Experience with hybrid vehicles?

[Spikedriver]

I'm looking at buying a hybrid SUV. I got to figuring up the miles I drive, and over the last 6 years I've been averaging 28,000 miles a year. The only reason it's that low is because I spend a significant part of the winter flying to the southwest for work instead of driving 300 to 1000 miles.

Any of you have a hybrid? What's your experience been, good or bad? How was the reliability and longevity of the vehicle? I'm specifically looking at a Toyota Highlander or Rav4, all wheel drive.

 

[Magus]

Does a golf cart count?

 

[backlash]

We have had a Highlander Hybrid 17 months. It gets around 33 MPG average. Sometimes less if it's mostly highway driving.
Washington charges us an extra $225 per year for license because it supposedly doesn't use as much fuel. But it's really because the state can charge what the want.
They say you can carry 7 people but they don't tell you 3 of those people better be small kids and it would be best if 5 of them were kids. The back seats are small. The center seats do not fold flat so you lose rear cargo space.
My cousin bought a Vensa hybrid and she gets better mileage, around 40 MPG.
Toyotas have an App that will connect your phone to your car. You can not unlock the doors with a remote, you have to use your phone. It also has navigation assistance, and navigation real time update. All free for the first year. Then if you want to remotely unlock the doors you have to pay $4 per month, navigation assistance is $8 a month and real time navigation updates are another $8 a month.
The voice command button to make calls or program the navigation work well unless you have a USB thumb drive installed then it does NOT work. I had to figure that out myself because the dealer couldn't. I took it in 5 times for them to try to correct the problem.
Also the rear seat shakes and makes a noise and the dealer told my wife "yea they do that some times". $50,000 and they do that sometimes is Not acceptable but they still have not fixed that.
The lane control and corner centering drove me nuts till I figured out how to turn them off. Plus they don't work all that well so I keep them turned off.
All that said I would not buy another one. It's a nice looking vehicle and drives well but the aggravation with the small things and the gas mileage would make me look elsewhere.

 

[Spikedriver]

We have had a Highlander Hybrid 17 months. It gets around 33 MPG average. Sometimes less if it's mostly highway driving.
Washington charges us an extra $225 per year for license because it supposedly doesn't use as much fuel. But it's really because the state can charge what the want.
They say you can carry 7 people but they don't tell you 3 of those people better be small kids and it would be best if 5 of them were kids. The back seats are small. The center seats do not fold flat so you lose rear cargo space.
My cousin bought a Vensa hybrid and she gets better mileage, around 40 MPG.
Toyotas have an App that will connect your phone to your car. You can not unlock the doors with a remote, you have to use your phone. It also has navigation assistance, and navigation real time update. All free for the first year. Then if you want to remotely unlock the doors you have to pay $4 per month, navigation assistance is $8 a month and real time navigation updates are another $8 a month.
The voice command button to make calls or program the navigation work well unless you have a USB thumb drive installed then it does NOT work. I had to figure that out myself because the dealer couldn't. I took it in 5 times for them to try to correct the problem.
Also the rear seat shakes and makes a noise and the dealer told my wife "yea they do that some times". $50,000 and they do that sometimes is Not acceptable but they still have not fixed that.
The lane control and corner centering drove me nuts till I figured out how to turn them off. Plus they don't work all that well so I keep them turned off.
All that said I would not buy another one. It's a nice looking vehicle and drives well but the aggravation with the small things and the gas mileage would make me look elsewhere.

Thanks, that's exactly the kind of thing I'd want to know. I want it for a long distance travel vehicle for no more than 4 adults. The rear row of seats would be laid down all the time. If it would get 30mpg on the interstate going 75 mph, I would be happy. Of course once you get west of Omaha and Kansas city, if you're going 75 you'll get run over so 80 to 85 is more realistic.

My Tacoma has the app too. There's a really easy fix for that - don't use it. I ignore it and open my doors with the fob like any other car.

 

[backlash]

You also have to use the app to remote start the car.
Remote start is nice when it's either 100° or 20°.

 

[rice paddy daddy]

When I worked for Advance Auto Parts, we got in a replacement battery for a Prius.
It was about the size of the back seat.
Wholesale cost was $2,200. I have no idea what installation would cost.
Something to think about.

 

[Spikedriver]

When I worked for Advance Auto Parts, we got in a replacement battery for a Prius.
It was about the size of the back seat.
Wholesale cost was $2,200. I have no idea what installation would cost.
Something to think about.

Toyota hybrid batteries have a great reputation for outlasting the 10 year warranty, but that's something that's on my mind. As I understand it, there are places that recondition hybrid batteries for less that half the cost of OEM replacement. I expect the vehicle to be worn out in 10 years so I'm not that concerned, but it's something to keep in mind for sure...

 

[TeeJ]

I've got an '06 Prius

I'm looking at buying a hybrid SUV. I got to figuring up the miles I drive, and over the last 6 years I've been averaging 28,000 miles a year. The only reason it's that low is because I spend a significant part of the winter flying to the southwest for work instead of driving 300 to 1000 miles.

Any of you have a hybrid? What's your experience been, good or bad? How was the reliability and longevity of the vehicle? I'm specifically looking at a Toyota Highlander or Rav4, all wheel drive.

I've got an '06 Prius I bought about 3 years ago. Put about 50K miles on it, taking it from 225k to 275K miles. Not the SUVs you mentioned, but I've learned a lot about hybrids with it. What I've learned:

• They don't do great on mountain driving. Once the battery is expended on the uphills I'm stuck going 45 or slower or the darn thing overheats. Not ideal for long trips...
• The maintenance is lower - brake pads seem to last longer, smaller engine means less oil, etc.
• The 12v (regular) battery can be a PITA. Because of the way they are hooked up electronically you can't jump start someone else, and jumping or charging the battery is problematic.
• There are apps you can use with a Bluetooth code reader to evaluate the traction battery health if buying used. I found a couple of real lemons before finding my diamond in the rough with a 1 year old refurbished battery pack.

Hope that helps!

 

[joel]

I'm looking at buying a hybrid SUV. I got to figuring up the miles I drive, and over the last 6 years I've been averaging 28,000 miles a year. The only reason it's that low is because I spend a significant part of the winter flying to the southwest for work instead of driving 300 to 1000 miles.

Any of you have a hybrid? What's your experience been, good or bad? How was the reliability and longevity of the vehicle? I'm specifically looking at a Toyota Highlander or Rav4, all wheel drive.

The people in the know say flex/hybrid vehicles are best for saving energy.

 

[TeeJ]

Talked to a coworker who's wife drives a hybrid RAV-4. They absolutely love it, and haven't seen any of the issues climbing hills I've experienced with my gen 2 Prius. He said they literally have nothing bad to say about it, except they had to pay full sticker price to get it, and the color they wanted wasn't available