The Toyota/Lexus Hybrids...which would you chose?

The Toyota/Lexus Hybrids...which would you chose?

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Otispunkmeyer

Original Poster:

12,555 posts

154 months

Tuesday 10th July 2018
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So I am looking for a car to replace my 595 Competizione. Its a great, fun car, but it is just not cut out for the commute I have now. Its too raw, always wants to be thrashed (doesn't seem to take kindly to bumbling in traffic) and the fuel tank size means I am filling up mid-week.

I've have been doing some proper thinking and some proper maths and its steered me towards hybrids.

I've looked at daily running costs, possible depreciation and effects on the loan I currently have on the 595 over the next 2 years.

I won't bore you with the maths, but I have determined that a hybrid for the 7-8k region is a good balance of age of car, daily running costs, depreciation and affect on loan (i.e. if the 595 is worth 8k and I buy for 7k, 1k can go back to the bank and that is 1k I am not paying).

So for that money there are a number of Auris Hybrid T4/T-Spirits about with 40-60k miles on them. There is 1 CT200H with 106k miles for £7.3k near me. Looks decent. A Gen3 Prius/Newer CT200H is more money, I would have to pay out of savings, but due to lower running costs, over the 2 years there should be no financial difference (assuming low 50's mpg vs mid 30's, plus tax savings).

A gen 2 Prius comes out top of the class with good reduction in daily cost and lower purchase price of 6-7k, making for the biggest saving on the loan as well. But is older.

Pros/Cons

An Auris is around 2011 vintage and is a steady car
A CT200H is a much nicer prospect but budget only gets a 2011 vintage cars with high miles
A Prius MK3 is more money, but the ultimate hybrid from the Toyota stable
A Prius MK2 is cheap to run, cheap to buy but old (2007/08) and high miles.

What would you chose?

gangzoom

6,251 posts

214 months

Wednesday 11th July 2018
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I've never driven any self charging hybrid except our current Lexus IS300H. What I can say is if you want a reliable, cheap to run car these Toyotas are hard to beat.

The CT is basically a Prius and unless you want a Lexus badge just stick to the cheapest one you can get. Having said that our IS300H is stuffed full of gadgets which does make it a very nice place to sit. Lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, heat and ventilated seats, really nice stereo, £10 a year road tax, a true 45-50mpg even in worst traffic, near 60mpg on a M-way run, and engine bay still looks new after 3.5 years.

Basically if you want a nice/reliable/economical car to get you from A to B without worrying about DPF/Turbos/clutch these things are hard to beat......Ours will be forsale at some point next year though, hopefully the anti diesel war continues, will help to keep residuals on these self charging hybrid up smile.

Edited by gangzoom on Wednesday 11th July 10:37

sjg

7,444 posts

264 months

Wednesday 11th July 2018
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Earlier CTs have terrible ride quality - not sure when revised but I've had some hard-riding cars and the CT was just silly for what's meant to be a comfy cruiser.

Prius are holding their value well because of the demand from minicabbers - Uber have widened their requirements a lot now but they're really well suited reliable and cheap to run so demand still strong. If you don't mind that image and will be keeping shorter term then it'll be easy to sell on for decent money once you're done.

If the Auris suits you size-wise (the pre-2012 hybrids lose a good chunk of boot to batteries) and you'll be keeping it a while then I'd probably go for that.

Do you have off-street parking to charge? Plenty of Leafs for that money which will save you even more on fuel.

rednotdead

1,214 posts

225 months

Wednesday 11th July 2018
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sjg said:
Earlier CTs have terrible ride quality - not sure when revised but I've had some hard-riding cars and the CT was just silly for what's meant to be a comfy cruiser.
2014 on were the revisions to the CT. Much better ride but still firm, although no firmer than the German equivalents. I was in the same situation as the OP and ended up in a 2014 CT. It was just a nicer place to sit in a traffic jam than the equivalent Auris/Prius. Very very well made, better than the C Class I had previous to the Lexus. The Lexus dealers appear to actually give a st about you too, unlike Merc et al.

Otispunkmeyer

Original Poster:

12,555 posts

154 months

Thursday 12th July 2018
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a 2014 will likely be out of budget. I will see what this 2013 model is like near me (2013 plate, 106,000 miles, nothing if its been looked after) and up for £7.3k which I think is good. There are a number of Gen2 Prius models about (t4's which seem to have the JBL stereo and, I hope, aux input!). I don't mind a firm ride so long as its not super crashy. Afterall I am driving an Abarth, so anything is an improvement.

I have driven Auris Hybrids before as we had them as pool cars at work. Obviously a bit mis-treated, but they seemed to ride well. But they do feel a bit sit-on rather than sit-in if you get me. I expect the CT200 to feel much more like a car where you sit in the seats and feel comfortable, the Auris always felt a bit sit up and beg.

I've ridden in a Gen3 prius with the big wheels and I thought it was fine. There is a good one for sale local, T-Spirit, £9.5k 59 plate and 60,000 miles. Might be worth the extra.

Also widened the search to some Honda hybrids... most notably the CR-Z.


Otispunkmeyer

Original Poster:

12,555 posts

154 months

Thursday 12th July 2018
quotequote all
sjg said:
Earlier CTs have terrible ride quality - not sure when revised but I've had some hard-riding cars and the CT was just silly for what's meant to be a comfy cruiser.

Prius are holding their value well because of the demand from minicabbers - Uber have widened their requirements a lot now but they're really well suited reliable and cheap to run so demand still strong. If you don't mind that image and will be keeping shorter term then it'll be easy to sell on for decent money once you're done.

If the Auris suits you size-wise (the pre-2012 hybrids lose a good chunk of boot to batteries) and you'll be keeping it a while then I'd probably go for that.

Do you have off-street parking to charge? Plenty of Leafs for that money which will save you even more on fuel.
looking at 2 years minimum to keep and then one of the cars will get changes for an SUV most likely (mrs turn to choose). But may end up keeping the hybrid yes. Don't need loads of boot space to be honest so I am not too concerned there.

I not only have a 4 car driveway, but my house also has a proper Rolec charge socket too (free courtesy of a trial I was part of where I got to run an eGolf for 3 months). So I am EV ready.

I will look into a Leaf, but they are a bit thin on the ground in decent spec for this money and I was worried about battery condition in 2 years and moving the car on. I don't think anyone knows yet what is going to happen with used EVs with bad degradation. Depending on what I get, it would be nice to use the car for other things which might involve longer trips.

You are right though, the savings will be the highest. I reckon @ 16kWh per 100km avg consumption a trip to work is about 8kWh, make it 10kWh to be easy (some losses in charging and other energy consumption) and thats about £1.50. At work we have charge posts which were free, but are now charged at £1/hr. PodPoint chargers. I reckon charge at work would probably cost £2. So thats only £3.50 a day instead of best case £6 for a hybrid.