Plug in hybrid choice? What one?

[Morningside]

I know, I know, it should be a massive V8 doing .1 MPG but...

At the moment we have a Golf GT DSG and looking at a plug-in hybrid.

I think it's either a choice of Mercedes C350E. Golf/Passat GTE BUT none of them are 4x4. The outlander phev seems a good choice but the MPG is crap.

Any others worth looking at up to £21,000?

Leaf sounds great but it's the total range that's the issue.

[RoVoFob]

Morningside said:

I know, I know, it should be a massive V8 doing .1 MPG but...

At the moment we have a Golf GT DSG and looking at a plug-in hybrid.

I think it's either a choice of Mercedes C350E. Golf/Passat GTE BUT none of them are 4x4. The outlander phev seems a good choice but the MPG is crap.

Any others worth looking at up to £21,000?

Leaf sounds great but it's the total range that's the issue.

The mpg with any PHEV can be crap if you don’t charge it/drive predominantly longer trips on faster roads.

What type of roads do you expect to drive on/distances do you expect to drive in one sitting/per day, as that will affect the best car for you?

Is your ambition to be green/be seen to be green/pay the least possible overall in purchase and running costs?

The Mini Countryman and BMW 225xe seem to be the other four-wheel-drive PHEVs available for that price point. The Mini offers a mile of extra claimed range (at 26 miles compared with 25), so it’s presumably a little more efficient than the related 225xe (as I imagine the motor/batteries are shared between the two).

The Mitsubishi is claimed to be able to 34 miles per charge. If you often do journeys longer than 20-odd miles, therefore, you’ll probably spend more time using electric power with the Mitsubishi, though these figures are often wildly optimistic.

[dmsims]

Why do you need 4x4 ?

[georgeyboy12345]

dmsims said:

Why do you need 4x4 ?

I was going to ask exactly this.

[georgeyboy12345]

Anyway, here are some suggestions if you must have 4WD

Volvo V60 D5 TwinEngine
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202112090...


Mini Countryman SE ALL4
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110309...


BMW 225xe
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111169...

Edited by georgeyboy12345 on Saturday 18th December 10:32

[Morningside]

That Volvo is an interesting idea and making me look at them now. Why 4x4? Because the route to work are dreadful twisty B roads and I know a "normal" car is ideal for this a 4x4 would just give myself (and the wife) a bit more security.

The Volvo is Diesel, plug-in and 4x4. That's an interesting choice and I have had Volvos in the past and all been really nice cars.

Added: The round trip to work is approx. 25 miles.

Edited by Morningside on Saturday 18th December 18:27

[colin79666]

We ran the Mini Countryman at work. Averaged about 35mpg. The weight of the hybrid offset any gain from the electric range. Was quick though

[rosejem]

We have a few 2019 Outlander 2.4 plug in Hybrids at work , 100% reliable no warranty problems in 40,000 - 50000.
The petrol tank is small so the range is only around 200 miles on a full tank & full charge.
The electric range in stop start London taffic is only about 12 miles , mixed mpg is high 20s in city driving.
Quiet & relaxing to drive though .

[fflump]

rosejem said:

We have a few 2019 Outlander 2.4 plug in Hybrids at work , 100% reliable no warranty problems in 40,000 - 50000.
The petrol tank is small so the range is only around 200 miles on a full tank & full charge.
The electric range in stop start London taffic is only about 12 miles , mixed mpg is high 20s in city driving.
Quiet & relaxing to drive though .

High 20s? That would have been quite impressive 30 years ago.

[dmsims]

Morningside said:

Why 4x4? Because the route to work are dreadful twisty B roads and I know a "normal" car is ideal for this a 4x4 would just give myself (and the wife) a bit more security.

Just fit decent tyres then

[Morningside]

dmsims said:

Morningside said:

Why 4x4? Because the route to work are dreadful twisty B roads and I know a "normal" car is ideal for this a 4x4 would just give myself (and the wife) a bit more security.

Just fit decent tyres then

They are! Michelin CrossClimate at a cost of £600. I don't like mixed makes on cars.

[Evanivitch]

You could save yourself a load of money and get yourself a Vauxhall Ampera. A later 2014/2015 would still have warranty but they're harder to come by.

Not a 4x4. 30-40 mile EV range, 300 mile range @ 40MPH. Astra sized. Generally reliable, with odd issue that is largely fixed on moderate mileage cars.

[Morningside]

Evanivitch said:

You could save yourself a load of money and get yourself a Vauxhall Ampera. A later 2014/2015 would still have warranty but they're harder to come by.

Not a 4x4. 30-40 mile EV range, 300 mile range @ 40MPH. Astra sized. Generally reliable, with odd issue that is largely fixed on moderate mileage cars.

I looked at one when they first came out. Actually one of the few cars I stopped at the garage going past to see what it was.
It's based on the Volt (I think). I've no idea why Vauxhall killed it off.

[Evanivitch]

Morningside said:

I looked at one when they first came out. Actually one of the few cars I stopped at the garage going past to see what it was.
It's based on the Volt (I think). I've no idea why Vauxhall killed it off.

Yes it's fundamentally a Volt in a dress. Which in itself shares a lot of Astra components.

The reason they killed it was because it cost £5k more than the V6 AWD Insignia, and yet it was the size of the Astra.

[Dav72D]

I've done about 40,000 miles in my Ampera. Between fuel use and battery it's averaged 142 mpg.
The only problem is the 8 year battery warranty will end next year on even the newer ones.

[doyouwantonions]

I bought a GTE in August and love it as it suits my daily usage perfectly.

It only does 12 miles or so during the week so its had no petrol in it since October.

On the other side, I have to do a 400 mile round trip, all motorway and duel carriageway and it averages 64mpg normal driving.

A recent one week trip of 2500 miles around the North Coast 500 with lots of spirited driving on sometimes 2, 3 and no wheels gave an average of 54mpg and didn't charge the car once whilst away.

I do a regular 34 mile trip to Southampton, if I leave with fully charged I do the round trip at 138mpg

The fuel tank is 40 Ltrs so indicates a 400 mile range and I have regularly achieved this no problem

Hope this helps

[dmsims]

Yes the GTE is great, had one for 3 years in the muddy flooded roads of Devon

Never needed 4x4 ever

[HappySilver]

Jeep Renegade 4xe.

[PH User]

Morningside said:

Why 4x4? Because the route to work are dreadful twisty B roads and I know a "normal" car is ideal for this a 4x4 would just give myself (and the wife) a bit more security.

.

Edited by Morningside on Saturday 18th December 18:27

What do you mean by security? Are you talking deep snow or something?

[RayPike]

Dav72D said:

I've done about 40,000 miles in my Ampera. Between fuel use and battery it's averaged 142 mpg.
The only problem is the 8 year battery warranty will end next year on even the newer ones.

I'm currently in a 64 reg ampera, 56K miles. Looking around for a larger car and I'm being offered around £10K on trade-ins, which considering I paid £14K or so for it 4 years ago is cheap motoring!