[Synergy3214]

Hello Everyone,

My partner's lease is up on his Honda Civic, so this weekend we went to a Chevrolet Dealer with full intentions of leasing a Gen 2, as my 2015 Gen 1 has been such an enjoyable car.

Well, after an overnight test drive we didn't end up with a Gen 2 Volt . These were the big negatives for us:

1.) That Dead Pedal! Who designed this thing? It's like at an 80 degree angle, wicked uncomfortable for any amount of time, even after playing with the seat adjustment for a day, we couldn't find a a comfortable position.
2.) The seats were not as comfortable as the Gen 1 (definitely an improvement over Honda's notoriously terrible seats) I feel it lacked some lumbar support, something a pillow would probably fix
3.) The interior. Call us crazy, but we actually prefer the Gen 1 Interior. The Gen 2's flat plastic (as opposed to more textured) plastics in the Gen 1, in places like around the gear selector didn't jive well with me, and got scratched when I placed the keys there.
4.) The Screen, this screen is an inch larger, but the resolution, or at least the graphics look awful, blocky, the Gen 1's XM radio screen for example seemed much more readable and just nicer in general.
5.) Driver Confidence packages are hard to come by (or so the dealer says)
6.) Blind spots seem worse in the Gen 2. When looking over your shoulder to your right, where the rear seat passengers head would be near. That area looks a lot more boxy than the Gen 1, and seemed harder to see if there was a vehicle there.

Of course there were things we really liked about the Volt:

The things we loved about the Gen 2:
1.) The quieter engine when in Hold / range extender mode. Wow so much quieter than the Gen 1
2.) Improved EV range! Awesome
3.) Better MPG (I seem to only get 30-35 mpg in range extender mode in my 2015)
4.) Those taillights, and LED headlights! Sweet

Anyways, we ended up with a Hypersonic Red Prius Prime. We didn't even consider it for it's paltry 25 Ev mile range. But that will cover his commute ICE free, and the interior is really gee-whiz (that Tesla like screen is pretty snazzy), and the Toyota safety suite (lane departure, front collision brake / warning, dynamic cruise, etc) is standard on even on the base model of the Prime. Plus we averaged a stupid high 62mpg running on just the engine alone for the 100 miles we drove without plugging it in.

So looks like I'll be a member of Priuschat and gm-volt. I was just really surprised about the Dead Pedal. I remember a few threads about it when the Gen 2s were just rolling out, but haven't heard much about it since. A real shame, a 2 Volt household would've been really nice, but the ergonomics didn't work out for us.

 

[VoltenRock]

Sorry this didn't work out. As a current Gen 1 owner, I understand being "underwhelmed" by the "little things" in Gen 2 (besides of course the awesome range, greater power, 5th "seat" regular gas, etc.). I actually like the Prius Prime style (forget the regular Prius, that thing is hideous). Gen 2 is more mainstream while the new Prius Prime has the "futuristic" feel of the Gen 1. Heck it is creeping towards the range of a ... 2011 Gen 1 volt (as well as the same number of seats). Maybe by 2026, Toyota will catch up to the Gen 2 range in the Prius Prime 4.0.

Speaking of which, why didn't your partner just go with a dirt cheap used 2011 Volt? We all know these cars are rock solid and Gen 1 is an absolute steal right now.

 

[bro1999]

Prius Prime? #facepalm

Have fun with that.

 

[DonC]

Congrats on a second plug in. I don't have a Volt 2.0 but I do think it's superior in every way. They just made it a nicer all around car and fixed the annoying little things. However, I wouldn't get one without all the safety features and ACC. No idea why the dealer siad they were hard to come by. (Just as a note, blind spot warning and cross traffic rear alert, the two most useful safety features in my experience, are on the Advanced Prime). For me the range of the Prime is a little short but no doubt will work for you and many others.

 

[ClarksonCote]

Speaking of which, why didn't your partner just go with a dirt cheap used 2011 Volt? We all know these cars are rock solid and Gen 1 is an absolute steal right now.

This...

 

[ampera_jed]

Prius Prime? #facepalm

Have fun with that.

#facepalm

Why the rivalry? A car that can deliver all the local EV miles needed and 62mpg gas-only is somehow automatically worse than the Volt?

 

[srs5694]

1.) That Dead Pedal! Who designed this thing? It's like at an 80 degree angle, wicked uncomfortable for any amount of time, even after playing with the seat adjustment for a day, we couldn't find a a comfortable position.

FWIW, I also consider the dead pedal to be a problem; however, having had my Gen2 Volt for almost three months now, it's much less annoying now than it was when I took my test drive, or during the first couple weeks of driving. Like a lot of design quirks, it's just something you get used to over time, I suppose.

Good luck with the Prius Prime, BTW! (That's meant sincerely, not sarcastically.)

 

[bro1999]

#facepalm

Why the rivalry? A car that can deliver all the local EV miles needed and 62mpg gas-only is somehow automatically worse than the Volt?

It's better than another Tacoma or 4Runner, I suppose.

 

[Arcanox]

Tell your partner to enjoy his Prius! I came to my Volt from a Toyota Hybrid and I still miss it. I don't think I'd ever get a Prius unless they can get their EV-only range well above the Volt, but I know that Toyota is pretty much the #1 most reliable brand of cars on the planet and they were the first to create the "synergy" type of hybrid that so many cars have now (driveable via EV, gas, or a combination of both, as opposed to Honda which just "assists" the engine sometimes).

 

[jbakerjonathan]

#facepalm

Why the rivalry? A car that can deliver all the local EV miles needed and 62mpg gas-only is somehow automatically worse than the Volt?

As a former owner of a 2002 Prius for 8 years and a 2010 Prius for two years before leasing a 2012 Volt (and now an owner of a 2014 Volt), I would say that one is giving up a luxurious ride, for one thing. The Volt is quieter, provides a more solid feel and is very much more comfortable when driving long distances. If those things are not important to you, then a Prius or other lesser car <grins> might be acceptable. BTW, the Gen 2 Volt gets about the same mileage as the Prius. The Volt ICE never runs in normal driving, including up to maximum top speed, until the battery is depleted, as I'm sure that you are aware of. Discernment, not rivalry, is what is in play.

 

[Qinsp]

Good luck with the Prius Prime. They don't seem to make sense to me because they are not EREV, but it appears to be an improvement over the early models according to Prius owners. I would have bought a cheaper car if I wanted to burn gasoline. You will never recover the fuel costs over a cheaper ICE car.

But this is Volt site, and after our first experiment with a 2013 Volt, we bought another, then another. We really like the Volts. Given the choice between the CTS-V and Corvettes, we normally grab a Volt for public road use.

We have 4 drivers from 17 to 56, male/female, short/tall, skinny/large. None have ergo issues you are seeing. BTW, the left foot brace is for the ball of your foot, not your heel. It gives you more control in cornering. 2017 Electronic Warfare Package in the Volt is pretty good except the LKA is a touch wimpy, and we had our choice of dozens of cars with all the fixin's in October, ACC and all the DCP's.

The biggest difference between the Volt and Prius is they are 2 classes of cars.

One is a true EREV. It runs 120kW (161HP, GM claims 149hp) worth of electric motor anytime there is a charge in the battery. If the battery is dry, and the 101HP ICE generator is in play, it still has 161HP for passing due it's EV design.

One is a hybrid designed to comply with the new California restrictions on what constitutes a "plug in car". Since California bumped plug ins to 20 miles, Toyota started at 22mi of range, but somehow bumped it 3 more miles.

HOWEVER, Toyota did play games with the numbers. 2017 Toyota Prius SHOULD be quicker than a 2011 Volt, but it is not. The Prius has a superior claimed power to weight ratio, but does not accelerate like the Volt. The Prime cannot hit 60mph from a standing start in 10.0 seconds even with a full charge and the ICE running full blast, which according to Toyota is 121hp, but ... Not Quite True in the real world.

Why? Toyota put in the smallest possible electric motor to get the CARB money and smallest battery. It cannot make 121HP (90kW) on electricity. Neither the battery design or motor can handle it. Minimal effort. Nor can the 70kW gasoline engine make 121HP. It needs BOTH working to make the power. It is simple hybrid modified to bypass CARB restrictions. Toyota has always been very good at getting what they want out of CARB, like HOV stickers for cars that run pure gasoline when on the freeway.

They even fibbed to the EPA about it. They claim a Prime is cheaper to refuel than a Volt when in practice, it's not true. The Volt has 52 miles of full power electric range which covers 85% of commuters who do not have charging facilities at work. And that EV range is FULL POWER. Full acceleration, full speed.

Now the Toyota Prime with 25 Miles Of EV Range: Uh... It only has 25 miles if you baby it. You cannot accelerate onto the freeway without burning gas or becoming a road hazard. And if traffic wants to go 85? Expect the ICE to kick on.

So it is entirely possible that for some people who live 5 miles from work must burn gasoline everyday in a Prime if they must use the right pedal at all.

American Commute Distance (One Way)	Percent
1-5 Miles	29 %
6-10 Miles	22 %
11-15 Miles	17 %
16-20 Miles	10 %
21-25 Miles	7 %
26-30 Miles	5 %
31-35 Miles	3 %
35 + Miles	8 %

The Prime is the Compliance Car Extraordinaire. It's the only Normally Gasoline car that CARB says is an EV. It's way beyond any other gaming of the ZEV efforts by the government, and perhaps the dirtiest car in the HOV lanes today for the typical commuter.

 

[turboguy327]

I don't get these blind spot comments. Does nobody know how to adjust mirrors?

 

[Arcanox]

I don't get these blind spot comments. Does nobody know how to adjust mirrors?

I'm with you...I've never had blind spot issues in my Volt. I think people just don't know where to point their mirrors.

 

[hellsop]

I don't get these blind spot comments. Does nobody know how to adjust mirrors?

When I'm talking about them, I'm not talking about to the rear. I'm talking about pedestrians and bicyclists hiding behind the A-pillars.

 

[Cari]

Wondering if the Prius he bought has Homelink (given left off Gen 2 and certainly was one of the things that turned us off the Gen 2)?

 

[Norton]

A positive about this try at the Plug-in-Prius is: it's no longer a 3 season EV. It has a high-tech heat pump system that makes cabin heat, down to a limit then the gasser comes on. (ERDT..)
Hit the Defrost button, the gasser comes on.

A negative: 10k mile oil changes, no matter how few miles are on that oil. I guess a good oil monitor system is too much trouble.

 

[Synergy3214]

Now the Toyota Prime with 25 Miles Of EV Range: Uh... It only has 25 miles if you baby it. You cannot accelerate onto the freeway without burning gas or becoming a road hazard. And if traffic wants to go 85? Expect the ICE to kick on.

I haven't floored the Prime yet when in EV Mode, but I've pushed the pedal pretty hard and the engine did not fire up to provide "boost". I also don't really understand how I'm supposed to rest the "ball of your foot" on the dead pedal. Interior / Ergonomics in the Gen 2 Volt were a step backward for us. We did look at the Sonata Plug-In with it's 27 miles of EV range, but that felt too big, and the shifts were bothersome.

I can tell you don't like the Prime, I get it, I'm on the Volt Forum and that is to be expected. We think it's been great so far, and it's mpg in gas mode is absolutely stellar, and it's comfortable to drive to boot.

Also Qinsp, most of us here are driving plug-in hybrids. We're all running around with some dead dinos in our tank to take us further. The true cred needs to go to the pure EV drivers that can go pretty much double the range we get in our Volts. So let's not get in a pissing contest that your plug-in hybrid can go 53 miles on EV, and ours can only go 38, and 25.

 

[SSonnentag]

The Prime will allow the use of two-thirds of it's throttle before starting the ICE. It is capable of operating at speeds of up to 84 mph in EV mode. More speed and/or throttle will initiate the ICE.

 

[ampera_jed]

I'm with Synergy - not that I would buy one, just that 'each to their own'.

Not sure I get the 'mines-better-than-yours' attitude. It might be for one person, maybe not for someone else. I'd prefer to hear the relative merits, not simply one attitude ganged up against another.

 

[DAC17]

Dead pedal? Sure won't have to worry about that with a Prius Prime. I got a Gen 2 Volt, and found it vastly superior to the Gen 1. Guess to each their own.