Is it worth buying a hybrid anymore?
Discussion
They get diesel like economy out of a petrol engine with an auto gearbox. With the price of fuel at the moment, that has to be a good thing.
In something fairly big like the Lexus it definitely makes sense, particularly as it's likely diesel cars will be banned from more and more cities in the near future.
I probably wouldn't bother with a full hybrid in a small car though (think only the Yaris offers this anyway) as the relative economy benefit over just a normal petrol engine isn't worth the extra purchase cost.
In something fairly big like the Lexus it definitely makes sense, particularly as it's likely diesel cars will be banned from more and more cities in the near future.
I probably wouldn't bother with a full hybrid in a small car though (think only the Yaris offers this anyway) as the relative economy benefit over just a normal petrol engine isn't worth the extra purchase cost.
After years of things like Cayenne Turbos and V8 X5s I've been seriously impressed with our Hybrid RAV4. Around town it just glides around, get around 49mpg and it's just a nice thing to waft around in. Done almost 2000 miles and just about to fill it up for the fifth time. Just don't thrash the engine. It can be a little noisy.
If you couldn't charge an EV at home OR you semi-regularly do long journeys where stopping would be a pain, then yes, a hybrid makes a lot of sense.
But only you are going to be able to decide if the frequency and distance you do means it would be too inconvenient. We've sort of got past the "doesn't work", to the point where it's "too much hassle". They're different things.
I do 40 miles a day, can charge at home, and a few times a year do 180 mile trips, but don't need to stop en-route and can charge the other end... so an EV works for me in all instances.
If the hassle level is low enough then I'd defo get an EV over a hybrid. Less to go wrong, less cost.
But only you are going to be able to decide if the frequency and distance you do means it would be too inconvenient. We've sort of got past the "doesn't work", to the point where it's "too much hassle". They're different things.
I do 40 miles a day, can charge at home, and a few times a year do 180 mile trips, but don't need to stop en-route and can charge the other end... so an EV works for me in all instances.
If the hassle level is low enough then I'd defo get an EV over a hybrid. Less to go wrong, less cost.
They make sense if being used as they're meant to be - ie charging them as much as you can.
My employer took hybrids off the list, for the reason that people didn't sufficiently charge them (as the employer pays for fuel / electricity anyway), leaving them as very heavy ICE cars, the worst of both worlds. That meant that the running costs were generally a lot higher than ICE and BEVs, so off they went.
Sad really, as it was a good option for people who do long distances on a fairly regular basis yet also do frequent limited distances...
(the new Mercedes C300e does genuinely more than 60 miles on its battery for instance, plenty for most day to day driving)
My employer took hybrids off the list, for the reason that people didn't sufficiently charge them (as the employer pays for fuel / electricity anyway), leaving them as very heavy ICE cars, the worst of both worlds. That meant that the running costs were generally a lot higher than ICE and BEVs, so off they went.
Sad really, as it was a good option for people who do long distances on a fairly regular basis yet also do frequent limited distances...
(the new Mercedes C300e does genuinely more than 60 miles on its battery for instance, plenty for most day to day driving)
crankedup5 said:
Not wishing to hijack the op, but what about repair and service on a hybrid?
What aspect of well-proven tech is going to prove tricky?Toyota's hybrids are running up half a million miles as Taxis before they give any bother. I was in a 2nd-gen Prius in London the other week with 780,000 miles on the clock which was still smooth as anything, apparently the original battery and motor etc.
My dad is currently averaging 55-60mpg with his Corolla 1.8 hybrid.. and that's with 50% stop start driving to work and then twisty B roads all the way through. And sitting 65mph on the motorway with lift and coast technique he can hit 60's. It's a brilliant car, it makes you drive like a saint to maximise the mpg... completely changes your mindset to driving.
Leicesterdave said:
Just to clarify I’m talking about a ‘normal’ hybrid not a plug in one.
Are they so much more economy than a modern petrol engine.
I have a 2.0T DSG Golf currently and it does a grand job of being economical on the motorway. Shocking in town though.
Hybrids amazing in town a bit crapper on the motorway.Are they so much more economy than a modern petrol engine.
I have a 2.0T DSG Golf currently and it does a grand job of being economical on the motorway. Shocking in town though.
Take a very long test drive first and make sure you include ear plugs.
The CVT gearbox is definitely an acquired taste and any attempts at making progress on a dual carriageway or m/way causes the engine to scream its nuts off.
I thought I could get over it. My Lexus NX lasted three months before it was moved on
The CVT gearbox is definitely an acquired taste and any attempts at making progress on a dual carriageway or m/way causes the engine to scream its nuts off.
I thought I could get over it. My Lexus NX lasted three months before it was moved on
I have a Lexus NX300h which I have had since October 2021.
Very happy with it you have to learn how to drive the hybrid system to maximise economy.
I do around 7k miles per year almost all town and country roads with no motorway driving so I’m running on electricity around 50% of the time so with the current fuel prices it is useful as a family car.
Last refuel was 3rd June and I have over half a tank left in range.A quick estimate has my annual fuel spend at around £850 was obviously lower before rises.
Very happy with it you have to learn how to drive the hybrid system to maximise economy.
I do around 7k miles per year almost all town and country roads with no motorway driving so I’m running on electricity around 50% of the time so with the current fuel prices it is useful as a family car.
Last refuel was 3rd June and I have over half a tank left in range.A quick estimate has my annual fuel spend at around £850 was obviously lower before rises.
Superflow said:
I have a Lexus NX300h which I have had since October 2021.
Very happy with it you have to learn how to drive the hybrid system to maximise economy.
I do around 7k miles per year almost all town and country roads with no motorway driving so I’m running on electricity around 50% of the time so with the current fuel prices it is useful as a family car.
Last refuel was 3rd June and I have over half a tank left in range.A quick estimate has my annual fuel spend at around £850 was obviously lower before rises.
Similar experience with my Corolla hybrid. Dash reports I've averaged 71mpg over the last 1000 miles, even if it's being somewhat optimistic I'm still spending an awful lot less on fuel than I used to.Very happy with it you have to learn how to drive the hybrid system to maximise economy.
I do around 7k miles per year almost all town and country roads with no motorway driving so I’m running on electricity around 50% of the time so with the current fuel prices it is useful as a family car.
Last refuel was 3rd June and I have over half a tank left in range.A quick estimate has my annual fuel spend at around £850 was obviously lower before rises.
I think this depends on whether you mean a plug-in hybrid or "self charging" hybrid.
One of the latter can be a good solution if you can't charge at home. They often require an adaptation to your driving style, which at first can make them seem weedy and uneconomical if you're used to a turbocharged engine with low end shove. But persist with "pulse and glide" and you can get the economy and zen motoring experience as advertised.
I ran a Lexus CT with essentially the same system as the Prius and Corolla for 18 months. If you do a lot of urban driving then it can save a fair bit of fuel, though outside of town mine tended to give similar economy to something like a 1.4T VAG engine. When I was very gentle on warm and long motorway trips of 200+ miles, I could get >70mpg. But 50mpg is overall is more typical, which is about 10-15% more than a non-hybrid.
I would only buy one again if I really liked Toyota group product it was integral to.
One of the latter can be a good solution if you can't charge at home. They often require an adaptation to your driving style, which at first can make them seem weedy and uneconomical if you're used to a turbocharged engine with low end shove. But persist with "pulse and glide" and you can get the economy and zen motoring experience as advertised.
I ran a Lexus CT with essentially the same system as the Prius and Corolla for 18 months. If you do a lot of urban driving then it can save a fair bit of fuel, though outside of town mine tended to give similar economy to something like a 1.4T VAG engine. When I was very gentle on warm and long motorway trips of 200+ miles, I could get >70mpg. But 50mpg is overall is more typical, which is about 10-15% more than a non-hybrid.
I would only buy one again if I really liked Toyota group product it was integral to.
oilslick said:
Superflow said:
I have a Lexus NX300h which I have had since October 2021.
Very happy with it you have to learn how to drive the hybrid system to maximise economy.
I do around 7k miles per year almost all town and country roads with no motorway driving so I’m running on electricity around 50% of the time so with the current fuel prices it is useful as a family car.
Last refuel was 3rd June and I have over half a tank left in range.A quick estimate has my annual fuel spend at around £850 was obviously lower before rises.
Similar experience with my Corolla hybrid. Dash reports I've averaged 71mpg over the last 1000 miles, even if it's being somewhat optimistic I'm still spending an awful lot less on fuel than I used to.Very happy with it you have to learn how to drive the hybrid system to maximise economy.
I do around 7k miles per year almost all town and country roads with no motorway driving so I’m running on electricity around 50% of the time so with the current fuel prices it is useful as a family car.
Last refuel was 3rd June and I have over half a tank left in range.A quick estimate has my annual fuel spend at around £850 was obviously lower before rises.
I could buy an electric car however the few that I would consider have comedy prices that I would resent paying and with tech moving fast would probably get burned on depreciation one way or another long term.
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