THEGAYUK

Tag: Hybrid Car Review

Our latest reviews for hybrid car models available in the UK. We investigate range, cost and build of all hybrid cars.

  • CAR REVIEW | Lexus RX450h F Sport

    ★★★★ | Lexus RX450h F Sport

    For sometime Lexus have been a bit off the mark. The posher brand of Toyota just never managed to make the grade. Their products were too much Toyota. There was nothing special about them. Take the last generation of RX. A competent car in the making with a striking look but let down by an interior no different to a Yaris.

    It’s quite an astounding thing then the new Lexus RX450h. It may have taken them 27 years but finally, they seem to be moving the brand above and beyond parent company Toyota. The inside is special. It feels like a quality product. The fit of the interior has always been one of the key elements of a Lexus. It’s just that they then forgot to add the other elements to make it special. Imagine a Jägerbomb without the Jägermeister. You are left with a plain old energy drink. Gets to the point but that is it.

    Now you get what you should for £53,640 of your hard earned cash. The RX cossets you in grand luxury. The seats are some of the finest I have ever come across. They heat or cool or a bit of both. Set to auto and they will soothe you in a fuss-free way in addition to the climate control making it all very relaxing. Just pay attention when grabbing your phone from the charging area under the dashboard that you don’t catch the button. I did just this and all of sudden the seat was at full heat and that is a lot of heat.

    It was easy to live with. Something I did scoff at when I read the spec sheet was the all-round electric windows that slow down just before they close to reduce noise. Turns out this is no gimmick. It really does work.

    What didn’t quite work for me was the control button on the centre console for the infotainment system. The haptic feedback force is adjustable in 5 increments. It needs 10. On the lowest, it is quite uncontrollable unless you are a whizz playing platform games on the PlayStation. Five was ok but sometimes it was still too loose in my left hand. The infotainment system was easy to use allowing for easy access to the satnav, hi-fi, car info and all manner of settings. The screen is also large. And as if that wasn’t enough you could scroll through options that allowed you to change items displayed on the facia panel. You were always kept up to speed with the Lexus. It told you everything.

    On the RX I can’t quite work out if I liked the CVT (Continuously variable transmission) or not. What that means is that the gearbox is matched to the engine speed. Great in principle when connected to a hybrid system that cuts in and out without any fuss, it’s just that when pressed hard it sounded like you were slipping the clutch of a manual car. It does have a fine override system though where you can change up or down. Quite advanced for a CVT.

    Sound deadening is exceptional in the RX and the V6 24 valve double overhead cam engine sounded great only if you had the windows open. The payoff wasn’t too much of a hardship for most of the time it was all inaudible. That in itself is a great attribute in a hybrid. The quietness adds serenity to the journey. There was next to no noise from the wide tyres fitted emitted into the cabin on any surface.

    Manual inputs into the gearbox amazed me. I hadn’t expected it to be so smooth or adjustable. That gearbox can also take a damn good kicking. The RX won’t sit around idle for long. Unable to actually time it I can vouch that it is indeed quite rapid in its acceleration. What greatly helps this is the impressive figures. The petrol engine alone makes 259bhp at 6000rpm. With the assistance of the electric motors, it adds up to 308bhp and gives an impressive 7.7 seconds 0-60mph time.

    What I have briefly mentioned so far is that this Lexus is a Hybrid. It’s basically a petrol car that has some assistance from electric motors. It works well in as much as the motors assist the petrol engine in forward propulsion. You could select electric vehicle mode for up to about 30 MPH which was great in stop-start traffic. Over that speed and the system wanted to jump into petrol mode. I couldn’t quite get my head around the battery life. In EV mode it felt it would deplete the battery quickly. Full battery recharge was quickly achieved with little thought about it.

    I’ve not avoided the looks on purpose. It is striking and it was the first thing I was greeted with on first acquaintance. The RX is more than looks alone. The exaggerated family grill makes it look like an angry Darth Vader mask and that is no bad thing. These days when you are paying this sort of money for a car you want it to be striking. The design language is exactly that. It hits you head on. Side on. Rear end. You’ll also find yourself hitting your head on the C-pillar of the rear door when grabbing things from the rear seat. The angle is so sharp it caught me out once or twice.

    I have to say I didn’t push the RX around too much. To me, it just isn’t a gun-ho car. It is so much more than that. That said I wasn’t easy on the go peddle. With my heavy right foot I could average 37 – 41 miles to the gallon. The ride was supple over most surfaces. The payoff for this is a bit too much body roll. Due to the high seating position, it felt more exaggerated than it actually was. Overall the driving experience was nice. It has loads of equipment that was easy to use further adding to the luxury feel that Lexus are finally achieving.

    I liked the RX450h more than I thought I would. I’ve a few niggles that I’d like sorted before I went out to buy one but in this sector, you could do a lot worse for the money. It has plenty of kit and it’s a Lexus that now makes you feel special.

    Love

    Serenity
    Comfort
    Equipment

    Loathe

    Haptic feedback of control button
    Satnav dark colours at night
    Auto boot resistance heavy if caught under it

    The Lowdown
    Car – Lexus RX450h F Sport
    Price – £53,640 (as tested)
    MPG – 51.4 (combined)
    Power – 259 bhp @ 6000 rpm petrol (335 bhp @ 4600 rpm electric)
    0-62mph – 7.7 seconds
    Top Speed – 124 mph
    Co2 – 127 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Toyota Prius Business Edition Plus

    ★★★ | Toyota Prius Business Edition Plus

    Manufacturers since the 1980s have teased us with electric and hybrid technology. No one though had the balls to actually do it. Toyota was the first to give us a hybrid car as a stand alone product called the Prius. It looked like nothing else in the Toyota showroom. In fact, it looked like nothing else anywhere.

    This next statement makes me feel so old. The Prius is now 19 years old. Toyota should be celebrated for this motoring milestone. It was a gamble. It ended up being a game changer. Now the Prius is not the only hybrid out there.

    The few hybrids l have driven have only taken me very short distances so when the opportunity came for me to test one l wasn’t sure what to expect. Toyota gave THEGAYUK two to test. The Lexus RX450h and the Prius. Both new models.

    The Prius was a disappointment. My ears are quite literally screaming from driving it. l had high hopes for the car that brought hybrid technology to the masses but in this latest incarnation, it has left me a little cold. For a car costing less than half of what the Lexus RX450h cost you could say l am being picky. I wish I was. It’s not that the Prius is a bad car. It really isn’t. Huge advances have been made in the 4 generations of Prius since 1997. The Prius has one major flaw.

    The Prius is whisper quiet. On start up, there is no engine noise. The dashboard comes alive with animation and illumination. You select drive via a crystal blue knob where the gear stick would be and you surge forward under electric motion. And here is lays the problem. It’s so noisy! Even at low speeds, noise from the tyres and differing road surfaces barge into the cabin. I’ve not known anything like it. To those outside, all they hear are their thoughts and screams when they shout out because they didn’t hear the Prius creep up on them. It isn’t even as if the 215/45 17 Bridgestone Turanza tyres are highly rated in noise. Fuel economy rated at C with road noise of 69 decibels. All pretty standard stuff for a branded tyre.

    Noise aside it is an amazing car. At speed on the motorway, it does settle down into a world of its own. There is no wind noise. The Continuously Variable Transmission gearbox settles down into a long-legged stride. It is here that the Prius makes sense. CVT gearboxes are not known for being quiet and when pushed the 1800cc engine will emit audible noise as it spins up to its peak 97bhp at 5200rpm. Then with the powers of hybrid, it settles down to a wafting machine.

    Because the main fascia of the dashboard sits in the middle of the car it is almost too easy to ignore it. It tries to give you all the information you need in a slimline display. It does work well. Thankfully there is a heads-up display that isn’t affected by sunlight coming in through the windscreen. What didn’t work for me was the hybrid display that kept clashing with the speed limit display. I wanted to know when I was in EV mode (electric vehicle) or not. The speed limit display was annoying. It wasn’t as if it hadn’t also appeared on the facia screen. It could thankfully be turned off.

    The 4th generation Prius makes no apologies for its looks. It’s bold and striking. I like it. Actually, I like it a lot. So many cars at the moment are starting to look the same again. Toyota appears to be designing a car, screwing up the paper, unfolding it and making the result. A good job is done too. After 19 years on the forecourt, the Prius can now wear its “in your face” looks with pride. The second and third gen Prius’s were awkward yet safe. They never made the grade. This one, however, looks like a spaceship. The problem it will have is within its extremities of the corners. Lights mounted into the bumpers are very vulnerable. Thanks to the auto brake and sensors, you won’t break them, but others misjudging their parking will. What doesn’t work in design is the rear wiper. There is a large unswept area. Probably not such a problem in a left-hand drive model.

    The Prius as a driver’s car was also something I didn’t quite expect. This is, after all, an uber economy car. There is a gauge on the dashboard that scores you out of 100. At best I managed 89. With some serious gun-ho motoring you can get that down to 8! For that, you have to drive like the wind. I have been witness to this. It was during this spirited ride as a passenger that first made me appreciate the Prius before I even had one. It does not pretend to be a sports car but the weight bias of the engine in the front and batteries in the rear must play a part in the making of a finely balanced chassis. Never underestimate a Prius driver as a slow doodler when you see one in motion. Chances are the owner doesn’t actually know just how good it is.

    The Prius is a good car. With the economy that is achievable, it is a clear winner in almost every respect. It’ll seat 5 and carry you all relatively cheaply wherever you want to go. It’s just that the inside needs to reflect the quietness of the outside. Toyota is capable of achieving this. I just wish they had with this Prius.

     

    Likes
    Economy
    Looks
    Dashboard

    Loathes
    Cabin noise
    Vulnerable extremities of the lights
    Rear visibility

    The Lowdown
    Car – Toyota Prius Business Edition Plus
    Price – £25,995 (as tested)
    MPG – 94.1mpg(combined)
    Power – 97bhp @ 5,200 petrol (142bhp @ 3600rpm electric)
    0-62mph – 10.4seconds
    Top Speed – 114 mph
    Co2 – 76 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

    148 miles per gallon. That is the official fuel consumption figure for Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV, an amazing figure for a big, heavy four wheel drive vehicle.

    Coupled to road tax that will currently cost you nothing, exemption from the London congestion charge along with a tiny 5% benefit in kind rate for company car drivers and it’s no surprise that they’re an increasingly common sight on our roads. It all sounds too good to be true, is it?

    Naturally you’ll be wondering how such a big 4×4 could possibly achieve such tiny fuel consumption. The key is in the name, specifically the PHEV bit; that stands for Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. Under the boot floor is a battery pack large enough to power the Outlander for 32 miles without once relying on petrol power. Unlike many other hybrids, this battery doesn’t just get charged by the engine, you can plug it into the mains too.

    Once the electricity is all gone, there’s a conventional 2.0 litre petrol engine that can act solely as a generator to charge the battery, drive the wheels or a combination of both. The trouble is that if you rely too much on the engine the fuel economy starts to drop off a cliff. After a long drive on the motorway and with the battery virtually empty the economy dropped to just under 36mpg, a figure that is bettered by the majority of diesel SUVs.

    So is it all smoke and mirrors? In a word, no. If you’re one of the millions of motorists who don’t even manage 30 miles a day then the vast majority of journeys will cost you pence in electric rather than pounds in petrol. If you’re lucky enough to work somewhere you can plug it in then you can effectively double that range. According to Mitsubishi’s maths, on a single charge, 106 miles is the point at which a diesel would be more economical.

    For most people then, it’s a cheap car to run. It’s not terribly expensive considering the sheer size and complexity of it either. The cheapest Outlander PHEV is less than £29,000 yet still comes with keyless entry, 18” alloys, climate control, Bluetooth and iPod connectivity. Start to climb the range for niceties like sat nav, a premium audio system and swathes of leather and the price starts to get very close to £40,000 before options. BMW and Mercedes territory then.

    At first glance it’s pretty convincing. Externally it’s a quietly handsome shape that shys away from some of the crazier flourishes seen on other SUVs. There’s a little chrome but not enough to be garish giving a classy overall look. Inside the top spec GX5h test vehicle there’s red leather seats with matching trim on the dash, doors, steering wheel and even cupholders. It’s attractive enough but the level of finish is undoubtedly behind premium rivals. Wrinkly leather is not nice.

    Rear seat passengers are treated to vast amounts of legroom but seats that are an odd shape and quite hard too. Still, this was a fresh car so maybe a bit of use would soften them up. Behind the seats is a huge boot but no option of a third row of seats due to the battery pack. Oddly, you still get a couple of cupholders back there, however. The top half of the range also benefits from a powered tailgate that can be opened and closed from the key fob, handy.

    Those of you that love a bit of tech might also appreciate the Mitsubishi Remote Control on higher trim levels that lets you schedule charging, check battery levels and even turn the air conditioning on remotely through your smartphone. To accompany this you also get a 7” touchscreen infotainment system with sat nav that proved easy to work once you got to know it a little. The uprated Alpine speakers in the test car provided great sound quality too.

    To drive the Outlander proved to be a well-engineered bit of kit. Even with drive switching between petrol and electric acceleration was smooth without nasty jolts while noise levels were generally low. A flattened throttle pedal gets the engine screaming thanks to a CVT gearbox that keeps the engine at peak power, effective but loud. There’s also a little lag between nailing the throttle and actually getting full power. Not an issue under normal driving but slightly frustrating when trying to accelerate onto a busy roundabout for instance. It isn’t particularly quick either, 0-60mph takes around 11 seconds.

    Handling wise there is less body roll than you might expect but still noticeably more than a normal car or a BMW X3 for that matter. Although fairly neutral when cornered hard, it predictably understeers at the limit for safe if uninvolving progress. Still, this isn’t going to be a car you buy for fun, if driven sensibly you appreciate how easy it is to drive and how quiet it is. With decent ride comfort as well, it’ll prove good enough for most prospective owners.

    Should you buy one then? Well to benefit from the potential fuel savings you need to be able to plug it in somewhere and not be travelling too far too regularly. If that applies to you then there’s plenty to recommend. Even looking past the potential fuel savings, the Outlander looks good, is well equipped for the money and overall feels well made (looking past some of the iffy interior trim). No wonder they’re selling so well.

    PROS

    • Huge inside
    • Cheap to run. Mostly.
    • Well equipped

    CONS

    • Expensive on long journeys
    • Not as premium feeling as some rivals
    • Uninspiring to drive

    THE LOWDOWN

    • Car – Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV GX5h
    • Price – £38,399 on the road (after £5,000 government grant)
    • Power – 200bhp (combined)
    • 0-60 – 11.0 seconds
    • Top Speed – 106mph
    • Co2 – 44g/km