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Im due a new car in November, currently have a Mondeo estate but im trying to save some money so im looking for a tax/fuel friendly estate, im happy to go for something smaller than the Mondeo
currently im looking at
TOYOTA Auris Touring Sports Hybrid
FORD Focus Estate 1.6 TDCi Edge Econetic
trouble is I don't really know that much about cars and never drove a hybrid before
my driving habits are:
- commute 13 mile each way 5 days a week
- 40 personal miles at the weekend
- 400 business miles a month (I claim fuel back for this)
- 1000 more personal miles each year (holidays ect)
any advice/pointers would be much appreciated 🙂
Do you know you can't tow with a hybrid? That put me off the Auris
If the Auris is similar to our pool car Prius, it will be very economical around town, but less so on the motorway. Nice and quiet, especially in slow traffic when using just the electric motor.
We have that Ford engine in our c-max, and it's the opposite - very economical on the motorway, but pretty poor on short urban journeys. The Focus is a nice car to drive IME.
As it's a company car I'd get a diesel. The latest insignia diesel is 99g/m CO2. No need to get hybrid when you can still get a big diesel estate with very low tax.
I have a MkII Prius. I get 62 ish on long motorway runs, and about 56 or so around town. Compared to my diesel Passat, it get slightly more on the motorway, 63-65 maybe, but that goes through the floor in town. 45 at best in suburbia, that can go down to high 30s if there's lots of traffic.
Priuses are not bad for interior space - although the boot isn't great it's comparable to a hatcback, but it's really quite long with the seats down - estate length almost. There's also the Prius+ which is pretty big, but more expensive.
I'd say it depends on what your 13 mile commute is like. Also bear in mind that the Toyota ones are all autos, which is nice. Also petrol is cheaper and cleaner. Test drive one.
I have a MkII Prius. I get 62 ish on long motorway runs
What speed do you drive at? 60mpg at a steady 65-70mph is the very best I can get out of our work Prius (mark 2).
At the same speed in our c-max, 65mpg is easily do-able.
Always at the speed limit. I have energy saver tyres (Michelin aftermarket) and I just leave it on cruise. The tyres are good for 2-3mpg increase. I should add it only does that mpg in warm weather. Doing well to get 60 in winter, usually 57 or so and 54-55 if it wet and windy. A good hot summers day really helps.
400 business miles a month? I it worth a company car on the tax hit....?
Cheers for the advice guys
I have an Auris booked for a weeks test drive
I shall take a look at the insignia
I do not tow but I do fit a tow bar for my bike rack, so I'll have to check if that's ok on the Auris
My commute is mainly motorway on the way in 20mins blast, but takes 40mins of stop stating on the way back due to traffic on the way back due to traffic
Matt outandabout - I get a company car because I carry has cylinders and PPE for work, but I do have the option of a £350 a month car allowance to provide my own
[i]Matt outandabout - I get a company car because I carry has cylinders and PPE for work, but I do have the option of a £350 a month car allowance to provide my own [/i]
If you get the full business miles rate (45ppm), do the sums and work out whether you'd be better off.
How much do the gas cylinders weigh? The hybrids don't have the load capacity of an estate.
You can get Prius pseudo towbars that you can fit a rack to, but may be hard to find outside of the US. Having said that, Thule make rear mounted rack adapters that are not towbars and you fit the rack directly to it. There is definitely a Prius version of those because I saw a Prius with one daily in Germany. Not sure about Auris tho.
I shall take a look at the insignia
womp I currently have an Insignia as my company car and I would have to say avoid! It has been in the garage 11 times in three years for a number of warranty issues. 2 intercoolers, electric handbrake x 2, numerous computer issues, blown turbo. It also eats pads and discs which are very pricey to replace. Just glad I dont pay for them.
Its recently out of warranty and the power steering hose has blown which appears to be a know fault, see link below
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2012/05/vauxhall_insignia.html
Its a pity because when its not in the garage its a really nice drive, comfortable and well equipped at a good price point.
Thule Euroclick apparently.
Peugeot and Citroen have a few hybrids in their range.
Not sure about the French and electronics, but it's something else for the pot.
Personally, I'd go for a eco diesel and not bother with the Hybrid nonsense; although I did enjoy my spin in the Citroen DS4 hybrid (200bhp! 4wd! 99g CO2!)
The PSA hybrid models are a different system - not as good imo for town ecomomy, but they do seem to have simply added the extra electric power to the already sufficient diesel power 🙂
As far as I know, they are simply electric motors on the back wheels and diesel power on the front. I'd expect that not to coast as well unless the diesel actually de-clutches when you lift off.
However if you want load space and power then you could look at say the 3008 hybrid.
but they do seem to have simply added the extra electric power to the already sufficient diesel power
Isn't that what all Hybrids are?
I'm correcting myself, but it was a DS5 I had. It could be pure electric, pure diesel or a combi of the two driving each end.
It was good, and a step up from a Prius. We have a Prius as a pool car and it's pants.
But not as bad as the Nissan Leaf.
Well sort of, Toyota give you a weedy petrol engine topped up with electricity. Due to the innate efficiency of diesel, Peugot etc did not need to do that so have given you an extra slab of power on top of an already capable diesel.