Hybrid cars, anyone got down that route?

[Hobbit]

Will be buying my first car for over 20 years - great things company cars. I now have the dilemma of going from, in my buying experience, of points ignitions to engine management systems and different power options.

The luddite in me says buy diesel, petrol at a push, but the modern man says hybrid is the way forward. More power for less, in a petrol, and less tax than a diesel, with probably even less punishment(tax) going forward.

The question is, who's gone down the hybrid route and what's your 'running' experience?

 

[full_throttle]

One of my golf buddies has just bought a 67 plate Prius, it's his second and he is very happy with it.

 

[ManinBlack]

Diesel? Are you kidding? In the future diesels are likely to be heavily taxed & banned from city centres I think the future is either small engined petrol turbos or a hybrid. I've got a 1.4 Zafira that produces as much power as my previous 1.9 turbo diesel. A mate has just bought a Toyota Auris hybrid & he loves it. Does about 70 mpg.

 

[Chisteve]

I have golf gte as 1st ever company car would recommend, downside at moment long waiting list but good on company car tax

 

[Deleted member 21784]

I have a Toyota auris hybrid

It’s alright not as great as they claim .. to be honest most eco engines now will perform just aswel but without the need for the battery’s to be stored (I lost a lot of boot for it)

My mate at work at a 1.0 ecoboost focus that really went and was super economical.. probably as frugal as the auris without the premium for the battery

My next car will be a honda of some kind for the boot.. my second car is a 9 year old Honda Civic I bought of my mum for work and Golf

 

[BubbaP]

OP I think I share a lot of your thoughts. However I am about 4.5 years into having a hybrid which is close to 6 years old. I was looking to switch to an auto and was looking at decent mpg for a large auto. I knew the hybrid element was largely for beating tax and part of the development journey but was fascinated by the tech - it is a diesel hybrid! It just ticked the boxes at the time. Enough power when I am in a hurry (200 bhp) , occasional 4x4 (live on a single track road), eco mode when in that mood. I ought to have replaced it by now but enjoy owning it. I like the engine breaking aspect. Can go for miles without using the brakes if in the mood. I find it flattens the mpg graph going from motorway/long journeys to city, to country. Have lost boot space. The manufacturers did up their game and traditional engines are much better now. With the global market, the anti diesel Asian block has ended this develpment line now. Right now like you I don't know what I would move to.

 

[Deleted member 21784]

I saw the new Toyota rav 4 hybrids mpg came in at 28 mpg

That’s pathetic if true

Mine claims 74mpg I get 50-55

My 9 year old civic gets 40-45 but bigger boot and brand new price diff 10k

 

[Hobbit]

I have narrowed my choices down to 4 cars. The order below is what it was a few days ago but having seen #4 in the flesh I'm now in a quandary.

1) Kia Sportage 1.7 diesel.
2) Kia Sportage 1.6 petrol
3) Kia Optima diesel
4) Kia Niro hybrid

Kia for the 7 year warranty.

 

[MegaSteve]

I have narrowed my choices down to 4 cars. The order below is what it was a few days ago but having seen #4 in the flesh I'm now in a quandary.

1) Kia Sportage 1.7 diesel.
2) Kia Sportage 1.6 petrol
3) Kia Optima diesel
4) Kia Niro hybrid

Kia for the 7 year warranty.

Guessing this is for use in Spain...
Without knowing their current or projected taxes etc on diesels...
Diesel would be my pick...

Here in the UK I'd be going petrol with all the new taxes etc [for diesels] on the horizon...
Some parts of London already charge more for residents parking, for diesels, as an example..

 

[Hobbit]

Guessing this is for use in Spain...
Without knowing their current or projected taxes etc on diesels...
Diesel would be my pick...

Here in the UK I'd be going petrol with all the new taxes etc [for diesels] on the horizon...
Some parts of London already charge more for residents parking, for diesels, as an example..

Spain, along with the UK, is 1 of 17 EU countries that are targeting/taxing diesels. It will only get worse, and the expected low mileages I'll be doing might mean there's little benefit in going down the diesel route. Equally, not sure of the long term hybrid route either. If a bank of batteries is £4k, whats the benefit of keeping a hybrid beyond the warranty period for the batteries?

Confused...

 

[Deleted member 21784]

I have narrowed my choices down to 4 cars. The order below is what it was a few days ago but having seen #4 in the flesh I'm now in a quandary.

1) Kia Sportage 1.7 diesel.
2) Kia Sportage 1.6 petrol
3) Kia Optima diesel
4) Kia Niro hybrid

Kia for the 7 year warranty.

now I have looked at the Niro and if it does get 65 MPG I would be going for that one....

only thing I dont like is how the boot looks

if you look at a HRV boot by honda you see they have a bit behind the wheel arches which the civic does aswell.. this is the perfect size to lay down your clubs without having to remove your driver! its brill

 

[Blue in Munich]

now I have looked at the Niro and if it does get 65 MPG I would be going for that one....

only thing I dont like is how the boot looks

if you look at a HRV boot by honda you see they have a bit behind the wheel arches which the civic does aswell.. this is the perfect size to lay down your clubs without having to remove your driver! its brill

According to the salesman who sold us Mrs BiM's Jazz a few years ago, Honda insist on the boot dimensions of any of their cars being sufficient to take a full set of clubs without having to remove anything. Much to my surprise a full set fitted comfortably in the Jazz.

 

[Deleted member 21784]

According to the salesman who sold us Mrs BiM's Jazz a few years ago, Honda insist on the boot dimensions of any of their cars being sufficient to take a full set of clubs without having to remove anything. Much to my surprise a full set fitted comfortably in the Jazz.

that doesnt surprise me at all with how popular golf is in the world
I remember top gear years ago clarkson (not a golf fan) said that this car (cant remember) was doomed to fail because it didnt fit a set of clubs in the boot so middle management people wouldnt buy it

if by time I replace the Auris that the HRV second hand models have come down a bit in price I will get one of them if not I will get a second Civic because I just think the boot is amazing

the Toyota is the newer nicer car... we go out as a family the 3 of us and the dog in it .. bit tight for space tbh.. but manageable. the wife drives it when im at work

if im at work I take the honda because of the age.. and it goes golf because of the boot

the honda also goes costco because you can fit in the boot the following

a buggy
2 months supply of bog roll
3 trays of chicken breast
2 creates of water
and other stuff that I cant remember

without even a struggle!!!!!

 

[Blue in Munich]

that doesnt surprise me at all with how popular golf is in the world
I remember top gear years ago clarkson (not a golf fan) said that this car (cant remember) was doomed to fail because it didnt fit a set of clubs in the boot so middle management people wouldnt buy it

It surprises me that so few manufacturers think that way. I went to look at a 5 series BMW estate when I was last changing, rear loading bay continued straight back from the inner wheel arches. Dealer asked me if I wanted to have a look, I asked if he could open the boot. I got the clubs out of mine, they didn't fit easily so I walked and found a Subaru where they did fit comfortably.

 

[Deleted member 21784]

It surprises me that so few manufacturers think that way. I went to look at a 5 series BMW estate when I was last changing, rear loading bay continued straight back from the inner wheel arches. Dealer asked me if I wanted to have a look, I asked if he could open the boot. I got the clubs out of mine, they didn't fit easily so I walked and found a Subaru where they did fit comfortably.

least this thread has taught me that I will be sticking with Honda

lots of people I play golf with have like Audi A3s or the VW same sized and even a BMW x5 and have to take their driver out the bag.... what the hell? im paying £££££ for this car.. least give me the basics

 

[Imurg]

I have to, and always have had to, take all woods out of the bag to get it in....
Problem of the need for smaller cars I suppose but it's not exactly a hardship....

 

[Deleted member 21784]

I have to, and always have had to, take all woods out of the bag to get it in....
Problem of the need for smaller cars I suppose but it's not exactly a hardship....

I didnt see it as a hard ship until I got the Civic and its so easy just to pop the entire bag in the boot without taking them out

like BiM says even the Jazz it fits in and that cars tiny!

just shows what can be done with clever design ..

my mum first got a civic in 2001 (she had 3 in total) because they had the gear stick higher up so no gear system going through the back of the car.. meaning the rear leg room didnt have a bump.. made for much more room when carrying me and my sister as kids as Im 6 foot tall and find rear space a problem

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I was in a similar position until very recently. My 14.5 yr old Barge (Skoda Superb 1.9 diesel) was starting to show very small signs of it's age, and althouth it only had 78k on the clock I don't trust Governments or local councils as regards future taxing so I decided to replace it now and take advantage of the scrappage schemes that were about.

I decided going diesel again was out (as much as how much I love the way the engine delivers), so was tossing up between petrol hybrid and petrol only. The next choice was a car that could take the bag incliding all clubs and the trolley and be able to close the boot and still have everything unseen from the naked eye.
The previous Honda Civic was leading the race, but the new one I dislike so I ended up with a Mazda 3, sport nav with 2 ltr petrol and auto. Both clubs and trolley go into the boot without being visible or removing the parcel shelf, and currently its giving me 40mpg, which admittedly is less than the Barge which gave 50.
I decided aginst hybrid as firstly, most hybrids couldnt take the clubs and trolley, and secondly, that would then mean having to go to a much bigger car which would mean crap mileage when on petrol and also it sort of defeated one of my reasons for the change...downsizing some.

I took delivery at the beginning of October, and dont for one minute regret going petrol only. Already I read diesel hybrids will be treated the same as diesel only, and I dont think petrol hybrids have really advanced enough to justify being a long term private buyer option.
I should add that the only hybrid of normal sizing that could take the clubs and trolley was the Hyundai Ioniq. However it didnt ride that well I thought, and when under petrol only wasnt that frugal. This was the original Ioniq hybrid, and thus the lesser powered one.

 

[Deleted member 21784]

I was in a similar position until very recently. My 14.5 yr old Barge (Skoda Superb 1.9 diesel) was starting to show very small signs of it's age, and althouth it only had 78k on the clock I don't trust Governments or local councils as regards future taxing so I decided to replace it now and take advantage of the scrappage schemes that were about.

I decided going diesel again was out (as much as how much I love the way the engine delivers), so was tossing up between petrol hybrid and petrol only. The next choice was a car that could take the bag incliding all clubs and the trolley and be able to close the boot and still have everything unseen from the naked eye.
The previous Honda Civic was leading the race, but the new one I dislike so I ended up with a Mazda 3, sport nav with 2 ltr petrol and auto. Both clubs and trolley go into the boot without being visible or removing the parcel shelf, and currently its giving me 40mpg, which admittedly is less than the Barge which gave 50.
I decided aginst hybrid as firstly, most hybrids couldnt take the clubs and trolley, and secondly, that would then mean having to go to a much bigger car which would mean crap mileage when on petrol and also it sort of defeated one of my reasons for the change...downsizing some.

I took delivery at the beginning of October, and dont for one minute regret going petrol only. Already I read diesel hybrids will be treated the same as diesel only, and I dont think petrol hybrids have really advanced enough to justify being a long term private buyer option.
I should add that the only hybrid of normal sizing that could take the clubs and trolley was the Hyundai Ioniq. However it didnt ride that well I thought, and when under petrol only wasnt that frugal. This was the original Ioniq hybrid, and thus the lesser powered one.

other things they dont mention with hybrids is the cost of replacing the battery when it eventually goes

my car is 6 years old this month and you get the 5 year warranty with toyota... the battery gets 5 years.. costs £2000 to replace however they have recently started a new warranty extending it 1 year or 10k miles (whichever sooner) up to 11 years providing you either service the car with toyota (which costs more) or pay £45 for them to do the hybrid service

another thing to consider when buying really

I think the eco range of cars have come on a lot since hybrids came in so they can produce some great results

I paid £24,000 for my Hybrid car.. brand new at the time.. so thats for a toyota! not a BMW or a fancy car.. run of the mill toyota.. 10k more basically for the hybrid battery...

Now I have the original paper work for the civic which is only 3 years older.. cost 14k brand new.. so 10k less.. I dont think ive saved £10,000 in petrol or tax in those 6 years of ownership so I could have pocketed that cash and had a better boot

 

[BubbaP]

I have narrowed my choices down to 4 cars. The order below is what it was a few days ago but having seen #4 in the flesh I'm now in a quandary.

1) Kia Sportage 1.7 diesel.
2) Kia Sportage 1.6 petrol
3) Kia Optima diesel
4) Kia Niro hybrid

Kia for the 7 year warranty.

Wouldn't the Sportage vs. Optima decision come down to how much and what type of space you need?
Was it the Optima saloon or sportswagon?

Good luck with your choice.
For smaller vehicles, petrol only and petrol/hybrid look the clear choices but for larger vehicles it isn't clear at the moment IMO.