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Toyota RAV4 - Stolen S-Max Hybrid Replacement? - Alia52

My S-Max Sport Titanium was stolen on Monday, so I'm looking for a replacement and thinking of going hybrid. We already have an older Leaf, so we like electric but it doesn't have the range or capacity to suit as our main car.

I need something that can seat 5 adults comfortably for the odd occasion we go out altogether, and also has enough boot space to lug kid's stuff up and down from University.

Most of my driving is urban pottering around town, but both our parents live 90 miles away, so I need the ability to get up and back without tedious charging mid-journey - hence my hybrid thought.

Budget is around £35K to keep deposit and PCP charges manageable.

I've looked at a RAV-4 or a Honda CRV online - any other suggestions that you think would fit our needs? I'm confused about hybrid/PHEV pros and cons.

Toyota RAV4 - Stolen S-Max Hybrid Replacement? - Falkirk Bairn

CRV has generous interior & can swallow luggage even with the seats up.

I sat in the RAV4 in the showroom & disliked the seating compared to the CRV. BUT is may well suit you

Bigger capacity, but still only 4 seats is the Mitsubishi outlander - a bit oldfashioned interior but, as a PHEV, it will travel 25 miles on battery only. Long trip means carting a heavy battery around with penalties on the mpg.

Hope you / your company has GAP insurance - depending on whether the car is at the beginning /end of the lease there could be a big difference between the 2nd hand value & the amount owed on the finance deal

Toyota RAV4 - Stolen S-Max Hybrid Replacement? - badbusdriver

Both the CR-V and RAV-4 are self charging hybrids, not PHEV (plug in hybrid), so if your choice is between those two, no need to worry about it.

But, the description of your requirements does suggest that a PHEV would suit you better. With a PHEV, you plug the car into your charging point overnight, that way when you leave the house, you always have a full charge. With modern PHEV's, this is going to be 20-30 miles if driven with restraint at urban speeds. So if that sounds like most of your journeys apart from visiting parents, maybe that is what you should be looking at rather than the Honda and Toyota. With a self charging hybrd, those same urban journeys are likely to result in around 50% use of the engine.

In terms of a (PHEV) SUV, there is not a whole lot which jumps out for £35k, just the Mitsubishi Outlander (which, going by what i have read, isn't actually that great a car) and two Kia's, the Niro and XCeed, but i suspect these won't be spacious enough for your needs. By all means check though, as a new Kia will come with a 7 year warranty!.

But if you were to consider an estate, a couple of possibilities are the Skoda Superb and VW Passat. Both of these offer plenty of room, especially the Superb, both are available new for under £35k and both are plug in. My only concern here is the DSG gearbox, but possibly the hybrid setup gives it an easier time(?). But also, as these are new cars, you will have the reassurance of the warranty for at least 3 years.

Toyota RAV4 - Stolen S-Max Hybrid Replacement? - sammy1

Only lost on Monday? You might be getting it back!

Toyota RAV4 - Stolen S-Max Hybrid Replacement? - Avant

The new Ford Kuga PHEV should suit you admirably. Your Ford dealer should have one for you to look at and test-drive.

I agree that you could well get your S-Max back (unusual vehicle to be stolen, surely!). But there will be a waiting list for the Kuga anyway, so there will be time to sort out whether you have a car to trade in or insurance proceeds.

A PHEV has the great advantage that most if not all of your round-town pottering can be done on purely electric power, provided you have the ability to charge it at home. If you have to park on the street, for the moment at least a so-called 'self-charging hybrid' like the RAV-4 and CRV will suit you better. These, though, can only go for a mile or so on pure electric power, but they save fuel in town by much use of the electric motor.

Toyota RAV4 - Stolen S-Max Hybrid Replacement? - Ian D
Out of interest how was the S-Max stolen? I own one and can’t see any easy way it could be taken?..
Toyota RAV4 - Stolen S-Max Hybrid Replacement? - badbusdriver

I believe most modern cars are stolen these days by the thieves breaking into the house and taking the keys, which invariably are somewhere near the door. By far the easiest method.

Toyota RAV4 - Stolen S-Max Hybrid Replacement? - Firmbutfair

Oh dear what a shock. Was your car stolen from your driveway? Did it feature 'keyless entry and starting' Many similar premium grade cars have been vulnerable to the so called 'Radio Relay' attack for several years now and sadly manufacturers have been very slow to offer 'fixes' to existing owners and neither have they made the necessary design changes to the keyless entry system to make their cars far more secure against this kind of theft. One partial solution is to keep both your key fobs in suitable Farady Screening Pouches (e.g. MonoJoy or similar) whenever you are not driving the car and especially over night, when you are at home. These pouches significantly reduce the chances of becoming another victim to this deplorably simple theft of your premium spec'd car. A steering wheel lock can also be used but this is much more expensive and not convenient for a busy family.

In any event, I would avoid purchasing any new car with the 'oh so convenient' keyless entry system. So make sure your lovely new Rav4 or Honda CR-V is not one of the top spec models with mandatory keyless entry. Re your hybrid leanings, you already know that a self charging hybrid is maybe 2k to 3k more expensive than a regular turbo - petrol engined vehicle, but the hybrid will definitely save you fuel if a lot of your driving is urban. I would not go for a Plug In Hybrid as they are very much more expensive and will struggle to pay for themselves in fuel saved over three years, because the extra battery weight (typically 80 to 100 Kg more) will take the sparkle off your acceleration and will be like carrying an additional 'invisible' two teenagers round all the time. Good luck

Edited by Firmbutfair on 09/07/2020 at 23:11