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Buying a powerful estate car - should I choose petrol or a hybrid?
I am looking to replace my car soon but cannot decide whether to buy a hybrid or a petrol. I mainly do local journeys with a monthly round motorway trip of approx 350 miles. My annual mileage is 8000.
My heart says go for a relatively powerful petrol car but my head says I should find a hybrid. It must be a medium-sized estate car - big enough to carry a dog.
I cannot afford to purchase a fully electric vehicle. What do you recommend?
My heart says go for a relatively powerful petrol car but my head says I should find a hybrid. It must be a medium-sized estate car - big enough to carry a dog.
I cannot afford to purchase a fully electric vehicle. What do you recommend?
Asked on 6 September 2021 by Mark Blakemore
Answered by
Russell Campbell
The new Cupra Leon estate has both options on offer. There's the 310PS top-of-the-range model, which comes with four-wheel drive as standard.
The other option is the 245PS e-Hybrid PHEV. It's quite quick on paper, although there's a fair amount of lag in the drivetrain, so don't expect it to feel as fast as your Leon. The PHEV makes a lot of sense if you have somewhere to charge the car and it will complete short journeys (30 miles or so) on electricity alone, so could save you a significant amount petrol. On longer drives, though, fuel economy will be more in keeping with a conventional petrol.
The other option is the 245PS e-Hybrid PHEV. It's quite quick on paper, although there's a fair amount of lag in the drivetrain, so don't expect it to feel as fast as your Leon. The PHEV makes a lot of sense if you have somewhere to charge the car and it will complete short journeys (30 miles or so) on electricity alone, so could save you a significant amount petrol. On longer drives, though, fuel economy will be more in keeping with a conventional petrol.
If you cover no more than 100 miles per day and have easy access to a charging point at home or work, then an EV is ideal for you.
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