Should I?

[Buttons]

I realise this is a really loaded question but should I get a 1 year old hybrid?

My Company Car budget is measly at around £15-16k but circumstances mean I want my total monthly outgoings to be minimised as far as possible for the next few years so I started looking at the hybrid, particularly because of the breaks the government are giving them at the moment.

I am currently driving a Vectra estate petrol 1.8 and getting around 40mpg in the summer and 37mpg in winter doing an almost exclusively motorway trip of around 90-95 miles per day. That gives you an idea of my driving style. If I need to drive efficiently then I will but I must must must must drive at 70 where possible rather than 50 or 60 as I already set off early enough and get home late enough.


So to cut to the chase, given my round trip on the motorway with 2/3 on cruise at 70 and 1/3 varying between 30 and 60 in traffic, is a hybrid worth investigating or should I get a diesel?

I obviously haven't got the budget for a new BMW 118d that fits nicely into the 120g/km band so that's out unfortunately!

And lastly, I can't do a small car like a Polo despite it probably being the best bet!

Thanks for your help in advance.

[Unknownsoldier]

Try to find an older Civic Turbo Diesel, that should give you the Combined MPG you seek, Hybrids use as much fuel generally on motorway miles I believe as any other similar car.

Tom

[FWH]

I´d also rather go for a 2.2 diesel than a hybrid.

[Buttons]

Thanks but I believe the company car tax for a Civic diesel will be more hefty. We're talking £120 per month for one of their new models without any extras such as metallic paint etc so this eats up a lot of fuel benefits compared to the £59 a month tax I'll pay on the hybrid.

Just thinking out loud, thanks for the post.

[illegalhunter]

Get the derv

[ritchie_perriam]

go on! go for the diesel! you could get a really good year old second hand 1 for that price!

[hondaatje]

go for the hybrid!!!!

[Buttons]

Thanks, have you got any idea what MPG I might get given the type of drive I've detailed above? 50 would be good, 55 better, 60 brilliant!

[Dave 8o]]

Currently hybrids are exempt from the London Congestion Charge (if you register, for a fee). All the signs are pointing towards other citys jumping on the charging bandwagon and while there is no guarantee that Manchester will exempt hybrids if it introduces a charge, you never know.

A hybrid will only really improve your MPG if you do a lot of start/stop driving, as the car can turn off the engine and use the battery power to propel the car. Motorway driving will just use the engine and so your mpg rate will be similar to that of a standard road car.

[Buttons]

That is what I'm beginning to fear. I'm looking at the Golf Bluemotion and the Renault Megane as well now as both fit into the 13% benefit band for the new company car tax regime. I could get those brand new too. Thanks for the advice

[l-noel]

Dont go for the Megane, it's a car on it's end (they must renew the model soon) and not very reliable (better than a Laguna but not so good)
I've never tested the Golf Bluemotion but for me VW products are over evaluated.

If the Diesel don't suit you, go for a test with the Hybrid. Ok the style and design are not as "radical" as the European Civic, but still very nice.
Driving such a car in town is a real pleasur, it's so quite . On main roads and motorway once you are used to the automatic (belt) gear box it's very smooth and confortable. You have not the exiting "turbo" boost of the diesel or the Highrev of the V-tec but you have a real confort. Plus a low consuption.

For an equivalent price I prefer personaly the "Turbo" boost of the diesel.
But since the first of January with the new enviromental tax/bonuses in France, I'm not sure I would have made the same choice.

So it's up to you now. But go to a Honda dealer and ask for a test drive. So you will know for sure

[civicfan]

Originally Posted by Buttons

That is what I'm beginning to fear. I'm looking at the Golf Bluemotion and the Renault Megane as well now as both fit into the 13% benefit band for the new company car tax regime. I could get those brand new too. Thanks for the advice

Frankly if I was to choose between these two I'd get a Segway
What would speak against, say, a Civic hybrid? (apart of the granny-ish ride but in London it's rather no issue)

[Buttons]

Just to update anyone asking a similar question, test drove an 07 ES with leather model on Friday and I was so chuffed with it I take delivery on Tuesday!

Test drive was superb, the reviews as I expected exaggerate every aspect of the car.

The CVT causing the engine to rev is noticeable but no more than a slight whistle as the engine gets into the peak performance band. The jerk when pulling away from the lights as the engine kicks back in is no more than a very slight judder, hardly worth changing car over considering you've just sat at a standstill using no petrol! It's not quick but it's not slow at all either. The interior is very modern looking but I personally wouldn't say cheap or tacky as some reviews say. The leather was very nice and the car as a whole was very driver focussed and comfortable.

And finally, even with no experience of driving a hybrid and a selection of A & B Roads and Motorway for 30 odd minutes I got 45MPG average so don't think 50 is going to be difficult at all and considering it will only be £56 per month on company car tax I can't believe more people aren't choosing them.

I'll post a review after I've had it a while as there's a real shortage of real world reviews on the web.

Cheers, Andy

[LNT]

Well done. You have to realise that people are fiercely protective of their cars and will certainly push forward the one they have, as no one can bear to think that they might not have bought the right thing or that something might be better or better performing, in various ways, of what they have. To hear some people speak, a 2.2 Diesel 5 door is the fastest thing on earth, the most economical, the best depreciating, and all on all better than anything on the road!! That's all very well, and their opinon, but you did the right thing in test driving it first and obviously found that despite the small engine, it's a big car, with a nice interior, and is an executive saloon which will seat 5 adults easily.

In the year or so since I've had mine, I can honestly say that I've found it very comfortable, very economical, as quick as I need a car to be, and very good for running costs. It's just had it's first service at 12,500 miles and it cost £131.99. Had to tax it for a year mind you so that gave me a fiver change from my twenty quid note... All in all, you get executive looks, style and comfort, for supermini running costs. In fact my parents have just bought a new Nissan Micra, which is a great car, but the running costs are more than the Hybrid.

[Buttons]

Just driven home and can't agree more with the above. I'm getting smirks at work from colleagues but at the end of the day, it's cracking car and everyone will be "hybrid" at some point even if they're using hydrogen cells as it it just makes plain sense to re-use the energy lost in braking!

I'll post some more thoughts in a day or two but for now in case anyone else is teetering on the edge of going for it (this being the hybrid and not the diesel sub-forum!) I got 49.7 MPG average over the 60 miles so far and it's only going up. That was on cruise control at 70 for the majority of the way with some 60 and very little stop start so it turns out that this is definitely a motorway car as well as for around town.

Very pleased so far.

[LNT]

Originally Posted by 'Dave 8o

;
A hybrid will only really improve your MPG if you do a lot of start/stop driving, as the car can turn off the engine and use the battery power to propel the car. Motorway driving will just use the engine and so your mpg rate will be similar to that of a standard road car.

As far as the Civic Hybrid goes, you're fundementally wrong. It never uses only battery power, and motorway driving doesn't just use the engine, it uses battery too. The Civic Hybrid IMA does exactly what it does on the tin, its an intergrated motor ASSIST. It assists the petrol engine whenever it thinks it needs to. The engine does cut out when at a standstill (when it's warmed up) but then starts up again when setting off. I think the Prius might be capable of using battery only in town, but the Civic doesn't. There is, however a complicated equation and set of circumstances whereby you can have battery power kick in and minimal revs and the mpg meter be reading 100 mpg. It's in the hypermiling item I saw somewhere. Think it was in an Insight forum which had a section for the Civic Hybrid.

[Dave 8o]]

Originally Posted by LNT

As far as the Civic Hybrid goes, you're fundementally wrong. It never uses only battery power, and motorway driving doesn't just use the engine, it uses battery too. The Civic Hybrid IMA does exactly what it does on the tin, its an intergrated motor ASSIST. It assists the petrol engine whenever it thinks it needs to. The engine does cut out when at a standstill (when it's warmed up) but then starts up again when setting off. I think the Prius might be capable of using battery only in town, but the Civic doesn't. There is, however a complicated equation and set of circumstances whereby you can have battery power kick in and minimal revs and the mpg meter be reading 100 mpg. It's in the hypermiling item I saw somewhere. Think it was in an Insight forum which had a section for the Civic Hybrid.

I stand corrected.