Toyota Prius v 2012Change

Awesome drive, great on gas, very comfy in the back seats with the back and forth sliding seats, and the fold down back seats

We examined the different options and decided to go with the Touring, because of all the additional features. The extra money added a lot of value to the ride.
- So far the collision detection system saved my car 2 times. This system detects the danger and could start to break before you and will enhance the breaking power while strengthening the front set belts.
- But what I like the most is the cruise control with radar. That allows you to maintain a minimum distance (3 different settings in fact) with respect to the car in front of you. Once I drove from Ottawa to Toronto without touching the accelerator or the break... the car was doing everything on its own, until I reached some traffic below 40km and then the system disengaged.
- This model has a Power Button; when you need to accelerate quickly you just press the button and this car gives you the feel of a plane take off.
- The car also can do the parallel parking for you but is will require a bit more space than what I can use when I do it myself. It has a kind of invisible clutch to switch on electric: when you run below 50km on a flat or going down road, releasing the accelerator and reapplying gently will switch to electric. When I am stuck with traffic, I can switch and say electric when accelerating slowly.
- When you bring down the back seats the space you get for transport is amazing.
- The back camera is terrific with lines telling you where you will be as you turn, warning you of the risks of collision etc. The back view is so good and clear, when the camera is clean of course, that most of the time I prefer to park backing up.
The only issue was with the blind spots because of the higher back. I added a small blind spot mirror I found at Canadian Tire and that was enough to make a big difference.

We bought our Prius V new in 2012. The best part of this car is the fuel economy. We very seldom get worse than 6L/100km and can achieve 5L/100km babying it but there really is no major increase in fuel consumption by driving it fast. This is better milage than a Smart car! Try not Smart. The second best attribute is the democratic comfort of all 5 passengers accentuated by a dash board visible from all seats. Having only 4 passengers gives the back seat a very comfortable centre armrest. The back seats also slide back and forth for more legroom or cargo depending and tilt for a restful position. The panoramic sunroof is also especially great for a luxury feel for passengers in the back.

After owning this car and seeing how smart a car is to automatically turn off the engine when it is not needed (coasting, slow acceleration, stopped in traffic, breaking, etc.) is an innovation that is worth the initial cost if not in terms of gas savings but in terms of reducing pollution, smog, and noise. Lots of companies have hybrid models but Toyota is the most proven. This is not to mention the convenience technology this car has that I never want to be without -navigation(although this is finicky compared to a Garmin), handsfree cellphone bluetooth, iPod/android media connectivity, Satellite radio, back up camera, smartkey ignition etc. The higher model even had dynamic radar cruise control. New cars are getting better every year and this car is ahead of the curve for 2012.

My biggest beef with this car is that it is basically invisible. When we first traded in our A4 Cabriolet for the Prius V we would routinely be unable to find the car even when it was right in front of us. The styling people at Toyota need to pay better attention to fashion. However, the interior comfort, low cost of ownership and reliability make this car one that i will never want to sell. Sometimes being invisible is great.

The Prius V has surprising pep for what you would consider a fuel efficient car. We have very seldom used more than 6L/100km in spite of driving it with some spirit. The display can help you get even better fuel economy of you want to challenge yourself but the difference is minimal because it gets amazing milage no matter what.

The back seat is pretty plush with tons of legroom, armrests and the rear sunroof gives an light and luxurious feel. The front seats are also very comfortable. All the seating in this car seem to be created equal with the exception of no heated seats in the rear. Everyone, not just the driver, feels like they are being catered to.

The technology is really the biggest thing about this car. Aside from Navigation which is amazing on roadtrips, back up camera, satalite/AM/FM/ CD/ MP3/USB and Bluetooth, the car shuts the engine off when it isn't needed. This happens when coasting, stopped at a light, or stuck in rush hour traffic. It makes so much sense that I will never buy a regular car again.

One gripe is the sunroof does not open to the elements - it only just reveals a clear plastic sky-light which is still nice. The main problem with the car is it is not very stylish. However Prius V's seem to be growing in popularity, and not just with taxis, because people are finally becoming concerned with the environment.

Don't be fooled, the 2012 Prius V has an amazing powerful engine and still gets amazing gas mileage with range of 650-700 KM city and HWY driving on $60/tank. seats 5 very comfortably and has a large hatch area. Sat Radio and NAV are HUGE bonus..

If you're looking for an economical, boring, spacious 5-seater this is your car. It's a better buy than any other small SUV or wagon.

Mushy handling, poor acceleration (obviously), but still somehow enjoyable to drive. Maximizing efficiency is fun, and trying to keep the car quiet in electric mode is kind of cool. It can maintain about 50km/h in electric mode, so if you're out and about in the city or stuck in stop and go traffic, you'll really reap the rewards. However, even during normal highway driving, the car does well both in terms of driving and fuel economy.

I'd place this miles ahead of direct competitors like the VW Golf Wagon and small SUV's like Toyota's RAV4, the Honda CR-V, and the Ford Escape, unless of course you need towing capability, which this doesn't have.

I'd say it's a toss up between the Prius V and the Ford C-Max Hybrid/Energi for the best large fuel-efficient family car. The Energi definitely gets the job done way better with the plug-in capabilities, but the cargo space isn't even comparable between the Toyota and the Ford (Toyota being larger), although they are the most direct competitors.

At 10k miles I will share a bit about our Prius life. First and foremost...47mpg lifetime average! This is my first car that is consistantly above MPG average. With a little practice, tanks above 50mpg are easy. This is the ultimate urban-mom-wagon. New dishwasher slid right in, no problem. Lots of other larger loads hauled with no issues as well. Other cars may offer more sporty performance but to me the real magic comes when you spend $35 and get 450 miles out of it. Large crosswinds upset the car at highway speeds and the rear AC is weak as it has no overhead system. We looked at what we NEEDED 95% of the time and this fits the bill. For the other 5% we rent a van or truck and move on.

We have had our car for almost a year and love it. It has lots of interior room, trunk space and leg room. It comes standard with a back up camera and bluetooth. We really are enjoying this car.

pros

great fuel economy, high technology, LOTS of space both
passenger and cargo, silent, smooth ride. low emmisions.

cons quick acceleration is not part of package BUT no
problem passing, or keeping up in city or highway.

fianlly, with gas at these prices, and traffic congestions as it is,
hybrid or electric is the way to go, in my opinion.

The fuel economy is excellent as is its reliability. During a harsh Manitoba winter this car has run superbly well, always starts without even the slightest complaint after sitting for 12 hours with just the block heater to keep it warm. Performance and handling are nothing exceptional, slower acceleration and somewhat poor handling on snow and ice. All in all this is a good reliable car with excellent fuel economy.

We had the Prius V for a few months now and are pleased with the city performance. Haven't hit the highway for a road trip yet.

First 3400kms have resulted in an ave of 5.7 l/100km.

Pleased so far

The Prius V is a great car. The fuel economy is very good although not as good as with the Prius. The inside design is excellent, and the cabin seems roomy. The trunk space is large for such a small vehicle, much larger than in my matrix (almost twice as much). Overall this car handles great, and I have had no issues with it to date, although I have only had it a year.
The car has three fuel settings, but really I only use the electric setting when stuck in traffic. I mostly keep it in econo mode.

I would buy another Prius in the future.

9200Km's and still can't believe how quiet and inexpensive it is to run this vehicle. Some nice features too, standard backup cam, steering wheel audio and telephone controls, lots of cargo space and reclining rear seats.

I have had my Prius V since June 2012 when we traded in our van.

I love this car with the standard back up camera and bluetooth it is safe, reliable and convient. We have lots of room in the trunk for kids stuff, dog stuff and groceries, etc. I would highly recommend this car.

This is a very nice roomy car, with phenomenal gas mileage. The back even has enough head space for people over 6 feet tall. It's a great idea and I like the extra trunk space.

Have had this car 4 months now.
Still love driving it. High-Tech, roomy, quiet, lots of space,
( most of any SUV out there). Best of all is the gas savings
and the way this car changes your attitude on the road and
mellows you out. Notice the change with a lot of buyers of
hybrids. Changes from motor to electric with no noticable
noise. I would suggest a test drive if you need space, want to
save a ton on gas and enjoy a peaceful quiet ride. No problems so far.