Used Toyota Prius v Toyota Auris v Peugeot 508

[M4cruiser]

knowledgeseeker said:

NDA said:

I bought my Mrs an Auris.... the auto is not strictly an auto - it's a peculiar gearbox. I wouldn't buy another.

Feel free to PM me if you want the long and boring explanation.

Any chance you could give us a brief explanation on here? Will the Auto feel much different to a layman used to driving Autos?

I'm guessing "NDA" bought the robotised manual Auris, it's not a proper auto, and we don't like it. It's a manual with motors and switches etc so the computer operates the clutch. I rejected a Mazda2 with similar gearbox (2005 model) but that one has now gone to a proper auto.

But the Auris Hybrid is an awesome car. Toyota have worked hard on smoothing out the Hybrid drivetrain; the first two Prius shapes were a bit clunky on the mechanical side (i.e. you could feel the petrol engine cutting in) but the latest Auris shape (from about 2015?) is smoooooth.

[Tyre Smoke]

And is a constantly variable transmission. Which is why it can sound harsh under acceleration.

But agree, both Prius and Auris are smooth to drive.

[Otispunkmeyer]

ZX10R NIN said:

LasseV said:

Auris is a better car. Prius is more economical but it has some drawbacks compared to Auris. It is a myth that 1.8 HSD take a hit in a long journey. It is always a very economican and RELIABLE drivetrain. 4th gen Prius is genuinely a great car and the most economical car what i have ever driven.

Peugeot is still hit and miss. 508 was option for us too, but we decided against it. That was a new car tho….

I agree the Auris is the car you want to be in compared to the Prius but both weren't s economical on long stints when I've driven them, The Peugeot/Citroen had a few issues when they were first released but most issues were software related & will have been sorted by now.

I have a 2010 Prius and I can vouch for the economy on longer runs... I get 50-55 mpg depending on the weather and I’m doing 40mi out of 70 a day on motorways.i don’t think that is bad at all considering it’s essentially a petrol and automatic. The newer Prius is even better because it can actually run in EV mode at motorway speeds. So it does much better as it can pulse along for short stretches without using fuel.

I get similar when driving back up north or going down to Cornwall, 150 and 250 mi trips. There is a knack to driving them and it is entirely easy to get rubbish (relatively) economy. However, certainly, a good diesel will see higher mpg on motorway, but few will do enough to make up for the extra cost of the fuel.

However, I can also vouch that it’s not the nicest thing to drive, not the comfiest thing to sit in and has poor NVH and a crummy bin plastic interior. Again the newer one is better, but you’ll likely still have to contend with that nasty straining noise the engine makes when you need it do something for you.

Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Thursday 18th April 19:45

[Otispunkmeyer]

Tyre Smoke said:

And is a constantly variable transmission. Which is why it can sound harsh under acceleration.

But agree, both Prius and Auris are smooth to drive.

It’s a power split device... there is a difference, though the output appears the same. It’s essentially a cvt but done with a single physical gear ratio. The relative motions of the other gear wheels and outer ring is what changes the speed.



http://eahart.com/prius/psd/

That site has a great explanation and an interactive widget to play with. Explains why you can’t do full EV at certain speeds in a Prius.

Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Thursday 18th April 19:53

[NDA]

M4cruiser said:

knowledgeseeker said:

NDA said:

I bought my Mrs an Auris.... the auto is not strictly an auto - it's a peculiar gearbox. I wouldn't buy another.

Feel free to PM me if you want the long and boring explanation.

Any chance you could give us a brief explanation on here? Will the Auto feel much different to a layman used to driving Autos?

I'm guessing "NDA" bought the robotised manual Auris, it's not a proper auto, and we don't like it. It's a manual with motors and switches etc so the computer operates the clutch. I rejected a Mazda2 with similar gearbox (2005 model) but that one has now gone to a proper auto.

But the Auris Hybrid is an awesome car. Toyota have worked hard on smoothing out the Hybrid drivetrain; the first two Prius shapes were a bit clunky on the mechanical side (i.e. you could feel the petrol engine cutting in) but the latest Auris shape (from about 2015?) is smoooooth.

Correct. I didn't realise what I was buying.

[shake n bake]

For what it’s worth, I have a Lexus Ct200 and it’s a perfect daily car for me.
It returns good mpg, it’s more refined the a Prius or Auris with the same drive train.
Don’t get me wrong though, the cvt gearbox drives me potty at times but it serves a purpose.

I personally wouldn’t buy any cheaper diesel that’s out of manufacturer warranty but everyone has their own opinion and experience.

[dmsims]

Having driven a couple of examples of the CT200h and Auris I would never buy the former

Reasons ?

The suspension (even on facelift cars) will drive you nuts - over sprung and over damped

Downright dangerous (unless in sport mode) when pulling away

[Summit_Detailing]

Would the OP consider a move to electric?...a Renault Zoe springs to mind - perfectly sprightly day2day, decent ride, low NVH, more room inside than it appears from the outside. The only slight negative to some is it has a fairly low-rent interior but if you are considering a 508, Prius and Auris it isn't any worse than these.

I was a huge cynic but having lived with one for a week as a courtesy car it really does cover lots of scenarios for many people.

cheers

Chris

[Tyre Smoke]

Neither of my Prius, Auris or Peugeot cars have what I would describe as low rent interiors.

The Megane I've just bought (1.5dci) base model estate, is deffo low rent. But it's a crap car, great taxi.

[thel33ter]

Bit of a hijack, but for mainly short journeys (7 miles) how do those PSA Diesel hybrids fair? Are you still going to get hit with all the issues a modern diesel will have?

[M4cruiser]

dmsims said:

Having driven a couple of examples of the CT200h and Auris I would never buy the former


Downright dangerous (unless in sport mode) when pulling away

True of all the hybrids I've driven, you expect more power pulling away from rest in (say) a 1.8 Prius, but you need to learn how it works! It moves off on electric motor (i.e. only half of the available bhp) and won't pick up until the petrol kicks in (which yes is quicker if the sport system is on).

[dmsims]

M4cruiser said:

dmsims said:

Having driven a couple of examples of the CT200h and Auris I would never buy the former


Downright dangerous (unless in sport mode) when pulling away

True of all the hybrids I've driven, you expect more power pulling away from rest in (say) a 1.8 Prius, but you need to learn how it works! It moves off on electric motor (i.e. only half of the available bhp) and won't pick up until the petrol kicks in (which yes is quicker if the sport system is on).

It's not the power, it's the command delay (in normal mode)

The Auris was much better, The GTE is near instantaneous

[Tyre Smoke]

You definitely need to 'learn' how to drive a Toyota hybrid.

[blearyeyedboy]

Tyre Smoke said:

You definitely need to 'learn' how to drive a Toyota hybrid.

Out of interest, how?

[M4cruiser]

blearyeyedboy said:

Tyre Smoke said:

You definitely need to 'learn' how to drive a Toyota hybrid.

Out of interest, how?

That's the problem! You need to "think" about your driving much more to get the best out of a Prius (or, yes, any Toyota Hybrid that I've been in).

Shame for a car that's supposed to be the opposite of that. I like autos because they are easier, but I don't find the non-torque-converter types easier than a manual.

Doubt if Toyota would agree, or offer lessons.

[Tyre Smoke]

You have to think ahead, there is no engine braking when you take your foot off the throttle. Pulling away, there isn't as much get up and go. That gap you'd go for in a normal non hybrid? Don't!
It's not so bad around town where everything is slower, but you have to remember that planting your right foot will result in 25mph and a screaming short stroke petrol engine. It has no gears in the conventional sense.

[MaxSo]

Renault Zoe or Nissan Leaf for this usage, especially if you can charge at home.

[blearyeyedboy]

Tyre Smoke said:

You have to think ahead, there is no engine braking when you take your foot off the throttle. Pulling away, there isn't as much get up and go. That gap you'd go for in a normal non hybrid? Don't!
It's not so bad around town where everything is slower, but you have to remember that planting your right foot will result in 25mph and a screaming short stroke petrol engine. It has no gears in the conventional sense.

Is that just a function of it being slow, or is there a similar trait in, say, a Lexus IS300h?

[Tyre Smoke]

I can't say, I've never driven a Lexus. They Toyotas aren't slow, they're just different. In order to get maximum mpg and hybrid use, you need to drive them VERY gently. If you approach driving them like any other auto, you will be wondering why they are so harsh, noisy and only do 35mpg.

[M4cruiser]

Tyre Smoke said:

I can't say, I've never driven a Lexus. They Toyotas aren't slow, they're just different. In order to get maximum mpg and hybrid use, you need to drive them VERY gently. If you approach driving them like any other auto, you will be wondering why they are so harsh, noisy and only do 35mpg.

... and, as another example, you need to use regenerative braking as much as possible, rather than the "normal" brakes.
Regenerative puts (some of) the petrol's energy back into the battery and stores it for a while, until you need it again.
Normal brakes turn the petrol into heat.

I'm not sure if all hybrids have regenerative braking? Maybe someone who knows can advise.