Audi A3 1.4 Tfsie 40 PHEV - are they any good?

[Wish]

On my list for a cheap to run car.
Something I can stick in my garage and use sparingly.
I do less thank 5k per year all local journeys, however I need to go Thatcham once or twice a year. So like the idea of a PHEV.
I’ve owned a couple of EV’s but think the PHEv would just suite me better.

Do they have enough power, is it a smooth transition between electric and petrol ? I’m looking around a 20/21 plate.

[Cupramax]

I’ve not driven one so can’t comment specifically how they drive, but was looking at them myself, if you can stretch to it get a later one which has nearly double the battery size, the early ones up to some point in 2020 only had an 8.8kwh battery, the later ones have 13kwh and will do a realistic 30 miles, WLTP is 37. So that’s the one I’d go for if you can find a later one.

[Wish]

Thanks for the heads up. I hadn’t realised the battery had changed

[porsch1909]

We have one and have been very happy with it. Without the battery charged the fuel economy is not good though so important to keep it topped up

Can get 30 miles out electric only on a warm day. Down to 20s during winter.

[Wish]

Thanks for the insight.
What MPG are you seeing just on the petrol engine ?

I take it if I was to do a run of say 150 miles it would be at the lower MPG ?

[Tractor Driver]

Unless you’re really sold on the Audi badge, have a look at the Seat Leon PHEV too. Same mechanicals underneath, but seem pretty good value second hand just now.

[porsch1909]

Wish said:

Thanks for the insight.
What MPG are you seeing just on the petrol engine ?

I take it if I was to do a run of say 150 miles it would be at the lower MPG ?

With just petrol can be low to mid 40s. But with hybrid can be mid to high 60s.

This is a mixture of motorway and non motorway. We used to only charge it using council chargers as it was free in Scotland so sometimes got left short on charge. Now with a charger at home and night time tariff we make sure it’s always charged and it definitely makes sense financially to make sure it’s charged.

It is a very nice car though. Cant usually tell when it swaps between electric and petrol. With battery and petrol it accelerates quite nicely. Lovely interior too

[Wish]

Thanks for the insight.
Does it cost more to service ? Are the service intervals the same as a petrol car.
I want to make it work for me, but seen a normal 1.5tfsi that works for me also.

[porsch1909]

Wish said:

Thanks for the insight.
Does it cost more to service ? Are the service intervals the same as a petrol car.
I want to make it work for me, but seen a normal 1.5tfsi that works for me also.

Yes just regular servicing like an ICE

[Evanivitch]

142 miles from Broadstairs to Thatcham, twice a year?

I think you'd be mad to get a PHEV with quite an anaemic EV motor and battery. You've then got the additional ICE servicing to deal with.

There's 40-64kWh cars that would do the round trip with very little I convenience.

[raspy]

Evanivitch said:

142 miles from Broadstairs to Thatcham, twice a year?

I think you'd be mad to get a PHEV with quite an anaemic EV motor and battery. You've then got the additional ICE servicing to deal with.

There's 40-64kWh cars that would do the round trip with very little I convenience.

Yes, it doesn't make sense. Why not just get another EV for 5k miles of local trips and rent an ICE car once or twice a year.