going to come out eventually, yadda yadda - but the fuel cells could be put in a 2010 Prius today, Toyota's just got to get through the design. And I have more faith in Toyota to get it done than a little startup company whose only product is an expensive scooter.

As for the compressed hydrogen, there are what, 20 in the world, I think Toyota said? Some careful drivers those 20 probably are... . Car wrecks happen in many unhappy and unpredictable ways. I have trouble envisioning any way to store highly compressed hydrogen gas that would never lead to a massive highway explosion. Or with many cars driving that way... many massive highway explosions.

If you had to go the way of alternative fuels being put in a new car, I'd rather see a Biodiesel fuel cell based Prius; that stuff won't burn if you smash it with a semi, and it's renewable.

 

SoopahMan,

I think you're dreaming too much.

Before dreaming, please understand the real world and the real Prius.
Prius is designed as gas-electric hybrid, period.
It is not designed for fuel cell nor plug-in.

Ken@Japan

 

It was more than "I just want a mute button." It was "I want a mute button RATHER THAN a mode button." By YOUR logic, being able to mute what you're listening to is more important than being able to listen to more than one thing. I'm not attacking you here, just providing another opinion. If the shoe doesn't fit, don't wear it.

Hey, I'm just offering alternative ways for you to use the tools you have now, rather than wishing you could change things at some point in the future. Or was I wrong in assuming that, because you asked for a change, you might actually want a way to do that today?

As for hitting the other buttons on the dash, it's not a big deal to me. I usually hit the power button once during a drive - when I stop the car and am not looking at the road. I adjust volume and change modes while I'm driving. Not that it's much safer, but still...

I agree that power and mute buttons would be nice to have; I'd just prefer to keep existing functions rather than replacing them, maybe by sticking a mute button between the vol up & down buttons, splitting the Mode to be Mode & Power, whatever. Good suggestions are good suggestions, no matter what. If they DO add a power button and don't replace Mode, maybe they'll disable the "power-on" feature of the Mode button. Or better yet, change Mode so that holding it down powers off. How's that? Make us both happy!

 

Prius shopper & new member here. We started to buy an 06 last year but decided we could get another year or two out of the Camry. With all the discussion about a pending re-design, I'm unsure whether to wait longer or try for a better deal on an 07 or even a used model. Is there any existing discussion or analysis on this somewhere?

Happy New Year!

Dale

 

Don't know if it has been posted, but a very realistic option would be to have the user's settings remember mirrors, steering wheel and motorized driver seat positions on top of bluetooth phone and screen settings only. Such an advanced car should be cappable of doing things cars from 30 years ago were cappable of doing. Thoghts of comfort should go beyond leg room for a car that has the oportunity to litterally write history, just hope it be a nicely written history with ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES.

 

IMHO, you should wait. We have a 2006 and of all the new cars we've owned, this one is really a mixed bag. We love the superior braking and efficient interior space management, but overall we're disappointed with the car and are considering selling. There are just too many quirks to put up with. The two most annoying are poor rear vision and important controls like the climate control and radio being on a computer screen. But there are numerous other weaknesses the sum of which have left us enjoying the car less than hoped for. These are uncomfortable front seats, the gas tank bladder that doesn't let one fill the car's tank and sometimes won't work with some pumps, dead steering and a wandering feeling at speed, anemic heater, front window so huge that it takes forever to defrost, and a somewhat fragile cloth interior. It's not that it's a bad car, it's been very reliable, but the sum total of minor annoyances and a couple of major ones have made the car less than fun to drive.

The car is a technology showcase and has real promise, but for the little real world mileage gain we are seeing vs the competition, we are looking for a more fun car to drive. When Toyota comes out with the total redesign, we may look again, but at that time we will be looking with a much more critical eye. If they redesign so that it can run 100% on battery for say 50 miles, return to analog controls for daily functions like radio and climate control, and dramatically improve rear vision, then that would be a great start.

 

I also have a 2006 and agree with the "controls" point you mention. I am a relatively short person and have to leanslightly in order to reach the computer controls on the touch screen. IF they had simply curved the display toward the driver (like the controls in some of the older SAABs had done) it would have made it much easier to use.

UTpiper

 

I actually am surprised those features weren't part of the Prius, fluteman, now that you mention them. They sound like a perfect fit.

The way the audio and climate are controlled gets very mixed reviews from people who get in my car. When they aren't looking for them I often hear them say things like "Oh cool, it's a touchscreen?" When they are looking for them, they seem very annoyed. The lag time, however small, of the touchscreen interface is inevitably a step back from physical controls so that much is unfortunate. The LCD is a wonderful add to the car but the flow of screens needs a good UI person's consideration... or reconsideration.

As for that being quirks enough for me to sell this thing... no way. There's a lot I'd improve about the Prius but that's just because it's the best car on the market and anybody would take perfect over great ;o)