Which Hybrid for the wife? And is it worth it?
Discussion
My constant complaining at the wife about her car is finally starting to get through. We're considering getting something bigger, and have been wondering about hybrid cars.
The budget would be capped at around £10,000 for relatively new, lightly used car (in comparison to my own, anyway). The car would see relatively light use, as her commute is maybe a little over six miles a day, five days a week. I reckon she does maybe 50-60 miles a week driving, if that. The crux of the matter for me is that I will occasionally be driving that car too, so it has to be something I would enjoy. My drives are quite different from hers in that I have to contend with a quick dual carriageway slog and her previous penchant for superminis and city cars means they're pretty crap on those sorts of roads. We're both after something that feels more stable at speed, more comfortable and quicker than her dire 1.2 Agila. Something roomier would be nice too, though we don't have kids to cart around and my XJ8 will handle any really big jobs or long slogs we have to make by car, though I would like her to have a car that I could say, cruise to the Lakes and back in without losing the will to live.
We're going to go out next weekend and try to test drive the main contenders in this field. The first thing I suggested was the Honda Insight. Now, before I go on, don't think I've handed my PH card in when I say that I find these cars intriguing and I want to drive them, just to see what they're like. I love the hi-tech looks and teardrop profiles they have. The Insight seems like a good place to start, being cheaper than the equivalent Prius and having a CVT. Something like this...
http://usedcars.honda.co.uk/Insight/1.3-IMA-ES/Dur...
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Then there is the next Honda offering, the CR-Z. This seems like an interesting one.
And then there is the Prius. Definitely the market leader in terms of sales. This one shot says it all to me:
We haven't really looked at other things like Auris and Civic Hybrids, I thought if we were going down that route we should look at the vehicles designed from the off as hybrids. I know diesels will be faster and more economical but I don't fancy the financial burden of driving one of those disasters around, and small petrols don't particularly appeal either.
The budget would be capped at around £10,000 for relatively new, lightly used car (in comparison to my own, anyway). The car would see relatively light use, as her commute is maybe a little over six miles a day, five days a week. I reckon she does maybe 50-60 miles a week driving, if that. The crux of the matter for me is that I will occasionally be driving that car too, so it has to be something I would enjoy. My drives are quite different from hers in that I have to contend with a quick dual carriageway slog and her previous penchant for superminis and city cars means they're pretty crap on those sorts of roads. We're both after something that feels more stable at speed, more comfortable and quicker than her dire 1.2 Agila. Something roomier would be nice too, though we don't have kids to cart around and my XJ8 will handle any really big jobs or long slogs we have to make by car, though I would like her to have a car that I could say, cruise to the Lakes and back in without losing the will to live.
We're going to go out next weekend and try to test drive the main contenders in this field. The first thing I suggested was the Honda Insight. Now, before I go on, don't think I've handed my PH card in when I say that I find these cars intriguing and I want to drive them, just to see what they're like. I love the hi-tech looks and teardrop profiles they have. The Insight seems like a good place to start, being cheaper than the equivalent Prius and having a CVT. Something like this...
http://usedcars.honda.co.uk/Insight/1.3-IMA-ES/Dur...
Then there is the next Honda offering, the CR-Z. This seems like an interesting one.
And then there is the Prius. Definitely the market leader in terms of sales. This one shot says it all to me:
We haven't really looked at other things like Auris and Civic Hybrids, I thought if we were going down that route we should look at the vehicles designed from the off as hybrids. I know diesels will be faster and more economical but I don't fancy the financial burden of driving one of those disasters around, and small petrols don't particularly appeal either.
I bought a 59 plate Insight last December to cover the travel associated with a work contract (about 600 miles a week). The purchase was driven purely by a mathmatical calculation re purchase/running costs. Insurance is cheap, RFL £10/year, I can hypermile it to 85mpg on the work run and it does 55-60mpg everywhere else. It had one owner, full service history, 32k miles, from a Honda dealer with a years warranty. I paid £6.7k for it, having phoned up half a dozen dealerships and said I've got cash in hand, buying tomorrow, best price wins - which resulted in nearly £1k off ticket price.
The suspension is unneccesarily hard and the CVT gearbox makes for intrusive engine noise if you floor it (it dials up 5k revs from engine and keeps it there till you back off). Otherwise it's a very relaxing place to spend a lot of time. The anorack in me enjoys playing the 'wring some more mpg out of it' game on longer runs and it's a Honda, so I just fill the tank (£40) and it just gets on with it's job completely reliably.
Looked at a Prius, but they were £12-13k for the same car. The Insight has little market presence, so they can be bought well for very little considering what you are getting.
Only question is that if the main journey that this car is going to do on a daily basis is half a dozen miles, then a hybrid car isn'y really going to save you and money? Shouldn't you be looking for something with a massive V8 in it?
The suspension is unneccesarily hard and the CVT gearbox makes for intrusive engine noise if you floor it (it dials up 5k revs from engine and keeps it there till you back off). Otherwise it's a very relaxing place to spend a lot of time. The anorack in me enjoys playing the 'wring some more mpg out of it' game on longer runs and it's a Honda, so I just fill the tank (£40) and it just gets on with it's job completely reliably.
Looked at a Prius, but they were £12-13k for the same car. The Insight has little market presence, so they can be bought well for very little considering what you are getting.
Only question is that if the main journey that this car is going to do on a daily basis is half a dozen miles, then a hybrid car isn'y really going to save you and money? Shouldn't you be looking for something with a massive V8 in it?
Q Car said:
Only question is that if the main journey that this car is going to do on a daily basis is half a dozen miles, then a hybrid car isn'y really going to save you and money? Shouldn't you be looking for something with a massive V8 in it?
I have a Jaguar with a V8 in it for getting to work, but the wife says it's too big to drive. She wants a sensible family car, I want something a little more interesting than a Focus or Golf. Would you get a hybrid Jazz in your price range? If not the 1.4 Vtec would be a good bet too. Fits the Mrs Supermini criteria, insane amount of space inside, ok to drive and while the wifes standard 1.2 is a bit slow it's plenty quick enough for motorway driving (90bhp on the 1.2 or 100 on the 1.4), and she's averaging about 55mpg out of it doing similar mileage to your Mrs.
Fair number of Leaf/Zoe/iOn/iMiev/Czero on Auto Trader, ranging from 1-2 years old & within your price range. £7500 would buy you a 2 year old iOn, the spare £2,500 would cover an electrician to fit an external socket & an extended warranty if you can get one.
For these sorts of trips I'd definitely be thinking battery rather than hybrid, unless you can get a plug-in that can run with the engine stopped for an extended period.
For these sorts of trips I'd definitely be thinking battery rather than hybrid, unless you can get a plug-in that can run with the engine stopped for an extended period.
CT200h will have done a lot of miles already to get it close to £10,000.
RX400h is going to around 30MPG on her commute.
I find the seats in the Insight lacking in comfort for me as I suffer from lower back problems. They are better value for money than a Prius, but then they're cheaper to buy new. Not that you can get them any more.
If you can get a decent mileage gen3 Prius, that would be where my money would go, or an Auris. Feels more like a normal car to drive than a Prius.
Not forgetting that the Insight only has start/stop and not the ability to run on battery power alone like the Toyota/Lexus.
Honda's can also be jerky under light throttle loads.
RX400h is going to around 30MPG on her commute.
I find the seats in the Insight lacking in comfort for me as I suffer from lower back problems. They are better value for money than a Prius, but then they're cheaper to buy new. Not that you can get them any more.
If you can get a decent mileage gen3 Prius, that would be where my money would go, or an Auris. Feels more like a normal car to drive than a Prius.
Not forgetting that the Insight only has start/stop and not the ability to run on battery power alone like the Toyota/Lexus.
Honda's can also be jerky under light throttle loads.
This?:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
Has a manual gearbox, not CVT, which would be a good thing in my opinion, handles well, a bit more go than your average hybrid and small enough to be easily manouverable for your wife.
Something else for you to consider is that the aerodynamic shape of a lot of hybrids means nasty rear visibility for parking, overtaking, manouvering. Could be a major consideration for your wife? Rear parking sensors would be a neccesity.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
Has a manual gearbox, not CVT, which would be a good thing in my opinion, handles well, a bit more go than your average hybrid and small enough to be easily manouverable for your wife.
Something else for you to consider is that the aerodynamic shape of a lot of hybrids means nasty rear visibility for parking, overtaking, manouvering. Could be a major consideration for your wife? Rear parking sensors would be a neccesity.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
The Prius and the Insight size are about right. She wants something a little bigger than her Agila, but not as big as my Jaguar, obviously. I like the look of the CRZ but the back seats look bloody hopeless. I suppose though whenever we have to drive people around I end up doing it so I'd use my car!Someone forwarded me this a while back
http://www.chargemasterplc.com/index.php/free_home...
URL says it all, worth it if you're considering an EV or plug in of some kind in the future.
http://www.chargemasterplc.com/index.php/free_home...
URL says it all, worth it if you're considering an EV or plug in of some kind in the future.
Fastdruid said:
Someone forwarded me this a while back
http://www.chargemasterplc.com/index.php/free_home...
URL says it all, worth it if you're considering an EV or plug in of some kind in the future.
Get this.http://www.chargemasterplc.com/index.php/free_home...
URL says it all, worth it if you're considering an EV or plug in of some kind in the future.
Get a 2 year old Leaf (sub 10k in a private sale), on these you own the battery outright.
They have a 5 year / 60k battery warranty.
Otherwise I'd get a small petrol supermini for that commute. New C1 is funky.
6 miles is perfect cycling distance.....
Edited by was8v on Tuesday 2nd September 09:33
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