Since i commute to work during peak time and with congestion inevitable, is hybrid cars is really worth the money? Say Toyota Camry Hybrid for example and other cars in the town what are the pros and cons of these hybrid cars?
Your thoughts please.
Pros and Cons of Hybrid Cars?
mkar18 on 10/11/2017 - 10:41
Last edited 10/11/2017 - 10:43
Last edited 10/11/2017 - 10:43
Comments
No need to go for a demo, Corolla Hybrid is currently $27990 Drive Away.
http://www.toyota.com.au/special-offers-and-great-value/offe…
Yep I know, but when someone is on a $20k budget, I'd rather suggest a $26k car and not a $28k car, for the sake of <5000kms
@Spackbace:
That's true but it is still good to know if he seriously considering to stretch his budget to $26k right?
What car do you drive now?
I don't think upgrading from your current car to hybrid will enable you to save money in any way.
If you are in market for a new car regardless and if you are looking at Camry or corolla then opting for the hybrid for more $$$ so you pay less for fuel might work out.The current car is Kia Cerato and it is nearing its time.. It was 2.0L Engine but over the time it is fuel thirsty and since i drive in traffic 80% was thinking about Hybrid as choice…
It was 2.0L Engine but over the time it is fuel thirsty
Fuel consumption is all relative.
As @Spackbace said elsewhere, fuel consumption is part of the big picture. You could lose more in depreciation each year. And as a car gets older and outside of fixed price servicing, your maintenance costs will play a factor too.
For 12-14,000 km a year fuel consumption isn't going to make a huge difference assuming you're looking at cars within similar classes.
No-one has done any calculations so I'll have a go.
Fuel consumption figures from redbook.com.au
Kia Cerato 2009 (note: before 2009, there's only combined cycle figures)
Urban 10.6 l/100km
Extra urban 6.2 l/100kmCamry Hybrid 2015
Urban 5.7 l/100km
Extra Urban 4.9 l/100kmThose figures won't necessarily reflect what you would achieve, if we subtract one from the other, we eliminate most of the inaccuracy.
Difference in fuel consumption:
Urban 4.9 l/100km
Extra Urban 1.3 l/100kmFor example, if you do 15,000 km per year, 80% urban:
Saved fuel = (12000 km x 4.9 l/100km) + (3000 km x 1.3 l/100km)
Saved fuel = 627 lIf the average fuel price that you pay $1.20, the saving on fuel costs is $750 per annum.
Note that this is a comparison between an older small car and a newer mid sized car. If you are going to upgrade your car anyway you should calculate based on other car models you might purchase. You should do your own calculations based on your own annual travel and how long you intend to keep the car. Also consider resale value as well as purchase costs.
Also, insurance costs can vary between models. My new car has automatic emergency braking. The insurance is about $100 cheaper compared to the base model of the same car which is valued at a couple of thousand less.
Personally I wouldn't buy one because I believe they have quite a long way to go.
Toyota have previously quoted figures as low as 4L/100km for their Prius (pretty sure that was their claim for the Gen 3), what they don't tell you is that the figure is dependent on a couple of different things -
Tyres - the fuel consumption figures that are quoted are based on the tyres that are supplied with the vehicle as new, if you replace them with a different type then you'll most likely see this reflected in your fuel economy figures.
Wheel covers - The wheel covers are part of the vehicle's aerodynamics, or at least that was the case with the Prius. If you don't like them, there are alloys available, but as with point 1 it'll probably hit your fuel economy. You can't fit any old set of alloys either, the additional weight of the battery pack limits your options.
The consumption figures which most manufacturers quote should be considered 'optimistic' to say the least, as the vehicle ages that figure becomes even more difficult to achieve.
Not going to argue too much with 2, but:
- It's easy to buy economy tyres for your next set, problem solved.
and
- That's pretty much just not true. Some manufacturer's claims are way off base. Others are very conservative and it's possible to smash them with sensible driving.
Examples:
2004 Honda Jazz - claimed economy 6.1 L/100km. My economy - 4.8-5.8L/100km.
2015 Toyota Fortuner - claimed economy 7.8 L/100km. My economy - 7.5 L/100km.
2007 Honda Civic - claimed economy 7.2 L/100km. My economy - 7.5 L/100km.Like I said, it's different for each car and its manufacturer's claims, but also each individual's driving style as well as where they drive.
New vehicles sold in Australia should have a sticker with fuel consumption based on Australian Design Rules – ADR 81/02. This is basically the same as the European test. While indivudual's fuel consumption will vary based on the factors you mention, comparisons between manufacturer should be valid since they are using a standard test. However, we know that some manufacturer's e.g. Volkswagon have been outright fraudulent with their testing.
Importantly, the standard requires Urban cycle and Extra Urban cycle test results to be displayed as well as the combined cycle result so consumers now have a bit more information to help estimate consumption based on where they drive.
Importantly, the standard requires Urban cycle and Extra Urban cycle test results to be displayed as well as the combined cycle result so consumers now have a bit more information to help estimate consumption based on where they drive.
Correct, the only issue is that the Urban and Extra Urban test cycles are conducted under controlled conditions.
@Gronk: Well if you want the tests to be comparable between different cars, you kinda have to do them under controlled conditions…
It's easy to buy economy tyres for your next set, problem solved.
Urm, no, it's not quite that simple.
The standard tyres were designed to reduce rolling resistance and therefore improve fuel economy, you won't get that from a cheap tyre or re-tread.
You can disagree with me all you like in relation to point 3, all one needs to do is point to the recent VW debacle as a case in point as to how widespread mis-representation of fuel consumption and emission figures is within the industry.
Hybrids are the stop gap of the auto industry. They are in between the future and the past. You are much better off buying a full EV, which are faster, more efficient and much more advanced in general. While the current Tesla lineup is expensive, the Model 3 will be here in 2019/20 and you can now buy a Renault Zoe, which by all accounts is a great little EV for a low price.
The model 3 is still gonna be a $60,000 car here. But I agree hybrid are a stop gap and people I know who have them say the breaks are odd
I think it will start at around $50k in Australia, remember, Tesla does not charge Australia tax, so the cost will be $US35k+import costs+ tax + onroads. No luxury car tax, and the free trade agreement helps. The Tesla S and X follow this formula, and their price changes in response to currency fluctuations regularly. The running costs of a Tesla are low also, the fueling costs, even if you supercharge will be half that of petrol (they are free on the S and X), and if you have solar at home, its free to charge. Over the life of the car, you could subtract 10% easily in running cost savings. So realistically its a $45k base model.
Hmmmm, still might be slightly out of my budget
@fleabag: Solution = get more money. It doesn't matter anyway, if you haven't ordered one already, you wont be seeing one for years, they have 400k pre orders, and production at the moment is slow. They wont even land in Australia till 2019 at best and even then they will be sold out for at least a year.
Zoe not yet available and range is still limited to 100km
Another alternative is the MITSUBISHI outlander phev
It’s a good combo of 50km ev with petty engine backup for another 300 +++Ish? Km
Can get second hard stock now for under 30k
New mode is exy around 45-50k howeverNo, the Zoe is available now, and its range is about 300km real world.
i agree. not only do you get 90%+ efficiency with full EVs (compared to 54.4% in ICE cars), you also get lower maintenance costs over the lifetime of the car. compare having 10000+ moving parts in regular cars as to 20-100 in electric. plus, if you drive less than 40 km a day, which is more than the average daily commute of 15.5 one way, you virtually spend 0$ on petrol but a miniscule 3cents per km. this translates to about 50cents aud a day.
is Nissan Leaf full EV?
I wonder how you could possibly find that out? If only there was a repository of information like this.
(just in case) Yes, it is full EV.
Depends on your driving. City driving is good. If you do a lot of Ks, it's also good.
If you're buying it to save money, you need to be a high K driver to get your investment back.
And if you're doing it for the environment, just know that the battery has a big footprint. It's debateable whether electric and hybrid cars are actually good for the environment.
No no and no I hate those cars.
I once rented I think a BMW X1 and it had the auto stops and it was so uncomfortable.Yeah that's not a hybrid buddy.
No, it isn't in any way.
@JUSTINO: No, it isn't. This is a stupid argument, and you have no idea what you are talking about. BMW do not make an X1 Hybrid. You are talking about start stop, which has nothing to do with hybrid drive, it is merely to save fuel at the lights.
@Burnertoasty: justino has an all caps name and just says “yes it is” as their entire rebuttal… does this not sound like a 12 yo kid to you? :D
The very definition of a hybrid vehicle is that it has more than 1 type of motor, in today's market that generally means a petrol engine working alongside an electric motor.
The X1 range are all 2L Diesels, there's no electric motor so it's not a hybrid.
Bullshit, i drive a BMW, and you cant hear or feel the engine turning on after a traffic light stop.
Yes you can. X1 is RUBBISH
But you didnt clarify what is rubbish about the X1. Perhaps it is rubbish maybe you dont like one aspect, but thats not what this entire post is about.
I own a Prius hybrid. It's always good to buy a second-hand hybrid as demand is low here, hence the price drop is high too when compared to other cars.
Why I think it's great:1.High tech features, gives you options that most cars do not offer at that price point
2.Quiet, sound insulation is great, road noise is minimal
3.Less pollution around where people live and drive, overall pollution might be high, but it can be contained in factories and its surroundings.
4.Comparatively cheap to own, and if you're going to own it for the longer term there is a real cost benefit(fuel costs, and registration fee discount)
5. They pack a punch when you want it to, however, that affects fuel economy greatly
6. Unlike EVs, they have a proven technology that stood the test of time and easy to repair, no downtime in recharging, and it's within most people's price point. I think EVs are great, but here in Australia lack of infrastructure and lack of government incentives hindering the uptake.
7.Prius has a planetary CVT transmission, hence the driving experience is very smooth, driving comfort is pretty goodWhat I don't like about them:
1.You are not engaged with the car much, most of its operation is governed by the car itself(ie: car accelerator is connected to a sensor rather than directly to the engine itself)
2.If you want to achieve high mileage you'd have to do hypermiling which can annoy other drivers on the road, and most hybrid drivers do this nevertheless
3. Manufacturers try to make hybrids to stand out of the crowd, but in the process, they only manage to make them ugly
4. Due to low ground clearance to improve aerodynamics, some driveways can be a bit of a challenge to get into
5. Due to CVT transmission, it can get a bit noisy if you try to accelerate it too aggressively
6. It can't jump start other vehicles when they are in need, but the reverse is possible
7. Battery efficiency, fuel economy and lifetime can be affected by varying temperatures in Aussie climateDon't buy a hybrid if you plan to sell it after a couple of years, their price drop is crazy, and I don't think hybrids can ever win a fond place in the Australian psyche.
Don't buy a hybrid if you're a current manual driver, you'd hate it so much for its lack of driver engagement
*Disclaimer I based all this on my personal experience with a Prius.hypermiling
This generally means avoiding unnecessary acceleration which implies avoiding unnecessary deceleration. I started doing this when I drove a gas guzzling Fairmont. If I saw the lights had turned red ahead I'd just take my foot off the accelerator and cruise in to the lights. If I was lucky they'd turn green just before I got there. People would tailgate me, then violently overtake so they could slam the brakes on to stop at the lights. I guess they got their petrol and brake pads for free. I gave it up because of the road rage it generated.
Yeh it’s boggles mind about how some people rage into red lights lol
Look hybrids initially seemed like a good idea but in today's age they are quite silly. You're carrying around 2 power sources? Why?
Sure, the 918 and the BMW i8 are demonstrations of hybrid power done well, but a modern Prius? Waste of time. If you bought one of the original Prius cars, you know the one that was a Frankensteined Toyota Echo, and still have it, power to you, otherwise just go electric.
Pros. They're really stupid and the market knows it, so if it's cheap enough for it to make sense, great. They can reduce fuel consumption versus the equivalent petrol car. If you keep it long enough it might be an interesting museum piece. Performance versions, in 2017, are unique and interesting ways to overcome turbocharger boost lag with torque fill from the electric motors. You can convince ignorant people you're trying to be green, glossing over the fact you're probably burning both coal and petrol. Used examples obviously a case of recycling the work done making them (same as any used car).
More things to go wrong, often give gimmicky suggestions to make you a more green driver. Horrible performance or extremely expensive (in Australia). Laughable electric only range (if they even have one), most likely not 4WD. Two systems to maintain, will the tiny batteries wear out? Will the ICE (internal combustion engine) develop problems? You have to worry about both. Heavier than traditional single powered vehicles (especially ICE only ones). Worse fuel consumption than a well sorted diesel or petrol car. Less green than an ICE car (don't get me started on the work required to produce a car that mines lithium and contributes to fossil fuel payload on the environment). Generally have less storage space than the same vehicle would in ICE form.So no, I wouldn't suggest getting one, I think at this stage for most people who want to be early adopters of electric technology, go the full hog and get an electric car, very few can stretch to even a base Tesla Model S, so pre-order a Model 3, you have 18-24 months to save up if you reserve now while you manage with whatever you have now. Further more, they'll be a huge amount of car manufacturers jumping into this in the next few years, the range will grow exponentially, as will the price options and types of vehicles.
A DANGER! - Until we get used to them.
I just said that to highlight how one of my friends has a hybrid Lexus SUV and it is so quiet on electric power that all you hear is a single click initially when they go into gear and then reverse out of the driveway. It worries me for kids and people on headphones / smartphones and such, it is virtually silent and the driver must be doubly alert to what's going on behind them.
They will become more commonplace and we\ll get used to them, and I think a standard reverse sound alert thingy will become more important.
Yeah! Everyone should drive SS Commodores and V8 Mustangs. It’s an OH&S issue! Won’t anyone think of the children??
I think the ADR’s should make it mandatory that any electric vehicles run spoked rims with playing cards attached to them to make a noise when they drive…
The quietness of the electric engine means you can hear the screams of the kid you are running over and stop what you are doing.
I can't understand how your current car is not fuel efficient. Maybe you need to leave for work 10 mins earlier and drive a bit more sedate. I have driven a Subaru imprezza with start stop and I averaged 6-7ltrs per 100km city and can get in the 5's on the highway. My 3ltr v6 lexus averages 9ltrs per 100km city 7ltrs per 100km highway. My Territory average 13ltrs around town and 11 ltrs per 100km highway. It's all about how you drive.
What model Lexus?
GS300
Nice. How do you find the ride comfort compared to your Territory? I'm currently looking into getting one of the hybrid models.
@JIMB0:
Very nice, smooth car to drive, packed with features. Cheap to buy and toyota reliability. Got the lexus for essentialy the same price I was looking at paying for an Aurion Presara.
How about a 1 year old Nissan Leaf for $20,000? You have to move to NZ though as do nothing Malcom has kept the import tariffs on cars even though his party destroyed car manufacturing in Australia.
a lot of people give information about hybrid based on research and google without even owning one? im sorry i have a corolla hybrid and it is amazing, once you get used to the quietness, every time when you get into a non electric car or a very luxury car, the engine vibration is annoying as (profanity) and will give you car sickness which kind of silly. and my fuel consumption you may ask, when i pushed it, 4.5-5.4 litres per 100km, driving normally? under 4.5, or when im hypermilling, under 4.1, im sorry but it is as low as a small diesel. Somebody may say that it is slow and i drive like a granny well you are wrong again, im not, just normally driving, and if you check on youtube, ther a a lot of clip of corolla hybrid or a more expensive model the lexus ct200h which is a corolla rebrand. the acceleration is amazing. especially when you put it on power mode, the car can definitely put a smile on your face
The Corolla Hybrid has a peak power of 103kW (same as normal Corolla). Yes, the torque might be higher because of the electric motors, but for some really weird reason these numbers are really hard to come by. Same as the 0-100 times. It's almost as if everyone knows these cars aren't really strong in that suit and are hiding the fact you WILL drive like a granny because that's all the car can do.
(p.s. the Lexus CT200h has a 0-100 of 10.3s. Not really a smile-inducing figure IMO)
Next point you fail to mention is that trying to overtake on the highway, accelerating from 80kmph the hybrids will be at a distinct disadvantage because of the extra weight of an electric motor (which is useless at higher speeds; ie over 60kmph).
Now, those fuel consumption numbers are GREAT. I have nothing to say against that. However, the question of whether it was worth it I've addressed in another reply.
And if hunterhalo's numbers are correct, you get 4.1/100km on his best case scenario. I get 8/100km on a very bad day on my astra. Assuming driving for 15000km a year, that's $600 a year in savings at best. If we used a more typical 7/100km for me, your savings now drop to $400 a year in fuel. On the highway I get sub-5/100km, which means your savings now drop to almost nothing.
Now, I bought my 2017 plated car for $20000 demo. You're looking at least $25000 for a demo corolla hybrid. Best case scenario (you save $600 a year in fuel), if your servicing and depreciation is the same, your fuel cost till pay for the car in…. 8 years 4 months.
Said Astra is more likely to put a smile on your face with 147kw, 300Nm, 0-100 in 8.2s (not great, but accelerates to 100kmph 25% faster).
Unless you're smiling about all that fuel you're not burning, there's not much else to smile about with a hybrid today.
Let's compare Corolla VS Corolla shall we? Because we can compare <insert competitor car> to Corolla Hybrid all day long, it doesn't prove any point.
New Corolla Ascent Sport auto - $23,990
New Corolla Hybrid - $27,990Now it's not just Petrol VS Hybrid. Hybrid also gets keyless entry/start, dual-zone climate control, GPS. So it's more on par with an SX model, which is $26,990 drive away.
So there is really little cost involved in just going the Hybrid option if you factor in the extra features. But the ongoing savings are obvious.
That's still 4000, and about 5 years of usage before your fuel savings make sense.
Also, I'm comparing his actual fuel consumption figures, to my actual fuel consumption figures.
Using another corolla to compare makes MORE sense, but doing so will probably make my figures look even better, as I would say a Corolla would be more fuel efficient than my "warm" Astra.
Feel free to correct me here.
@CMH:
That's still 4000, and about 5 years of usage before your fuel savings make sense.
It's not $4000, I just said it compares to a car that's $1000 less. So about 1.5yrs by your math. Easily enough done.
Didn't see that part about "it is closer to the SX"
That would be fine if you were going for the SX, but if you're talking about the entry level models petrol vs hybrid…
@CMH:
Now it's not just Petrol VS Hybrid. Hybrid also gets keyless entry/start, dual-zone climate control, GPS. So it's more on par with an SX model, which is $26,990 drive away.
Well, now you'll need a full compare of features between the hybird and the SX.
A quick glance:
Hybrid requires RON95 petrol vs 91 for the SX
The hybrid has smaller alloys
Hybrid lacks a manual mode.I'm sure there's more.
There's no exact apples to apples comparison unfortunately, so while you pay only 1000 more for the hybrid, you lose out on features available in the cheaper SX.
The point is not about if people wanted the manual mode, but the fact it's no longer an apples to apples comparison, with the cheaper car having MORE features than the slightly-more-expensive hybrid.
If that's your argument, is keyless start or dual climate control a concern for Corolla buyers? Alloy wheels? Are Corolla buyers concerned about ABS/ESC/EBD/etc?
@CMH: Convenience and safety features are not the same as something that is perceived to be a performance feature. Corolla buyers don’t want or need the ability to ‘change gears’, but they do care about keyless go and having ABS.
Good comparison
I think it’s actually more in comparison with the top spec levin zr
Main diff I see is that’s it’s got smaller mags
Probably doesn’t have same interior seats?
But alas it’s got most of the top spec fitout plus hybrids tech for same as the sx@fez:
You gotta be kidding
Top spec has the safety gear that's optional with the Hybrid
Leather interior
"Luxury trim" (whatever that means)
Electric lumbar adjustment
Better suspension system
Nicer rims
Automatic dimming mirror
dusk sensor
Alarm systemAnd of course you can use 91 instead of 95 petrol
All you see is the mags? Might as well say the only difference in the entry level Ascent is the 6.1" touchscreen. Is the 0.9" bigger touchscreen worth upgrading to the hybrid?
I agreed the combination power is weird, btw did your top speed test at eco, normal or pw mode? Because in pw mode, the acceleration is wow, power equals top speed and torque equals acceleration isnt it, and you are not racing so its either 0-60,70 at most, believe it or not i surprise a lot of old civic with fart can and some mazda 3 sp in acceleration form stop already. Of course in pw mode, one last thing, hybrid will use as low as 91, e10, from the manual that i read
Of course in pw mode, one last thing, hybrid will use as low as 91, e10, from the manual that i read
Not according to Toyota.
http://www.toyota.com.au/corolla/compare-specifications?vehi…
Dude, a Prius does not have wow acceleration. Stop speaking rubbish.
@Burnertoasty:
Mate look carefully i was talking about corolla hybrid in pw mode driven by a normal driver, not some idiot tries to save a few cent, btw again just like the other guy said, have u driven one or owning one?@hunterhalo: Even worse. I’ve not driven a Corolla Hybrid, but I have driven a Prius. Slow as a snail and still faster than a Corolla Hybrid. You can’t argue with number ands a Corolla Hybrid is not fast by any metric. It’s just that your perception of fast is wrong because you’ve driven only rubbish cars.
I would calculate how much fuel you actually use a year, and calculate the amount of fuel you expect to save in that time.
If I'm right, for the average user (15000km a year or so) you won't see any savings. Any fuel savings you get just gets eaten up by the extra cost of getting a hybrid, and its depreciation.
A full EV vehicle is EVEN WORSE. Resale values on those vehicles are atrocious at the moment. So unless you can get an EV for a song, and save the whole cost from the amount of fuel you'll save driving it, don't bother.
And if hunterhalo's numbers are correct, you get 4.1/100km on his best case scenario. I get 8/100km on a very bad day on my astra. Assuming driving for 15000km a year, that's $600 a year in savings at best. If we used a more typical 7/100km for me, your savings now drop to $400 a year in fuel. On the highway I get sub-5/100km, which means your savings now drop to almost nothing.
Now, I bought my 2017 plated car for $20000 demo. You're looking at least $25000 for a demo corolla hybrid. Best case scenario (you save $600 a year in fuel), if your servicing and depreciation is the same, your fuel cost till pay for the car in…. 8 years 4 months.
If you really want to save money, buy a cheaper car, forget the hybrids.
You are not taking into account that your Astra will literally be worthless in 5 years and the Toyota will be worth about 1/2 new price. Oh and you have to drive an Astra for 5 years. No one should have to do that.
You are not taking into account that your Astra will literally be worthless in 5 years and the Toyota will be worth about 1/2 new price.
There's a sliver of a chance that might be true if you're talking about a normal Corolla, but hybrids will depreciate just as fast, or faster.
Oh and you have to drive an Astra for 5 years.
I'm hoping for at least 10. My last car lasted (and is still going) for 14 years with all the abuse I throw at it, including a whole ski season's worth of climbing Mt Hotham.
I did my research before buying it, and the biggest issue I had with the Astra was that it carried a Holden badge. Otherwise, it's a solid car which (this gen) has been on sale in the UK for a few years now.
You didn't do enough research if you ended up with an Astra.
So tell me, whats wrong with it other than your pre-conceived notion that "Astras are bad".
@CMH: They are inferior to the competition, they have a notoriously bad reliability record, they have horrendous resale, and frankly, there are better options at both ends of the market. If you are cheaping out, a Hyundai is a much better option, and if you're willing to buy a decent car, a Golf is a better option.
I love people like you because you're the reason the Astra is a bargain :D
Like I said, with this gen Astra there are no reliability issues, which is the cause of a horrendous resale value. It has been a few generations of Astras since Holden stopped bringing them in and sold the Cruze instead.
And Hyundai was in this same rut just 4-5 years ago, and if you picked up an i30 then you got a decent car at a bargain when everyone was still rubbishing them, and here you are recommending one :D
I have to make a separate post since there r are a lot of debate from my previous post
Hybrid can use 91, e10
The extra money you pay for the conmfort, did you know that the batteries power almost everything in the car, even the air con, depends on the state of the batteries you will have from 10 to 20 mins of you can call it free heater or cooler, find out last summer when i first got the car, got the air con on and while i was outside my car and i realise that the w engine does not run at all, do abit of research and found that info
The power is the same but the instance torque is amazing, you HAVE to go to power mode to get full access otherwise it feels dull, i did surprise a lot fo fary can civic and mazda 3 about my acceleration already, BTW most of the time the speed limit is around 60-80 which is the best acceleration range for corolla hybrid, very decent acceleration actually. Unless you want to race
The comfort during trafic jam at flinder around 7.30 and does not hear the engine idling or the cooler fan is roaring is a win for me, further more you will see the fuel consumption drop down to 3.8 or lower hahaHybrid can use 91, e10
Not according to Toyota. (for the Corolla hybrid)
http://www.toyota.com.au/corolla/specifications/corolla-hybr…
BTW most of the time the speed limit is around 60-80 which is the best acceleration range for corolla hybrid, very decent acceleration actually.
Easy to test. Just go for a test drive. I have driven one, and I had issues bringing a full car up a hill near my home (one reason why I didn't end up buying one).
I know I trust Toyota's own spec over a 3rd party site (especially a government run site).
I do expect Corolla Hybrid owners to use E10, after all it ties in well with the whole "green" image.
Would be hillarious though if engine issues crop up and warranty is denied because you used an inferior fuel to that RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER
Expensive but economical and therefore environmentally friendly
Oh apparently not
Get a good diesel vehicle instead. I would also suggest against a partial EV. I borrowed my mums Audi A3-Etron and have been driving it around the last month, about 40km on a full charge, the engine kicks in for extra distance. Which is good if you are going up to the shop and school run but not so good for the extra cost (almost $20k from a standard a3), its a lot of money to pay for the privilege of 40km of plug in travel when a good diesel will get you that sort of distance on a couple litres at the cost of $20k new (like a diesel ford focus). I think Until the costs come down and there is some form of decent resale, audi's have traditional poor resale its better to get something conventional.
Diesel isn't really sited to short, city traffic. Great for highway though.
Pro: Environment
Con: BoringYou forgot the bigger, more important con: expensive.
expensive? susuki ignis is 20k
But the little electric motor in the ignis has also been used in other cars, even was in a model of the micra in Europe.Ignis in Australia isn't hybrid
Reading through comments, lots of hybrid myths from people who've never even driven one. It's not the most popular car out there but at least for me, I have very good reasons to have a Prius running for considerably long time now.
1) Hybrids are low maintenance cars (hybrid battery, transmission fluid, timing chain will last the life of the car)
2) Engine oil change interval is 15k, 12v battery lasts 5 years plus
3) Extremely reliable (I've had corollas, echos and few Prius cars, while all Toyota cars were great, Prius has proven to be the best)
4) Prius economy may not be as good as Toyota Chaim that to be, but it's much better Compared to many other cars. I get 5.2L/100 km with my 'not so Prius friendly' driving ) My wife's Prius C gives very good 4.6 reading.
5) Yes, initial cost is high. But you get very good package even with the base model (push start button, heads up display, 8 speakers, climate control AC, 9 air bags with 5 star safety, electric lumber support adjust, 8 year warranty for hybrid battery, cruise control, alloy wheels, fog lights, auto rain wipers etc all standard in base model - I'm talking about older 3rd gen Prius here, new 4th gen has more options in base)
6) You enjoy the quiet drive and hence crystal clear music inside the car
7) Hybrid cars (at least Toyota hybrids) have different kind of automatic transmission. It's not CAT. Even in CAT you can feel gears changing. But with Prius you will feel nothing. You will accelerate from 0-120 with such a seamless smooth way you begin to see even the smoothest CAT as bad.
8) Prius 3rd gen isn't slow at all. It's a myth created by those who don't know how to drive one. I've never found mine slow in highway and infact I usually drive like a maniac.
9) In highway Prius economy is low. Again myth. I drove my car from Perth to Sydney with total fuel cost of only 300$. Which other car can do that?
4) Prius economy may not be as good as Toyota Chaim that to be, but it's much better Compared to many other cars. I get 5.2L/100 km with my 'not so Prius friendly' driving ) My wife's Prius C gives very good 4.6 reading.
Fuel economy is one of hybrids' forte. However, if you calculated the amount of fuel you have to save before you pay back the extra you had to pay for the car, you'll find that it makes no sense whatsoever. This fact may change in the future, but given today's resale value of hybrid cars, you wouldn't be driving one for the sake of "lower fuel costs".
5) Yes, initial cost is high. But you get very good package even with the base model (push start button, heads up display, 8 speakers, climate control AC, 9 air bags with 5 star safety, electric lumber support adjust, 8 year warranty for hybrid battery, cruise control, alloy wheels, fog lights, auto rain wipers etc all standard in base model - I'm talking about older 3rd gen Prius here, new 4th gen has more options in base)
You could get all that in a car that costs less, and you even get the option to spend less and get a car with less fluff!
6) You enjoy the quiet drive and hence crystal clear music inside the car
Some people pay extra to hear all the hydrocarbons burning up in their engines.
8) Prius 3rd gen isn't slow at all. It's a myth created by those who don't know how to drive one. I've never found mine slow in highway and infact I usually drive like a maniac.
You're the second person to say this, but having driven one I'd need to re-evaluate what is considered slow (or fast). Having seen a Prius unable to bring 4 people (including a car salesman who very quickly saw that his chance of a sale is evaporating) up a hill and hold 60kmph with the accelerator stuck to the floor, I really can't see how. Might be possible an acceleration of 0-100 below 10 minutes is now the new fast?
9) In highway Prius economy is low. Again myth. I drove my car from Perth to Sydney with total fuel cost of only 300$. Which other car can do that?
Just about any other same sized car? Its not that Prius economy is low on the highway, but that any advantages it has on its economy is lost when there's no stop-start traffic, as the regenerating brakes aren't capturing the lost energy during braking to use for acceleration again.
In fact I agree with some of your replies. As a Prius fan,I even wouldn't buy a brand new Prius myself. It's expensive compared to most of similarly featured cars. My third generation Prius costs 40,000$ brand new and the full specs top range model costs 50,000$ plus. Now that's ridiculous, I agree.
Prius 3rd gen has 1.8 L engine (similar to that of Corolla) plus electric motor both simultaneously a total horse power of 173 kW (207 HP). Now in comparison 2nd gen Mazda 3 2.0 L has torque of 107 kW (144 HP) and Corolla 10th gen 1.8 L has torque of 104 kW (138 HP).
I would like to repeat again, if you haven't driven a hybrid car before you would not know how to drive one. Test driving the car with four people onboard on a hilly road isn't the norm here. Lol. Above numbers talk themselves, if you want to do a proper comparison do the same test with other cars too.
I have test driven some muscle cars but do I have the right to judge them and review them from that experience. Absolutely not. Do I know how to drive those cars just because I've test driven them? Again, absolutely not. So don't judge a car when you don't know it properly and you didn't like it at first drive. OP wants to hear about hybrid cars from those who knows them. Lol
2010 Prius 0-100 km/h acceleration test
https://youtu.be/eK4bxgDKq5I2016 model acceleration 0-190 km/h, the engine sound remains pretty much the same.
https://youtu.be/PfATRs2axTkI do agree with some comments too.
Test driving the car with four people onboard on a hilly road isn't the norm here. Lol. Above numbers talk themselves, if you want to do a proper comparison do the same test with other cars too.
Might not be the norm, but if there's hills where I live, and the family goes out together often, the car needs to be tested in those conditions.
What the hell is a CAT transmission? I’ve never heard that term (because I think you just made it up). You also can’t possibly be trying to sell the CVT as a positive thing, it’s rubbish. Most of the rest of your post makes sense, but your fuel economy, the whole point behind hybrids, is rubbish. A decent European diesel or petrol can match or beat those figures no problems.
Lol. It's CVT. I realised too late. What I wanted to say was Prius transmission is very different to CVT eventhough sometimes it uses the same term. It's much smoother.
European petrol car would match fuel figures..? Lol, probably in your dreams. And few thousand repairs after each 100,000 km while Prius runs forever with minimum maintenance.
No, a Prius uses a chain driven CVT. They are all smooth, because they don’t have gears (and all rubbish). One isn’t smoother than the other.
A golf diesel will get better mileage with longer service intervals, as will an A class or A3.
@Burnertoasty:
I don't understand why people comment without knowing the technology fully. Ego I guess.
For your information, Prius CVT is very different from other CVTs and no it doesn't have a chain. Please don't spread lies around.
Do your research first.
For a starter,
http://www.winnipegsynthetics.ca/articles/cvt-and-ecvt.htmlAnd no, CVT is NOT smooth. You will know it if you have even driven a Prius.
@Spackbace:
Good Point (Noted)… 6-7k More but Warranty, Near New Tyre's and 8 years warranty…
Guys,
Does anyone know warranty terms lets say battery fails completely at 5 years, is that mean Toyota replaces that without any cost to consumer?