Is the PHEV the right car for me?

[Tweeds]

I'm about to order a company car through a 'green' lease scheme. I was going to go for a Passat estate, but I can get a GX4hs for about £30 a month less.

My daily drive to/from work is 32 miles. Charging at home won't be easy as I don't have off road parking, so would only be able to do it if there was a space outside my house, but there are a couple of free charging points 5 minutes walk from work, and near the leisure centre where my sons train 3 times a week.

I've always wanted a SUV as it suits our active lifestyle (sailing, windsurfing, towing a rib) but the cost has always been too high, so rather than being driven by saving money I'm coming more from a position of not wanting to spend too much (if that makes any sense).

I currently drive an Octavia, that rarely returns more than 40 mpg, even though I don't drive with a heavy foot, so from what I've read on here a PHEV that isn't charged every day will not be dissimilar. My other option, the Passat, would return around 60mpg, but diesel costs a little more than petrol so I'm thinking that if I charged a couple of times a week there would probably be no financial penalty in having the phev.

Finally, I have 2 teenage sons one of whom is over 6 foot and the other is rapidly catching him. Will they be able to fit in the back without complaining about a lack of space?

I have a 3 day test drive booked for mid January, so would appreciate any thoughts so I can make sure I check out the critical stuff.

Cheers

 

[Ozukus]

I'm 6'1" and find the seating very acceptable front and back.

Your best input to your decision making process will be the 3 day test drive in mid January however make sure they are supplying it with a Ecotricity and Source London charge card as otherwise you are going to find that you will have no way to test it in EV mode.

Noticed your other post so if you can use public charging stations as a way to give you both home and office based charging options then you would probably find this easily giving you the 60mpg that the passat option would give you.

 

[DavidWolfy]

If it's a company car, yes and yes again. The tax will be significantly less than the Passat. I'm changing from a similar car as the Passat and am saving around £100 pcm.

 

[Lyra252]

Hi

Using Ecotricty on the motorways and driving sensibly (not over the limit) high 40s mid 50 mpg is easily achievable.

Are the charging stations near you high or low capacity? If they are low you will probably need a cable to connect, and over 5 hours for a full charge. If not 20-30 mins should do, but bear in mind, you would probably have to remove and park to allow others access.

I tow a heavy dive boat without any problem

Towing your rib, will be no worse than a diesel, 25ish mpg. Pulling up the slip, no problem, battery only.

I have done a lot of motorway work and average since new is 60mpg. Highest 146, lowest (with boat) 25.

Hope this helps.

All the best.

Chris

 

[maby]

With that pattern of usage, you are not going to see the full potential fuel efficiency of the car. Is your trip 32 miles each way, or is it the round trip? Either way, if you can't recharge at home, much, if not all, of your morning trip will be done on petrol. Even so, the BIK saving it will give you as a company car probably justifies it. If you never charge it at all, you should get around 35 mpg or better provided yiu are not a boy racer - the more charging you can do, the better that will get.

 

[maby]

p.s. I'm just about 6' and initially found the headroom in the rear seat a bit low. But then I realised that the dealer had delivered the car with the rear seat back completely vertical - I reclined it slightly and I have plenty of space. It's not the reclining strictly speaking that is responsible - there is a bulge in the head lining where the sunroof retracts and my head was brushing that - reclining the seat a little has the effect of moving you backwards a few inches and you no longer touch that bulge.

 

[sawman]

Tweeds,

did you go with the phev in the end, and if so how is it panning out. My commute is similar to yours, but I can at least charge at home each night.
it would be interesting to see how you are getting on

 

[Tweeds]

Got it on Wednesday. A beautiful gx4hs in Atlantic grey.

I absolutely love it!!

I've charged at work twice (for free), and from the data the screen is giving me I'm averaging about 65 mpg so far, but two days in its probably not that reliable a figure.

Certainly,charging at home would make things easier, as this weekend I've not been able to charge whilst doing a lot of little journeys. Waitrose in Chichester will be my saviour tomorrow!

Even without daily charging, it is much more economical than my Octavia, and it is a dream to drive.

Next weekend I'm off to Cornwall with a windsurfer on the roof so we'll see how economical it is then!

 

[jaapv]

Charging overnight, possibly?

 

[Titan]

Waitrose in Chichester will be my saviour !

You'd better not be using it whenever I turn up!!

 

[Tweeds]

Waitrose in Chichester will be my saviour !

You'd better not be using it whenever I turn up!!

The only time I've ever seen it in use was me during my test drive!