Would you buy a hybrid?
- Thread starter 2019CRVlx
- Start date
I tend to be all or nothing as well, but that’s only because I’ve yet to see a hybrid that wasn’t a supercar that appealed to me. I like lightweight performance vehicles and if it gets more than 30mpg highway I’ll be fine with it.
I’d totally do a Golf R hybrid, but nothing like that exists. It doesn’t have to be a plug in. Just make the hybrid system do fun stuff that makes the performance aspects more fun. If it saves me fuel on top of that in normal driving that’s a bonus. So far at least I don’t get that from any hybrid for $50k.
I’ll take an EV for performance if the hybrid doesn’t keep a way for me to have an entertaining interaction with what’s left of the ICE powertrain. For sure basic hybrids are excellent if this isn’t the goal, it’s just not what I want in a car.
You might try driving one instead of merely theorizing about them.
You might be surprised.
No V8 noise, most of them are driving the wrong wheels, hard pass for me. Give me rear wheel drive or RWD biased AWD system, over 250hp and 250lb ft torque, good handling and then I’ll be happy. Maybe a RAV4 prime on paper, but I’d have to drive one first to see if I actually like driving it
SammyChevelleTypeS3
$50 site donor 2023
Just in the past month or so I have seen 4-5 new Honda Accord hybrids around my town. They are really nice looking vehicles.
One can pick them out by the light up tail panel that goes completely from one side to the other. They also have the tiny light
blue "hybrid" emblem on the rear.
One can pick them out by the light up tail panel that goes completely from one side to the other. They also have the tiny light
blue "hybrid" emblem on the rear.
I’ve driven a lot. They aren’t bad. They aren’t enthusiast focused in the range I’m buying in.
Fuel economy isn’t the only metric. If that’s your only goal, sure it’s a great choice. If your goal is to spend the least on gas I’m not buying anything with ICE.
To add anything with a CVT or a torque converter automatic do not apply. I've never driven a single one(auto/CVT) that was good and if I'm buying a basic daily, it's electric. Randomly stop/starting ICE regardless of battery hybrid do not apply. There's no point. There's nothing I find more annoying about a car than the engine randomly shuttting off. That may be a nervous twitch after owning many British vehicles, but I don't like it.
Sell it all you want, but there's nothing enthusiast minded in the hybrid segment under $100k. I'd own it already if it did. I'm not opposed to hybrids, I just don't look to save fuel over all else. It needs to do something interesting and as far as hybrids go, only things that wear the Porsche or McLaren badge do anything spectacular with a hybrid system. I know this doesn't translate to the appliance buyer. I mean this 100% when I say I'm not trying to insult you, but you're buying vehicles as an appliance if you've driven anything under $100k as a hybrid and think it's excellent. None of it caters to the enthusiast market. Yes, they're absolutely great to drive getting A to B while saving fuel. I still think EVs smoke the living crap out of them in every metric the way I use them.
I'd still rather have an exciting ICE vehicle over anything EV too. I don't hate hybrids by default, it's just not a developed market for enthusiasts in the market I like. There's not a single hybrid hot hatch or affordable performance vehicle. I'm not the market for the currently available EVs. I don't understand why this is so hard to understand.
I get why you like them. The market buying a GTI or Golf R aren't buying a Prius, Rav4 Hybrid, or a Camry Hybrid. Completely different markets. Show me the car that fits in the hot hatch segment or true performance sedan market that is hybrid under $60k and you'll have my attention. CVTs and torque converter automatics are instantly excluded. I know I'm not getting a manual even if they match the rest of the requirements.
"Oh it's sporty!" No they aren't. I hate that term. Most of the market has moved on from what I want, so I'm not surprised that the hybrid market isn't taking this segment seriously. I'm not looking for a big car that only produces speed in a numb method. EVs cover that perfectly.
Last edited:
It looks beautiful, it’s just not what I’m looking for.My sister in law's brand spanking new 2025 NXh. White on Palomino.... Toyota makes the best hybrids.
I know @Torrid is dying to get his hands on one...
View attachment 232030
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Try the X5 XDrive50eNo V8 noise, most of them are driving the wrong wheels, hard pass for me. Give me rear wheel drive or RWD biased AWD system, over 250hp and 250lb ft torque, good handling and then I’ll be happy. Maybe a RAV4 prime on paper, but I’d have to drive one first to see if I actually like driving it
So you think I should care about MPG and if I don’t care that bothers you?
I have a 3 row SUV that can tow a 5000 lb boat and get 18 to 21 MPG (when not towing)14 to 16 when towing
Plus love the comfortable quiet ride ruining down a highway at 85 mph. I don’t want or need a second drive system with a battery.
Gasoline works for me with my Chevy Traverse and ANY gasoline small car we get for my rarely used wife’s car gets 10 mpg more.
Her Mazda sprints around town now and then, sometimes I will drive it just so it gets a good run and keep the battery charged.
My Harley doesn’t get much better MPG than the Mazda but we ride that for the fun of it. Same goes for our boat.
Cost of gasoline is a nonissue in our lives.
If we get my wife an EV it will be not to save gas (I think I mentioned that LOL) It will be for the fun of an electric vehicle experience in which we will sacrifice some convenience for the fun of not maintaining a gasoline engine and the overall experience of an EV. A hybrid will not give me that experience. It’s all in or nothing.
I’m an electronics fan of everything. Heck I just showed my neighbor 6 apps on my phone controlling my garage door, front door lock, alarm, thermostat, doorbell camera and another app for security interior camera mainly to check on my dog but will also handle exterior.
There won’t be any cost savings on the EV because insurance and tires will cost more in our cheap gasoline area plus my petite wife actually rather have a small SUV type gasoline vehicle like the Chevy Trailblazer vs something like the Chevy Bolt EUV I kind of want the Bolt but she wants the Trailblazer and unless something changes it will be it.
It’s all about the experience not the cost of gasoline which to me is dirt cheap on top of anything else. Who cares?
I paid $2.92 a gallon 2 days ago and if it’s a dollar more big deal. Heck in the last 40 to 50 years gas went up what? $2 a gallon? Cheap compared to cost of cars.
Cost of car insurance even buffers that more vs EV for those who care. Never mind cost of tires.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2022
- Messages
- 137
..
I’ve only skimmed this long thread, so…….
Absolutely true. Ford makes excellent hybrids. Many moons ago when they were developing their hybrid, they got involved with Toyota cross licensing and did it correctly from the get go. My first hybrid was a Toyota RAV4 which was just temporary while I waited for my Maverick hybrid to arrive. Both are excellent all the way around.
I think a lot of folks just do not understand how they work or how great they truly are. The eCVT transmission that both Toyota and Ford use are the best darn transmissions I have ever owned. At 70 years old I have had my share of vehicles/transmissions and the eCVT is superb. Gears, no belt or pulley system like a traditional CVT with that crummy rubberband feel. The eCVT is a type of CVT. There are some very good YouTube videos showing how the Toyota and Ford eCVT transmissions work. They are brilliant and not complex.
..
Might be surprising to hear from me, but fuel economy isn't my first metric. Far from it really. There's other reasons I don't want larger vehicles. Good fuel economy is still a positive, but a Prius getting 55mpg isn't going to get me to not purchase a GTI which still gets a solid 35mpg.
Like you enjoying the experience of the vehicle is probably the most important. Obviously it has to fit needs for transportation/space for how it will be used, but just any old vehicle that meets this isn't enough. If it happens to be good cost wise on top of it, it's a bonus.
We all have different ideas as to what makes a vehicle desirable.
For us, a vehicle is no more nor less than a means of getting to where we can do something more interesting than driving a car. While I do enjoy the simple art of driving, current traffic conditions along with the ever-present stupid and video game aggressive driving you see every day has taken a lot of the joy out of it, so I see little point in owning a really quick car that's also dynamically a bit above somthing like my hybrid.
We would rather spend money on international travel then a car or a boat or a Harley, but others have different ideas, which is fine.
You do you.
For us, a vehicle is no more nor less than a means of getting to where we can do something more interesting than driving a car. While I do enjoy the simple art of driving, current traffic conditions along with the ever-present stupid and video game aggressive driving you see every day has taken a lot of the joy out of it, so I see little point in owning a really quick car that's also dynamically a bit above somthing like my hybrid.
We would rather spend money on international travel then a car or a boat or a Harley, but others have different ideas, which is fine.
You do you.
Exactly, but that's also why I haven't seen a hybrid that does what I'm looking for. I think it will happen though. Hyundai or VW will likely be the ones to attempt it in a hot hatch design. I'd be all over it. I really see VW doing it because of what they've done with Porsche. They're now doing hybrid assisted turbos and electric sandwich motors in place of a flywheel with twin clutch transmissions. The 911 Hybrid-T just came out with this design. It's a brilliant design choice. I still tune and modify cars well beyond what's needed on the street, but for me that's when it really starts to get fun and interesting. I'm not looking for fast for fast's sake either over driving feel.
Actually I am not surprised to hear this from you. I know cost isnt a factor and its driving experience. Just the fact that you love that GTI, always been a favorite of mine that I never owned. I know you love that powerful thrill the Tesla offers you too.
Im much the same as you we just have different expectations on what we want out of a driving experience. Nothing wrong with that.
Sounds complicated.
I'll chime in with my two cents. I came from a 2016 Toyota 4Runner. I knew that pushing around all that metal was not practical since I am retired and do not live in the backwoods.!
So I did some serious research on the Toyota RAV4 hybrids as well as the non-hybrids and the warranties that were given to each car.
So for peace of mind, the battery is warrantied from a Toyota manufacturer for 10 years. If I get 10 years out of it, it will probably be traded in by then or I'll be dead! You never know.
As far as someone mentioned, the bottom line to offset the cost of a hybrid versus gas.
I think some people might fall into that category of Bean counting., I'm not one of them.
I specifically like the hybrid because of the extended range in rural areas where and I will say still a not a whole lot of plug-in accessibility for the pure EV folks. And at almost 590 miles per tank and that's just the Petro side not including the EV side and regenerative power.
My two cents is it was a very pleasant experience and change for me.
So going forward we will see.
But I'm not living in fear. You only live once. If you want to get it, get it! I don't think you'll regret that Toyota.
The Honda CRV does not come with a spare tire and that was a big factor!! For me. Spare tires are essential if you're in the outback and you spike your tire on the sidewall. So all the repair kits that Honda offers with the pumps are useless.
enjoy the experience and just go for it!
So I did some serious research on the Toyota RAV4 hybrids as well as the non-hybrids and the warranties that were given to each car.
So for peace of mind, the battery is warrantied from a Toyota manufacturer for 10 years. If I get 10 years out of it, it will probably be traded in by then or I'll be dead! You never know.
As far as someone mentioned, the bottom line to offset the cost of a hybrid versus gas.
I think some people might fall into that category of Bean counting., I'm not one of them.
I specifically like the hybrid because of the extended range in rural areas where and I will say still a not a whole lot of plug-in accessibility for the pure EV folks. And at almost 590 miles per tank and that's just the Petro side not including the EV side and regenerative power.
My two cents is it was a very pleasant experience and change for me.
So going forward we will see.
But I'm not living in fear. You only live once. If you want to get it, get it! I don't think you'll regret that Toyota.
The Honda CRV does not come with a spare tire and that was a big factor!! For me. Spare tires are essential if you're in the outback and you spike your tire on the sidewall. So all the repair kits that Honda offers with the pumps are useless.
enjoy the experience and just go for it!
It is. I'd still prefer all ICE for this purpose or a pure EV. That's what would make me interested in a hybrid though.
