Wanting to get away from diesel but still wanting to enjoy the practicalities of an SUV, I have been interested in the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid, but feel set down by the UK motoring media including HJ who haven't really given it (specifically the Rav 4 hybrid) the time of day.
How about HJ, come on HJ please review it, i really trust your rviews. On the wider topic, presuming the UK buyers love affairs with SUVs continues, I would love to see HJ cover the topic of what we should consider if we want to move away from Diesel? what choices are out there? how do they compare?
thoughts?
I suspect that, given its poor reception generally, the hybrid version hasn't attracted many sales, and so HJ and other reviewers will spend their limited time road-testing other cars. That being said, the very similar Lexus NX 2.5 hybrid has been reviewed (if not road tested officially) on HJ (only the 2.0t has), so at least you can get something from that as regards the driving experience; everything else can be gleened from the facts and figures or the Rav 4 general road test/review (interior, looks, etc). I wouldn't count on any HJ road test for the time being.
It doesn't look like they are a fan of the NX 2.5 hybrid with its whiny CVT, probably because its underpowered and the gearbox isn't suited to anything other than tootling around at low speed. Very few small and mid-size non-diesel SUVs about that don't have twin-clutch /CVT auto boxes, and those that do (Mazda CX-3 and CX-5 with standard TC boxes) are better to drive but aren't anywhere near as good (the CX-3 is reasonable, but its not really that big) on mpg as the manual versions and definitely not as the diesels.
Your best bet may be a one of more reliable small-engined turbo petrols, such as the VAG 1.4 ltr ACT (150bhp) or latest 1.5 ltr variant, or perhaps its 2 ltr cousin (180 or 210bhp forms), which for engines with a decent amount of poke (including torque) have very good mpg in comparison to normally-aspirated petrol engines with similar power. Those of other makes are either less reliable and fuel efficient (Ford ecoBoost [same engines in Volvos], Renault/Nissan) or still quite new (Kia/Hyundai/Honda). Not sure about the TSi type engines for the likes of Mercedes and BMW, but neither make decent 'real' off-roader SUVs that work well on road (the X3 and X5 are on-road cars only IMO) in my opinion; HJ seems to rate highly the 1.2 Puretec in the PSA cars and the 1.4 boosterjet (140PS) in the Suzuki Vitara, whether their larger PSA 1.6 is any good, I'm not sure. The Suzuki does come in auto form, though the facts and figures page is unclear whether its a TC or other type of gearbox.
Looks like if you want a hybrid SUV (of any size), its an unreliable twin-clutch gearbox or reliable-but slow and whiny CVT only. Apparently Mazda will be introducing a hybrid car in the next year or two (if I recall correctly), but I have no idea what auto box it'll have or which car it'll be based on, though the likelihood is either the 3, 6 or CX-5.
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