all - Hybrid/PHEV MPG | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

Thu 4 Mar 2021 13:43

all - Hybrid/PHEV MPG - sammy1

WHICH have just released its latest survey on manufactures official MPG and real on the road testing and they show big differences. PHEVS in particular show badly. To achieve any where near what is claimed you have to use the battery every trip. This in itself is hardly surprising!

This started me thinking about buying one of these hybrids say 5years plus second hand. You are looking at the mileage say 60k. How are you supposed to work out how it has been driven in those years. For, instance a lot of company drivers have never charged the battery and others used mainly their battery. So the dilemma for some might be what is going to give me a problem first the engine or the battery? So why buy one of these second hand? Or it could be sooner or later I could have a problem with both. IF the battery fails I can perceive owners not bothering to replace it.

Edited by Avant on 04/03/2021 at 23:25

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Thu 4 Mar 2021 13:53

all - Hibred/PHEV MPG - alan1302

How are you supposed to work out how it has been driven in those years.

Same issue you have with any used car.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Thu 4 Mar 2021 17:56

all - Hibred/PHEV MPG - skidpan

Why not have a read at the thread I started last weekend. Might give you some info.

www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/144402/4-months-wi...e

Everyone will use the car differently but if you never charge it the mpg will be similar to a petrol car. If people don't expect this they need treatment.

Edited by skidpan on 04/03/2021 at 18:01

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Thu 4 Mar 2021 18:26

all - Hibred/PHEV MPG - badbusdriver

Recently reading the 'our cars' section of January's edition of Car Magazine and there was a final report, after 8 months with a Vauxhall Grandland X PHEV. Average economy over the 6200 miles covered was 63.6MPG. But the 'Journo' running it writes, "There was an extended period where we hardly went anywhere further than 15 miles away. Such a big proportion of those miles were done on battery power alone, we were getting nearly 300mpg". Obviously that extreme figure was due to covid, but even the average figure seems very reasonable for a near 300bhp SUV tipping the scales at 1800kg.

I suspect the reports of poor efficiency are going to be from owners who shouldn't have chosen a PHEV because their circumstances, journey type and even driving style weren't appropriate for any benefit. Maybe they got a PHEV, simply to get the low company car tax perks (BIK?), or maybe they just didn't do their homework.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Thu 4 Mar 2021 19:04

all - Hibred/PHEV MPG - DavidGlos

By all accounts the Ford Kuga PHEV seems capable of delivering decent MPG even when the battery is depleted. 50+ mpg appears achievable, which isn’t too shabby for a largish SUV

I’ve got one being delivered soon as a company car and have every intention of charging it overnight on a regular basis. I get reimbursed for business mileage and pay for may own fuel for private mileage. Why would I not plug it in and thus maximise MPG and reduce my expenses?

I don’t understand why somebody would buy a PHEV and make little effort to charge it, although the savings in BIK tax over a petrol/diesel vehicle are appealing.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Thu 4 Mar 2021 19:29

all - Hibred/PHEV MPG - Xileno

I'm looking at the Evoque PHEV, it will be perfect for my needs with approximately 30 miles on a charge which is all I need for 90% of my trips but the reassurance of the petrol engine for longer trips. It's a 1.5 three cylinder unit, all new, hopefully will be reliable!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Thu 4 Mar 2021 23:44

all - Hibred/PHEV MPG - Avant

Now there's an excellent example of how a PHEV will suit a particular need. For a private buyer, it has to justify its extra cost over a petrol; and it sounds as if it will in your case, Xileno. It may also be a bit livelier than the petrol Evoque.

A lot of my journeys are 10-20-mile round trips, but there are just a few too many longer ones, where a PHEV wouldn't be at its best. If it was going to be our only car, I might still have gone for one.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sun 7 Mar 2021 16:06

all - Hibred/PHEV MPG - skidpan

A lot of my journeys are 10-20-mile round trips, but there are just a few too many longer ones, where a PHEV wouldn't be at its best. If it was going to be our only car, I might still have gone for one.

Surely that the wrong way round. On longer trips a PHEV is at it best, no range anxiety, simply fill with petrol in minutes. That is why we bought one. An EV would be no good to us with 4 trips a year of about 430 miles, that would probably mean 2 stops for charging to ensure we got there and how long would that take(assuming we could find somewhere to charge).

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sun 7 Mar 2021 18:09

all - Hybrid/PHEV MPG - Avant

Point taken, Skidpan: but what I meant was that a PHEV on a long trip is only slightly more economical than a good petrol engine. So yes, it'll do the job admirably but it may take a long time to justify its extra purchase cost.

Our other car (A3 convertible) is big enough and comfortable enough to do a long trip: from your point of view you'd naturally prefer to take your bigger car. Admirable as your Fabia is - my daughter has the same 110 bhp model - I can see why a PHEV is what you need.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Fri 5 Mar 2021 10:14

all - Hibred/PHEV MPG - Bolt

I'm looking at the Evoque PHEV, it will be perfect for my needs with approximately 30 miles on a charge which is all I need for 90% of my trips but the reassurance of the petrol engine for longer trips. It's a 1.5 three cylinder unit, all new, hopefully will be reliable!

I might be wrong but did read these are having module problems in US which they are in the process of rectifying, they have a lot of modules that apparently have a habit of not talking to each other which prevents certain components working causing breakdown?

I know we are not in US, but often they have the same problems UK units do?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Mon 8 Mar 2021 15:04

all - Hibred/PHEV MPG - nick62

I might be wrong but did read these are having module problems in US which they are in the process of rectifying, they have a lot of modules that apparently have a habit of not talking to each other which prevents certain components working causing breakdown?

I know we are not in US, but often they have the same problems UK units do?

We are looking to swap our diesel Evoque, (8 years old from new no problems other than a Haldex pump fault), for a new PHEV.

SWMBO wants the Evoque offering, but I'm attempting to get her into a BMW 330e estate instead.

The Beemer has a better electric motor set-up in my eyes and it also has a 2.0 ltr 4 cylinder engine as opposed to the 1.5 ltr 3 cylinder unit in the Land Rover.

JLR have also had a lot of problems with the software and range, which was initially quoted as 44 miles, but has subsequently been downgraded to 31 miles (a massive 30% difference)! This also means the BIK is 10% instead of the originally quoted as 6%.

I also asked the local BMW dealer if they would "match" the 10% discount being offered by brokers, they came back with a price 11.5% off list and a fair trade-in.

Edited by nick62 on 08/03/2021 at 15:07

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Mon 8 Mar 2021 15:52

all - Hibred/PHEV MPG - sammy1

The BMW 330i is a fine car with some 245 bhp thanks to its turbo. It has excellent performance and the petrol will give 38- 40 mpg real world. Why you would want to add extra weight with the extra battery and stuff can only be due to your BIK. Stick to 18inch wheels and try the seats if Msport they can be uncomfortable in my opinion

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Mon 8 Mar 2021 16:08

all - Hybrid/PHEV MPG - Avant

Nick, if your other half wants the Evoque because it's an SUV, you could compromise and get a BMW X1 PHEV. It only has the 1.5 petrol engine, but the one I tried was lively enough.

Sure, a 330e would be more fun to drive, but if it needs to be an SUV an X1 is well worth a look.

Edited by Avant on 08/03/2021 at 16:10

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Mon 8 Mar 2021 16:19

all - Hybrid/PHEV MPG - nick62

Avant, she just "likes" the Evoque and I agree with her that they are easy on the eye, (although definitely not to everyone's taste)!

We're waiting to test drive the Beemer. How that goes will decide final choice, as I also have an Evoque deal lined-up in reserve

Evoque is about £5K more (in the spec. we want), but I know from our current residual that that this extra amount will be "reclaimed" come trade-in time as our Evoque has retained over 37% of its new cost even at eight years old.

Edited by nick62 on 08/03/2021 at 16:22

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Mon 8 Mar 2021 16:49

all - Hybrid/PHEV MPG - skidpan

We're waiting to test drive the Beemer.

Hope you have better luck than us. 2 local dealers failed to offer us a test drive so I phoned the next closest which was a 65 mile round trip. We wanted to drive a 320i touring but all they could offer was a 320i saloon and to try the touring body a 320d touring, I said fine.

Day before the test drive the sales chappy rang to say he would be on leave but had passed the info to a colleague who would look after us. When we got there we did the driving licence bits etc and he took us to the 320d estate. I said that we would prefer to drive the 320i first since that was the mechanical spec we wanted to buy and he denied all knowledge of having such a car in stock. Told us the usual nonsense that the diesel drives the same as a petrol etc but we said no thanks and left, a morning wasted.

Later that day he rang back to say that he had found the 320i saloon and when did we want to drive it, said I would call back and never did, blocked his number on my phone.

Idiot.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Mon 8 Mar 2021 16:58

all - Hybrid/PHEV MPG - nick62

Skidpan, if the dealer does not get back to me this week he can shove his deal. My deposit was placed on the proviso a test drive would be provided and if not happy (or not possible) a full refund.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Ask Honest John

Sell Your Car

Real MPG

Fuel Calculator