Hybrid Car - Recommendations

Strawberryjam

I need to change my car from a diesel and would like to get a hybrid. Hybrid mainly because I am concerned about the environment but would like to invest in a car that will last me a good 10 years. Can anyone recommend the best deals or give me some feedback from their experiences?


I do mostly short journeys.
I cannot charge at home (but can at work)
I would want a trade in (scrappage)
I would need 0% finance for some of the amount

pulliptears

Strawberryjam wrote: »

I need to change my car from a diesel and would like to get a hybrid. Hybrid mainly because I am concerned about the environment but would like to invest in a car that will last me a good 10 years. Can anyone recommend the best deals or give me some feedback from their experiences?


I do mostly short journeys.
I cannot charge at home (but can at work)
I would want a trade in (scrappage)
I would need 0% finance for some of the amount

We moved from Diesel to a Hyundai Ioniq plug in last year. Love it. We had a charge point fitted at home under the scheme (not sure if its still running) for £180 and DH has an employer who recently fitted points there, meaning he gets a free journey home.

There is a 30 mile range and we've found thats pretty accurate. It averages about 120mpg for the journeys he does although thats been up to 190mpg.

Can't help with deals as we lease.

AdrianC

Bear in mind that "hybrid" includes both plug-in hybrids and "self-charging" hybrids. Neither will give you the full performance from electric-only power that you'll get from internal combustion power. "Self-charging" will be very slow indeed in electric-only mode, and have a very limited range.

Is your employer willing to subsidise your charging, and will you be taxed for the benefit-in-kind?

Strawberryjam

I pay the parking levy so will get a reduction with that. Not sure yet on the payment for the charging at work but they're a green company so I'd imagine there would be a subsidy in place as encouragement

almillar

If you've got charging at work, maybe a full EV would fit you. Renault Zoe as a supermini, Nissan Leaf/Hyundai Ioniq Electric as a Focus sized car - what are you after? Budget? If you're looking at Toyotas (mostly NOT plug in, therefore a waste of your charging space in work) make sure you test drive them and are happy with the CVT gearbox.

dcweather

We've had a Toyota Yaris Hybrid for 6 years. Couldn't be more trouble free. Brilliant to drive, especially around town. Can get 70mpg on a run but the real benefit is short winter journeys where most cars would have the choke out and from cold if you just went to the shops and back you'd probably get 20mpg. The Yaris will be 50mpg in those circumstances. The new one has a much better battery and I imagine the Corolla is great as well.

The_Fat_Controller

Any Toyota self-charging hybrid !
I have had 4 over the years.
Winter consumption is a good bit worse in winter than summer, especially if you like a warm cabin.

daveyjp

Toyota or Lexus for one reason.

Their hybrid tech has shown to be bomb proof, now backed up by their 15 year warranty on the hybrid drive train components.

Most our local taxi drivers have them and 150,000+ trouble free miles isn't unusual.

Grumpy_chap

I had an Auris hybrid (now updated to the Corolla).  It was a lovely (albeit dull) car.  In my case, the fuel efficiency disappointed, but I think for the type of mileage the OP is considering it would be a suitable choice:

Strawberryjam said:

I do mostly short journeys.
I cannot charge at home (but can at work)

If the OP could also charge at home (or that is something that is possible to install), then I would consider an EV.  However, an EV that depends on staying in the current job for the life of the car is rather restricting - who stays in the same job for 10 years these days?  For that same reason, a simple self-charging hybrid is probably best as the PHEV will be restricted by access to charging infrastructure.

Freecall

dcweather said:

...most cars would have the choke out.. 

Wow, that takes me back!

The 70's were a fantastic time.

  

DrEskimo

Grumpy_chap said:

I had an Auris hybrid (now updated to the Corolla).  It was a lovely (albeit dull) car.  In my case, the fuel efficiency disappointed, but I think for the type of mileage the OP is considering it would be a suitable choice:

Strawberryjam said:

I do mostly short journeys.
I cannot charge at home (but can at work)

If the OP could also charge at home (or that is something that is possible to install), then I would consider an EV.  However, an EV that depends on staying in the current job for the life of the car is rather restricting - who stays in the same job for 10 years these days?  For that same reason, a simple self-charging hybrid is probably best as the PHEV will be restricted by access to charging infrastructure.

Theres no reason you couldn't sell an EV if it becomes unviable after a job change...I changed job a year after I bought my EV and thought the lack of home charging would have meant changing back to ICE, but thankfully they had chargers at the office....then of course COVID happened and now I barely use it all.

2 yrs later I'm hopefully looking at moving to house to one with a drive...circumstances change all the time. Just because you set out to keep something for 10yrs doesn't mean you can't chop and change as the circumstances do.

OP - Go have a look at a used Hyundai 28kWh EV. Sub £15k now, and will easily do short journeys of 100miles or less and has great rapid charging speeds that even long journeys are achievable. Will likely have lower depreciation and of course much lower running costs than any hybrid or ICE.