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Hybrid Car Mid Size - SMConn

Looking for advice on a smallish hybrid car second hand with some good longevity etc.

Thoughts?

Hybrid Car Mid Size - Xileno

Thoughts?

Budget would be helpful.

Hybrid Car Mid Size - skidpan

Looking for advice on a smallish hybrid car second hand

No small real hybrid cars exist except the Yaris, the rest are those pretty pointless mild hybrid ones.

Move up a size and Toyota does the Corolla and Kia/Hyundai do some as well. But beware because many Kia/Hyundai cars are those mild hybrid ones.

Hybrid Car Mid Size - SMConn

Thanks for reply. I would put the budget at probably 10k. Its for a retired family couple who want to have something functional for local drives but also pleasant to drive when doing some sight seeing/visits. They have had small cars like Panda and older Ceed but family chat thought that hybrid may be an option but not sure about going all electric. Ref the hybrid im not sure either if battery pack got limited lifespan as EV only?.

Sorry to be a little vague but not car experts...

Hybrid Car Mid Size - Heidfirst

. Ref the hybrid im not sure either if battery pack got limited lifespan as EV only?.Sorry to be a little vague but not car experts...

Subject to an annual/10,000 mile dealer check Toyota will warranty the drive battery for up to 15 years.

& again, subject to dealer servicing, they will warranty the rest of the vehicle (excl. consumable items) until 10 years/100,000 miles.

Plug-in hybrid EVs will tend to be dearer to buy & of course you need a suitable place to plug in to charge.

Hybrid Car Mid Size - SMConn

I had thought a plugin hybrid might be a good option?. Plug in to home charger but also allows usage of a petrol engine to give extra miles when away from charge stations etc (too much hassle for the old folks if theyre in middle of nowhere!). Thays about as much about hybrid i understand.. sorry

That still favouring Toyota?

Hybrid Car Mid Size - movilogo

If you want used small hybrid that leads to Toyota because they are doing for the longest period and you will get huge choice in used market.

While nowadays all manufacturers doing hybrid, majority of them started so in last 2 years.

PHEVs are good but they tend to be quite expensive.

Hybrid Car Mid Size - badbusdriver

I had thought a plugin hybrid might be a good option?. Plug in to home charger but also allows usage of a petrol engine to give extra miles when away from charge stations etc (too much hassle for the old folks if theyre in middle of nowhere!). Thays about as much about hybrid i understand.. sorry

That still favouring Toyota?

Plug in hybrid (PHEV) not really viable for your budget. Unless you are willing to take something with big miles, your main choices will be the Mitsubishi Outlander (which is a relatively large SUV), or the range extender version of the BMW i3. Now I am a fan of the i3, but its an odd looking thing not to everyones taste and is made mainly out of carbon fibre. So insurance could be expensive and getting any prangs repaired will need a specialist.

For your budget and given what you have told us about who the car is for, the best hybrid option is the Toyota Yaris. Sadly, the budget isn't enough to get into the current shape unless big miles or insurance write off, but it will get you the pick of old shape cars. The budget is also not big enough to get into the current shape Jazz hybrid, and while the previous shape was never sold in the UK as a hybrid, they were in various other markets and (RHD) imported examples are available.

Hybrid Car Mid Size - Terry W

I think you need to be very clear why you want a hybrid. Financial and environmental issues may not be aligned - eg: a plug in hybrid may be the environmental choice, but make least financial sense.

Mild hybrid - may get slightly improved fuel consumption, possible range of 1 or 2 miles on electric. Price is a material increase in complexity with limited environmental benefit.

Plug in hybrid - likely cost more than a normal ICE + greater complexity. Whether this makes financial or environmental sense depends on (a) miles done on electric vs petrol, (b) ability to home charge and (c) price premium.

Conventional ICE - wide choice of cars, proven technology with limited complexity. The savings by going hybrid or EV may not justify the complexity risk or purchase premium.

Hybrid Car Mid Size - badbusdriver

Mild hybrid - may get slightly improved fuel consumption, possible range of 1 or 2 miles on electric. Price is a material increase in complexity with limited environmental benefit.

A mild hybrid (MHEV) wont do any miles on electric. But there is no maybe about it, you will get slightly improved economy. Any environmental pro's and cons are irrelevant, because you don't have the option to choose between two (for example) 2021 Suzuki Swift's, one MHEV and one not. All Swifts from the 2020 facelift onwards are MHEV.

Plug in hybrid - likely cost more than a normal ICE + greater complexity. Whether this makes financial or environmental sense depends on (a) miles done on electric vs petrol, (b) ability to home charge and (c) price premium.

Plug in hybrid, as I said earlier, is pretty much a non starter because of the budget. But even if that wasn't a factor, there are very few smallish PHEV's anyway (nothing in the Polo/Fiesta size anyway, one or two in the next size category up), the figures just don't add up.

Hybrid Car Mid Size - skidpan

Mild hybrid - may get slightly improved fuel consumption, possible range of 1 or 2 miles on electric. Price is a material increase in complexity with limited environmental benefit.

A mild hybrid will never get further than a few yards on electric. The battery is a small 48 volt one and will help mostly at low speed such as slowing for a junction. We test drove a mild hybrid Golf, never noticed it running on anything but ICE except when slowing or crawling at really low speed. What it did do was make the DSG far less jerky in town as well as more responsive form a standstill.

Even a proper hybrid such as a Yaris would struggle to get 2 miles. The 12 kw battery in our PHEV gets us an average of 30 miles, the 0.75 kw battery in the Mk 4 Yaris equates to less than 2 miles pro-rata. In the real world the ICE kicks in as soon as you demand a bit more than a snails pace but you do get some battery running when coasting on level and downhill stretches.

Hybrid Car Mid Size - SMConn

Wow a lot to consider.... Friend just mentioned an ID3 4 years old. Thought they had average reviews?.. Thoughts

Hybrid Car Mid Size - SMConn

Toyota better option than ID3?

Hybrid Car Mid Size - badbusdriver

Don't know where your friend is looking at prices, but the cheapest ID3 on Autotrader is £13.5k.

Would I have one?, probably not. I'm not against electric cars, but the ID3 was rushed into production before it was ready and had everything sorted out. Maybe not major problems, but software glitches and the like. I'd sooner have a Renault Zoe or Nissan Leaf if I was to go down the EV route.

But a Yaris hybrid would definitely be more reliable.

Hybrid Car Mid Size - London calling

Toyota and Lexus hybrids are able to use the Atkinson cycle engine due to the electric motor assistance and with this engine being more efficient (and a less stressful engine) it’s able to achieve good mpg…

Hybrid Car Mid Size - Mr Mc

What’s your average mileage? Will the additional hybrid purchase expense ever break even Vs a simple petrol engine. I’m on around 10k per annum & the last time I run a calculation the numbers didn’t stack up. Total cost of ownership.

Hybrid Car Mid Size - badbusdriver

What’s your average mileage? Will the additional hybrid purchase expense ever break even Vs a simple petrol engine. I’m on around 10k per annum & the last time I run a calculation the numbers didn’t stack up. Total cost of ownership.

I'm working on the assumption that 10k is the budget rather than mileage. But was your calculation based on a manual car vs hybrid?. Because if the OP's elderly couple want/need auto, that will skew things much closer. Also, with something like the Yaris hybrid, the benefits are going to be much more apparent if the journeys taken are mainly short urban ones, where the mpg can be double what you'd get in an ICE equivalent. With lots of journeys at higher speed, the benefit would be much smaller.

Hybrid Car Mid Size - SMConn

Your valued comments along with other posts above has me nodding. I think I need to go back and ask why EV as 8-12 thousand miles per annum to old folks. I'm listening and learning. Thankyou. So let's look traditional petrol engine and for a vehicle between Panda and Ceed size for around 8-12k per annum gets what vote for car up to 6 years old around 10k pounds plus maybe another 2k from their family support. What's coming in as a no brainer for comfort, reliability, service, insurance, mpg etc?. Any leading contenders?

Edited by SMConn on 22/04/2024 at 21:42

Hybrid Car Mid Size - SMConn

BMW1 nice contender or still Yaris/other petrol?

Hybrid Car Mid Size - Adampr

BMW1 nice contender or still Yaris/other petrol?

If they're elderly, I doubt they'd want to be dropping down into a 1 Series.

Hybrid Car Mid Size - SMConn

BMW1 nice contender or still Yaris/other petrol?

If they're elderly, I doubt they'd want to be dropping down into a 1 Series.

Any car model you suggest?

Hybrid Car Mid Size - SMConn

Don't need automatic

Hybrid Car Mid Size - Calum38

Go for a Toyota Yaris. It's reliable, comfy, and fuel-efficient, perfect for your budget and local trips.

Hybrid Car Mid Size - bazza

Yaris of any sort, hybrid would be nice and easy to drive. Definitely not a BMW 1 series, uncomfortable seats, very low, no room in the back. What about a Suzuki swift or Ignis? Can't really go wrong with one of those. Also Kia picanto is a very good small car, perhaps too small? A year or two old Dacia Sandero would give you a comfortable car, good value.

Hybrid Car Mid Size - JonestHon

10k will see a reasonable mileage Lexus CT, I believe it bas on balance most of what you need in a hybrid.

Hybrid Car Mid Size - Rotin

Maybe look at a 5 or 6 year old Prius. A properly serviced one will be good for another 5 or 6 years, very reliable, very economical and easy 2 pedal driving. Does well over 60mpg round town or on slow country roads.

Hybrid Car Mid Size - SMConn

Thankyou all for valued input. Appreciated

Hybrid Car Mid Size - SMConn

Everyone here assessed the Hybrid option and now realises thar approx 6000 miles a year (with a high percentage of that being around town) won't save more than £150 per year with Hybrid eg Yaris

Above suggests (albeit a Hybrid was considered) that ICE would be fine if up to max 4 years old (maybe newer). Only downside is that the small cars thinking about seem to be Hybrid even in the last 2-4 years.

Focus has to be up to 4 years old and ICE but also with option for PCP if that exists on used car?

Thoughts

Edited by SMConn on 08/05/2024 at 07:33

Hybrid Car Mid Size - Falkirk Bairn

I think the answer is a 1.3 Honda Jazz 1.3 petrol - manual/auto

The newer Jazz is Hybrid Petrol & Auto only - but cost a lot more than the budget.

Savings on fuel would be modest on a low mileage and the older petrol Jazz gives a choice of Auto & Manual.

Hybrid Car Mid Size - Sparrow

How about a Hyundai i10. We bought one 7 years ago on advice on this forum and other places. Easy to drive, easy to get in and out of, best of all no hybrid. Personally I would steer clear of the Yaris. They have tiny 12v starter batteries that go flat if the car isn't regularly driven. We can leave the i10 for 3 or 4 weeks when we go on holiday and it still starts straight away. A friend with a Yaris has had issues when not driving his for a week.

PS. If you can find an older non-hybrid Yaris then that will be fine.

Edited by Sparrow on 09/05/2024 at 16:36

Hybrid Car Mid Size - Engineer Andy

How about a Hyundai i10. We bought one 7 years ago on advice on this forum and other places. Easy to drive, easy to get in and out of, best of all no hybrid. Personally I would steer clear of the Yaris. They have tiny 12v starter batteries that go flat if the car isn't regularly driven. We can leave the i10 for 3 or 4 weeks when we go on holiday and it still starts straight away. A friend with a Yaris has had issues when not driving his for a week.

PS. If you can find an older non-hybrid Yaris then that will be fine.

In terms of the i10s 'sympathy' towards 12V batteries, I retiree neighbour who's owned its KIA sister car, the Picanto (same age as yours) has faired very well in that regard. Sometimes when they've been away staying with friends for many weeks on end - including in the depths of winter, and yet it starts first time, even after a long lay-off during the pandemic first lockdown period.