TRD Sportivo Suspension

The first mod I did to my Prius was adding the BT Tech stiffening plate. As simple as it seems, it actually made a noticable difference in the handling of the Prius. It's a really easy install. Just unscrew the four bolts on the stock plate, remove, and then screw in the BT plate with the four included bolts. I didn't even need to jack up the car. This is available from the PriusChat shop.

The single biggest improvement to the Prius' s handling was the addition of the TRD Sportivo kit. The kit replaces the springs, shocks and struts. The springs are a bit shorter and stiffer than the factory ones. This firms up the ride without being too harsh or uncomfortable. It's a reasonable tradeoff. The shocks and struts are more highly damped to prevent that floaty Cadillac feeling.

If you don't like the way your Prius handles, then this is for you.

I also added a front strut tower brace and lower suspension brace from Tom's. These help to stiffen up the front structure. The Prius tended to be a bit twitchy at freeway speeds, and these two reduced this tendency greatly.

I also plan on adding the Tom's floor brace and rear subframe brace as well. These will tighten up the Prius's rear, and make the car more solid all around.

The TRD Sportivo kit and the Tom's braces were bought from Sigma.

BT Plate

Here is hte plate compared to the stock brace. HEFTY! wimpy...

The box.

The springs.

Here is the TRD Sportivo suspension kit. It includes four springs, two struts, and two shocks. The kit lowers the car just under an inch around. It makes the Prius look much better. The space between the tire and wheel well is now the proper size. Did I mention the handling is greatly improved too? This is the best mod I've done so far.

BT Plate

Here is the BT Plate mounted to the car.

The shocks.

The struts.

Tuned shocks and struts.

Front.

Here is the front after the installation.

Rear Closeup.

Here is a closeup of the rear. You can easily see the white springs from the outside. It's even more visible now that the Centerline RPM wheels are on it. Definitely worth the price.

Rear.

Here is the rear after installation.

I had the installation done by my Toyota dealership. It cost more, but now the parts are coverd by the car's warranty, and if any problems arise, they will fix it all under warranty. This was tested recently when they tried to tell me that a leaking axle seal was not covered under warranty because of the suspension modifications. I gently reminded them about the TRD policy of Toyota, and bingo, warranty repair.

Toyota's TRD Sportivo Website

Tom's Racing Website (English version)

BT Tech Chassis Stiffening Plate

Sigma Automotive (suspension stuff near bottom)

Click the above links for info on the suspension bits.