Since I’ve never seen the Lexus LFA in real life before, I cannot be sure that’s what I saw on the freeway.

Apparently, they started production in 2010 and stopped production in 2012 with about 500 on the road. The MSRP can be anywhere from $375k to $445k depending on which year and package.

With a V10 and carbon fiber body, it can reach a top speed of 202mph (electronically limited), and 0-60 in 3.6 seconds.

Hopefully, I will see it again and will be able to get a picture of it.

Since my purchase of the Toyota Prius c, I’ve not had a chance to use my Toyota Care complimentary maintenance and roadside assistance. Until yesterday.

While driving on the freeway, I suddenly notice a power loss as the car quickly decelerated.  Back in the day, my car breaking down on the freeway was a regular occurrence so I quickly changed lanes to the right shoulder to pull over. From my gas gauge, it looked like I ran out of gas somehow. Because it’s a hybrid car, it keeps going on electric power even after you run out of gas. Strange feeling.

After putting on the emergency blinkers, I noticed that there was a warning light that was on. As you can see below, it’s a circle with an exclamation mark to the right of it.

Amazingly, I remembered about the Toyota Care 24 hour road side service and called the 800 number. An automated system asked if it was alright for them to use my GPS to get my location. I agreed, but knowing my GPS setting on my phone is probably blocking the location. Next, a very pleasant voice answered and I explained my situation and asked if she knew what the indicator meant.

Unfortunately, it was apparent that the person helping me did not have any Toyota specific information. She asked general questions but never anything specific, even though she knew what type of car I had from my VIN. She asked me twice if I had my Toyota manual to look it up. She straight out told me that they don’t have access to the manuals there.

With the Internet, and the current computer technology available, it’s very strange that they don’t have an automated system that brings up the manual specific to the model of car that the driver is in. At the minimum, couldn’t they pop-up a window that has the explanation of the indicators? It would be so easy to do.

But I digress.

I told her that I needed gas but since I didn’t know what the indicator meant, I may need a tow also. She then explained to me that this would be 2 separate problems and that’s how she would have to enter it into the computer. I told her to just send a tow truck and have him bring gas. For some reason, she didn’t understand this concept.

In any case, they said they would send out a tow truck to my location, which I had to give. It was obvious that the person I was talking to was not in Los Angeles, since she didn’t know what the 10 freeway was. Strangely, she told me that she cannot give me an ETA but that I would get a text message with the ETA. So the Toyota Care computer is so disconnected from the towing system’s computer that they can’t talk to each other to relay the ETA information. Why is this so hard?

Luckily for me, this story has a happy ending. As I was literally hanging up the phone with Toyota Care, a tow truck stopped behind me. I was so surprised at how fast the service was, I almost jumped out of my car. Actually, it turned out to be the Metro Freeway service that found me by accident. I didn’t even realize anybody can call #399 to get free service.

The Metro guy gave me a free gallon of gas and I was quickly on my way. I didn’t even have to call work to tell them I was going to be late. Later, I got a text message telling me the tow truck will be there in 55 minutes. I called the tow company to tell them to cancel the order. However, the Toyota Care system kept calling me, telling me the tow truck was still on it’s way. I just ignored it. I already realized that the tow truck company computer and Toyota Care computers were not talking to each other.

After I got home, I looked in my Toyota manual and found out the indicator was the Electric power steering system warning light. Not sure why this indicator came on but after I filled up with gas, it went away. Maybe the power steering doesn’t work properly without gas. Not.

This incident made me think that I needed the indicator list in my car for future reference. In case you have a Toyota Prius c, you can download that page and print it out: Download a printable warning indicator list.

Now the Toyota Care rep can print this out and keep it next to their computer.

You’re welcome.

Previous, I reviewed the Entune system in my Prius c and how the dealer told me that when it was time, I would have to bring in the car to the dealership to have the firmware upgraded. Well, it turns out that’s not the case. Toyota sent out 2Gig thumb drives with the new firmware upgrade directly to the car owners.

All you have to do is plug this into the USB plug in the car and wait while the Entune upgrades it’s own firmware. The new version includes iHeart Radio, Open Table, and MovieTickets.com. So now, there are even more apps that will take your eyes off the road while driving. I got all the new apps to work except the iHeartRadio which didn’t seem to be able to load a playlist. This might be because I need to create an account. In any case, all of these apps are available on my smart phone so there’s really no need to use the clunky user interface on my Entune touch screen.

Tesla Motors is slated to release their Model S electric car sedan on June 22, 2012, earlier than originally announced.  The Model S is Tesla’s second electric car and will cost $50,000 to $100,00 depending on selected options (battery size) and federal rebates. Of course, if you have to ask how much it is, you probably shouldn’t be buying one.

The car is expected to get about 160-350 miles on one charge depending on the battery pack option you choose and the speed you are driving, and other factors. The battery will charge 80% in about 45 minutes and some articles are reporting that the battery pack will be swappable in 3 minutes, but is not confirmed by Tesla.

The 17 inch touch screen will allow the driver to adjust steering, suspension and even the regenerative braking system. Regenerative braking allows the battery to recharge from driver applying the brake. By setting this at a higher level, the system will charge the battery more and use the real brakes less, and feels somewhat like downshifting a regular car. Some people do not like this feeling so the on-board computer allows the driver to change the setting.

It has taken Tesla approximately 3 years from announcement to delivery of this second model. There are more models in the pipeline to watch for. It’s been 37 years since DeLorean started a new American automobile company so hopefully, Tesla will be more successful. At least Musk (the founder of Paypal, Tesla, SpaceX) has more money than DeLorean and probably won’t need to deal with drug dealers for financing.

Previously, I gave my first impressions and the interior of the Prius c. In this review, we will delve into the nitty gritty features of the Entune and Navigation systems in the Prius c.

Before we start, the picture below shows some of the vehicle settings that can be changed via the touch screen. I’m sure we are only one or two versions away from being able to upload your own alarm sound to your car. As you can see, you can set the car to lock the doors when you go from “Park” to “Drive.” It’s about time cars can be configured like your phone or TV.

But I digress.

Entune is basically Toyota’s answer to Microsoft’s SYNC, which is to say, it’s an online connection and user interface for your car. To use it, you must first download the Entune app (iOS or Android) and have it running on your phone with the bluetooth active on your phone.

According to the Engadget review of Entune, the Entune firmware simply is like a browser that shows what the app in your phone is feeding to the car via bluetooth. I don’t think this is true. It would be too slow for all the icons and images to be uploaded in real time. It’s possible that those static items are preloaded and just the positioning is controlled by the app on the phone. My Toyota dealer Eric told me that when updates come, the firmware in the Entune would have to be upgraded by Toyota. If true, I think only the raw data is being uploaded from the app to the car.

Whatever the case, there are tons of features to checkout.

You can listen to regular radio stations or Satellite radio (subscription required) or even Pandora. The system will even allow you to play music stored on your phone. However, I noticed that sometimes there will be a glitch for about 50 to 100 milliseconds. This might be some type of garbage collection going on in Android on my phone, or it could be the Entune app running on the phone. Whatever the reason, it’s too annoying to be used on a regular basis.

Although I haven’t actually used it, you can even use a CD to listen to music. If you’re not familiar with CDs, it’s a physical plastic disc with music stored on it, much like a record.

Just like your phone, one of the more mundane things you can do is bring up the weather information on the screen. It will use your GPS to figure out where you are and display the forecast.

If that’s not boring enough for you, try looking at your stock prices. Yes, what a great thing to be doing while driving.

For more useful information, you have an interface to the Microsoft Bing search engine. It works pretty much like you are on your computer searching places. Unfortunately, the touch screen is old school and there is no swiping. To scroll the screen, you have to touch the up arrow or down arrow icons. If this came out in the 80′s, I would have been astonished at it’s advanced technology. After using the iPad, the user interface looks and feels very outdated. I expected a game of “Snake” or “Pong” to pop up on the screen.

Since this is in a Hybrid car, it’s only natural that there is a way to get a list of close gas stations and their fuel prices. This is a nice touch. There is also a feature that allows you to enter the fuel price that you used last and the top display will show you how much money you are saving every time you drive your car. I guess they want to remind you why you bought a Hybrid.

Another really great feature that I used to use on my phone is the freeway conditions being reported in real time. This information can be viewed in a list, or as you are using the Navigation system, you will see tiny icons showing where the traffic is located. The navigation system will automatically ask you if you want to avoid the traffic by using an alternate route. I’ve used to on several occasions to save a bunch of time.

The navigation system has 3 views: 2D, 2D north and 3D. The view below is 2D north where the top of the screen is always north. I like this mode because it helps you know which way north is. In regular 2D mode, you have to look at the compass to figure out which way north is. Since my sense of direction is so bad, this is a needed feature for me.

You can also zoom in or zoom out on the map by touching the “+” or “-” buttons. Sorry, no pinching like on your iPad.

The picture below shows the navigation in 3D mode. The streets are shown in larger font and easier to read but I still like the 2D mode personally. What I really like is the turn by turn directions that are setup perfectly to tell you to turn at the right time. Yes, the voice does sound like a fem-bot but so does all the other navigation systems. Personally, I kind of like taking direction from a fem-bot. The GPS is rock solid as compared to my on and off GPS in my cell phone.

Some things to note are that you can use your voice to control the system. However, I found it to be frustrating sometimes and touching the button is usually quicker. But, if the vehicle is moving, the system will refuse to let you make your selection using buttons, for safety reasons. You will have to come to a complete stop before the on screen keyboard will return.

Let’s face facts. If texting while driving is dangerous and there are laws against it, it’s probably not safe to be checking your stocks or finding cheap gas prices while driving. Commercials often show the driver talking to the car to get directions but it doesn’t show all the steps that are required to get to that point.

I love having the navigation system on all the time so that I know where I am at all times. All the other Entune fluff that comes with it might be fun for the passenger, but frankly, it’s too dangerous for the driver to be playing with while driving.

All in all, the user interface needs to be upgraded, and they should contact the people that made Siri for the voice recognition. The navigation system is solid but I wasn’t very impressed with Entune. Toyota, please contact me when you have version 2.0 available.

Last time, I gave me first impressions of the Prius c. This time, more on the interior and usage of this new Hybrid vehicle.

The picture below shows a  closeup of the seat. I don’t really like the light color in the middle because I’m sure it will get dirty as the car ages. My old Matrix had a seat that was entirely charcoal which hid stains a lot better.

Closeup of seat

The next picture (below) is a USB/phone jack station on the passenger side of the car. It’s a good place to put your phone while you use the USB to charge it. I’ve never had this feature before and I’ve always had to put my phone in the cup holder in the past. It might have been better if the plug was facing towards the right instead of towards the seat.

USB and Phono Jack

The next picture is the middle rear passenger seat belt which hangs from the ceiling in the back area. I’ve never seen this before but apparently this is a new safety requirement for new cars. It’s a little ugly but safety first.

Rear 3rd Passenger Seat Belt

As you can see below, the left side of the steering wheel has the radio volume control, mode and cursor, and below that cluster is the voice control, and cell phone controls. This is the first car I’ve had that has the volume control on the steering wheel and it’s very convenient. Looking down at the radio to change the station and volume can be very dangerous while driving. You can control the navigation, make calls via blue tooth, and play music all by voice control. The other 2 buttons allows you to answer/hang-up the phone.

Left Controls on Steering Wheel

The voice control does not work very well. If you are searching for something very simple like “Restaurant,” it will work. However, you will have to slowly grind down the multi-levels to get to what you want. Since the voice recognition is so bad, it will give you a list of possible choices. Then you can choose one by the number. It’s still easier than trying to type on the touch screen (more on that next time) but it can get frustrating. Too bad they didn’t put Siri into the car.

The right side on the steering wheel (see below) has the temperature control, and controls to navigate on the top display. Again, I like having the controls on the wheel but they also have a big temperature wheel below the Nav display.

Right Controls on Steering Wheel

While on the topic of the steering wheel, unlike my last Toyota, it is not perfectly round, and is slightly oval. Apparently, this is the new cool way to make steering wheels but if you like to let the wheel turn quickly under your hands after a turn, it won’t work as you would normally expect. Also, the silver plastic portion of the steering wheel feels and sound like cheap plastic… because it is.

The usual electric door locks and windows are there in the next picture below. As with most cars these days, the driver side window will automatically open without having to hold the button. And unlike my Matrix, you can also have it automatically close as well. You can also lock the windows for the passengers so they can’t open them.

Electric Window and Door Locks

Below the gear shift, there are 2 buttons: ECO mode and EV mode. When in EV mode, the car tries to use electric power only but cannot go faster than about 25 mph. Therefore, it’s very hard to stay in this mode unless you are driving in a parking lot or practically in a parking lot on the freeway. If you drive too fast, it will automatically get out of EV mode. I have not been able to use this mode for very long in real life situations.

The ECO mode tries to save gas by limiting the use of the air conditioner and acceleration. When I tried using it, I really didn’t notice too much difference but I wasn’t trying to drive very fast. How much fuel it really saves is not clear.

ECO and EV Modes

For some reason, unlike the old Prius, Toyota decided to make a big-ass gear shift. I’m not sure why they chose this design because it takes up a lot of space in the tiny subcompact. That space could have been used better. In fact, because the space between seats is so narrow, they took the cup holders and put it above the gear shift. This makes it very hard to grab your drink while driving. I liked the design of the Matrix better where the cup holders where below the gear shift.

Shift

Between the seats is the usual storage space and arm rest. My old Matrix had a thin top compartment and a deep lower compartment. The Prius c has no top compartment and the deep compartment is much skinnier and barely fits a sunglass case. I really miss the top compartment because digging into the deep compartment is a lot harder when trying to find something quickly. What the Prius c does have is the arm rest that slides forward. Frankly, if I could only have one, I’ll take the top compartment instead of the sliding arm rest.

The picture below is an ultra-close-up of the dash material. It looks like some type of fake plastic snake skin. The color doesn’t really turn me on and I’m sure it will get dirty quickly. If this was Toyota’s idea of trying to make the car look less cheap, it didn’t work.

Dash Material

The next picture is the top display located above the dash, inset back so that it is protected from the sun. The left side is the speedometer and fuel gauge, and the right color display can show a variety of status information about the car. The picture shows one called the “Eco” screen which is basically a game that helps you try to get higher scores by driving more economically. I’ve managed to get 94 out of 100 but it’s hard to get anything higher in real world driving conditions. To get high scores, you have to start up slowly, cruise without too much change in speed, then stop by applying the brake very slowly. Nobody drives like that all the time, but it trains your brain into driving the way you need to, in order to save gas.

Top Display

Both displays in this area are very easy to see and shows tons of information. It would have been nicer if the MPG and gas gauge were also using the high resolution screen (instead of the cheaper LCD), but I guess they have to save a few bucks here and there.

So far, I am averaging about 52-54 MPG per month. Interestingly, the more city driving I do, the higher the MPG. The more fast freeway driving I do, the lower the MPG. At first, it’s counter intuitive, but obviously, the “c” in Prius c stands for “city” and indeed, it was designed to work well in city conditions as advertised.

The last picture is the big color navigation screen and the climate control below it. I will go into detail about the Entune and Navigation screen in the next installment. All I will say now is that unlike the top display, this display is not inset so the sun glare often makes it almost impossible to see the screen. Even in the picture below, you can see the glare of the screen. The GPS in the Navigation system works fantastic, compared to the GPS in my cell phone. There must be some huge GPS antenna on top of the vehicle.

As for the climate control, I’ve never had one before and having it computerized is great. The only thing that is strange is the crazy big temperature wheel they put to the left. With the steering wheel temperature control buttons, why is this big wheel needed? If it’s for the passenger, it should be on the right side. It just seems to waste a lot of space for no reason.

Bottom Display

One small feature that I really miss is automatic headlights that turn on when it’s dark. It’s bad enough that I have to remember to turn on my lights at night, I have to manually turn it on when I go into underground garages or tunnels. Also missing are the multiple compartments in my Matrix that allowed me to store a bunch of stuff hidden from view.

Another difference is the rear blind spots, which are much larger than my old Matrix.

In conclusion, there are a many things I like with the Prius c, including:

• Keyless entry
• Navigation
• Climate control
• Steering wheel controls (including volume and answer call)
• Gas mileage
• USB outlet

Some of the things I don’t like are:

• Narrow width making seating less comfortable
• No automatic headlights
• Location of cup holders
• Lack of thin top compartment under middle arm rest
• No hidden compartments to store items

All in all, if you want an attractive looking Hybrid that gets great mileage in the city, as well as on the highway, but don’t want to spend a ton of money, this is the vehicle for you. It has a lot of features that are only found on more expensive models at a very reasonable price. But the low price does mean a few shortcuts have been made so there is no mistaking this car for a luxury vehicle.

Next time: Entune and Navigation

Update August 2012:
After using the car for longer and driving more on the freeway, I am now averaging 47-49 MPG per month. It’s still beats my Matrix which was down to about 26 MPG near the end.

As gas prices keep going up, it reminded me how I felt cheated back in 2004 because I was not able to buy the brand new Prius because of a long waiting list. So this time around, I got smart and contacted my guy Eric Howard at Toyota Santa Monica and had him email me the second the waiting list for the Prius c was available. It still took me about 24 hours to get back to him to be put on that list and there were already 6 people ahead of me.

When the shipment of the new Prius came in, Eric contacted me and I got down to the lot the next day to pick the one I wanted. After checking out the different models, I decided on the “Three” because it has keyless entry, Navigation, Entune (more on that next time) and some other goodies. MSRP for the Three is about $22.7k and with everything, it’s about $25k out the door. After signing the usual room full of paperwork, I was out of there in about 3 hours (including test drive, and trade-in evaluation) and was ready to pick-up my car in 2 days after having LoJack and tinting installed.

Depending on what car you’re coming from, you’ll have different impressions of the size of this car. If you’re coming from a subcompact, this car actually will feel large. If you’re coming from an SUV, or anything else large, this car will feel like a… subcompact. Since I’m coming from a compact car, it feels a little narrower but I like the smaller turning radius (31.4′), which I noticed the first time I parked. My left leg definitely feels like it’s up against the door a little more. If you’re a big guy, riding with a big guy, your shoulders will probably touch.

For a subcompact, there’s actually some leg room in the back seats for an adult to sit in the back without feeling like a child. The room under the hatchback is very small and would probably barely be enough space for a one suitcase and a small carry-on to barely fit. You can bring down the back seats to get more space but this is certainly not the car if you’re going to be hauling things around.

The keyless entry also takes a little getting used to. With the remote in your pocket (or purse), you just walk up to the car and open the door. It will turn off the alarm and unlock the door simultaneously as you touch the door handle. When leaving, you touch the left side of the door handle to lock and arm the alarm. If you leave your remote inside the car and exit, when you try to lock the door, it will make a noise to let you know that you left your remote inside. Nice feature. I’m so used to taking out my remote out of my pocket, I keep reaching in, then realizing I don’t need it.

The biggest change for me was the Hybrid engine, which does not shift down like regular engines when you need a power boost quickly. That doesn’t mean you can’t accelerate enough to get on the freeway. It’s just not that down-shifting “turbo” boost that you get with regular engines. But if you want a sports car, you shouldn’t be getting a Hybrid. The manual does warn you about weird noises it makes, even when the car is supposed to be “off” and it does happen. What’s even harder to get used to is the gas engine turning off while you’re driving. Normally, when that happens, it’s time to panic but not with a Hybrid car.

The exterior design is aerodynamic (although the drag coefficient is more than the regular Prius) and looks low to the ground considering it’s a hatchback. Some people don’t seem to like the tail lights but I think it looks good along with the fat bumper and wider rear. I think it would look even better if it was even wider.

All in all, I’m very happy with my experience with Eric at Toyota, and my purchase of the Prius c.

Next time: Interior and gadgets inside.

Autoguide.com video review

Toyota has released their MSRP structure and models for the Prius c slated to be released in the U.S. sometime in March 2012. The 4 models are as follows:

Prius c One – $18,950
Automatic climate control, tilt-telescopic steering wheel with audio, climate, multi-information display and Bluetooth® hands free phone controls; and remote keyless entry with illuminated entry.

Prius c Two – $19,900
6-speaker audio system, variable intermittent windshield wipers, a 60/40 split fold-down rear seat with adjustable headrests, cruise control, engine immobilizer, center console with armrest and storage compartment, and a cargo area tonneau cover.

Prius c Three – $21,635
Display Audio system with Navigation and Entune™ that adds a 6.1-inch touchscreen, Sirius XM Satellite Radio capability, HD Radio™ with iTunes® Tagging, USB port with iPod® connectivity and control, vehicle information with customizable settings, and advanced voice recognition. Toyota Entune™ includes Bing™ and Pandora®; real-time info including traffic, weather, fuel prices, sports, and stocks. Additionally, color-keyed outside door handles with touch- sensor lock/unlock feature, a tilt/telescopic steering wheel with audio, climate, Multi-information Display, Bluetooth® hands free phone and voice command controls, a Touch Tracer Display, and a Smart Key System on the front doors and liftgate with Push Button Start and remote illuminated entry.

Prius c Four – $23,230
5-inch, 8-spoke alloy wheels, Softex-trimmed heated front seats, color-keyed heated power outside mirrors with turn signal indicators, and integrated fog lamps.

The guy from my Toyota dealer contacted me to let me know they were starting a waiting list. I managed to get to the dealer about 2 days later and they already had 6 people on the list. They are expecting their first shipment in March 2012.

The Prius c was shown at 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, January 10. The “c” stands for “city” according to Toyota, and yes, it’s lower case. Aimed at the younger urban market, it is ready for the North American market in the Spring 2012 time frame.

Toyota is boasting a 50 mpg combined highway/city mileage, which makes it the most fuel efficient vehicle to date, without a power plug. This low end Prius will have a starting MSRP below $19,000, making it about half the price of the upper end hybrids that are available on the market. Obviously, the target audience is the younger, price sensitive consumer who wants good mileage to save money.

The list of standard features is impressive for such a low price. Some of the standard features include automatic climate control, tilt-telescopic steering wheel with audio, climate, Multi-Information Display and Bluetooth® hands-free controls, and remote keyless entry with illuminated entry. Some of these are not standard on the original Prius models, although I would guess that they will be in the new versions.

The available exterior colors include three new colors:  Habanero, Moonglow, and Summer Rain Metallic. Not sure what those colors look like. Those new colors are added to the regular list of colors, Blue Streak Metallic, Absolutely Red, Black Sand Pearl, Magnetic Gray Metallic, Classic Silver Metallic, and Super White.