Test drove the new Phev. My impressions.

[Trex]

Hi,

Have a few minutes to write this as I have "smoko" at work.

Got to drive the new 2018 PHEV LS which is the base model here.

Impressions compared to my early 2014 build PHEV before I forget.

Ev Priority mode. Ok I love this. Far easier IMO to get max power from the battery without starting the petrol motor. Probably similar to the aftermarket PHEV box.

New MMCS. Appears far easier to integrate you phone with it for apple play and android use. No GPS maps built in as far I can see. You use your phone I think.

Electric handbrake with hill hold function.

Now has rapid charge port.

Put a deposit on a Exceed model coming into country in about a month.

Selling the Toyota Camry Hybrid I own, so will have 2 Outlander PHEVs.

Got to go.

Regards Trex.

Ps Ask questions If you have any and I will try to remember when I come back.

 

[jaapv]

Driving a similar one right now (loaner, as the trusty one is having some scratches done up) A great drawback is the lack of electric heating. If you run it on the EV button, it is unable to maintain a decent interior temperature, if you run it in standard mode, it runs more on petrol than on electricity.
It is smoother than my 2013 model, but the 16 wheels and Geolander tyres make it a bit more nervous on the straight on the motorway. I can not say that the alleged faster 0-60 time translates in more agile driving.
The new MMCS is a vast improvement and integrates perfectly with my iPhone.
The new "luxury" interior doesn't really impress me. Glitzy chrome edges everywhere, fake plastic "wood" panels, fake "stitching" on the steering wheel boss and instrument hood, etc. A bit kitschy, albeit a bit cleaned up, less open cubbyholes, etc..

 

[Trex]

Driving a similar one right now (loaner, as the trusty one is having some scratches done up) A great drawback is the lack of electric heating. If you run it on the EV button, it is unable to maintain a decent interior temperature, if you run it in standard mode, it runs more on petrol than on electricity.
It is smoother than my 2013 model, but the 16 wheels and Geolander tyres make it a bit more nervous on the straight on the motorway. I can not say that the alleged faster 0-60 time translates in more agile driving.
The new MMCS is a vast improvement and integrates perfectly with my iPhone.
The new "luxury" interior doesn't really impress me. Glitzy chrome edges everywhere, fake plastic "wood" panels, fake "stitching" on the steering wheel boss and instrument hood, etc. A bit kitschy, albeit a bit cleaned up, less open cubbyholes, etc..

Hi jaapv,

Do they still make a model with the electric heater over there?

This base model here still had 18" rims.

The interior looked pretty good to my eye but could be different to what is shipped there.

I just hope to get to drive my new one sometimes as the wife and the sons keep borrowing the PHEV so I hardly get to drive it. :roll:

Regards Trex.

 

[Trades46]

Trex you are crazy :lol: I cannot imagine a family having two of the same vehicles, but if you like the Outlander PHEV that much...I personally would wait as 2018 seems to be the year of EV - lots of great electrics coming down the pipeline (and I'm not even looking at 'that car' as I have zero interest in a car with no driver dashboard). However there is no denying the PHEV is a great vehicle - my father loves it as much as I do.

I heard that the 2017+ PHEV have had their electric motors revised to generate much more torque than the early pre-facelift 2014~15 models. Can you tell if that is true?

I'm a bit of a masochist - to maximize range I don't use the heater until it falls below -10deg celsius, and by then the gas engine would almost always fire.

 

[jaapv]

Driving a similar one right now (loaner, as the trusty one is having some scratches done up) A great drawback is the lack of electric heating. If you run it on the EV button, it is unable to maintain a decent interior temperature, if you run it in standard mode, it runs more on petrol than on electricity.
It is smoother than my 2013 model, but the 16 wheels and Geolander tyres make it a bit more nervous on the straight on the motorway. I can not say that the alleged faster 0-60 time translates in more agile driving.
The new MMCS is a vast improvement and integrates perfectly with my iPhone.
The new "luxury" interior doesn't really impress me. Glitzy chrome edges everywhere, fake plastic "wood" panels, fake "stitching" on the steering wheel boss and instrument hood, etc. A bit kitschy, albeit a bit cleaned up, less open cubbyholes, etc..

Hi jaapv,

Do they still make a model with the electric heater over there?

This base model here still had 18" rims.

The interior looked pretty good to my eye but could be different to what is shipped there.

I just hope to get to drive my new one sometimes as the wife and the sons keep borrowing the PHEV so I hardly get to drive it. :roll:

Regards Trex.

Yes, the higher models have an electric heater, heated seats, heated steering wheel and windscreen. i agree about the MMCS, a vast improvement, although probably at its best linked with iOS.

 

[Trex]

Trex you are crazy :lol:

:lol: :lol:

Hi Trades46,

Yep, been called that before by my wife and sons when I bought the PHEV (and when I bought the Toyota Prius before that), but now I cannot get them out of it (same with the Prius). I hardly ever get or got to drive the bloody things. :roll: :lol:

But before people say let them drive their own car etc the PHEV is our best and safest car so letting them borrow it especially on longer trips I feel more secure.

Both sons are under 25 and are at probably the worst time in their lives risk wise for having a serious accident in a car. I have done a lot of the training of them myself to hopefully mitigate that risk including building them a buggy when they were little kids. Both sons work in my business (engineering) and love the PHEV now. My wife loves the PHEV as well now also, so the PHEV is under constant demand from them. I am just glad they do not call me crazy any more. I like to think of myself as a trend setter. :lol:

The Toyota Camry Hybrid I am selling is getting on and as we use these cars in my business mainly I need reliability etc. The Camry is still reliable (touch wood) but it is time for it to be moved on. A private owner may get many years more service but I cannot afford the risk. The new PHEV will be a good fit for us if it any thing like the old one ie reliable and cheap to run.

However there is no denying the PHEV is a great vehicle - my father loves it as much as I do.

Yes I totally agree with it being a great vehicle. Not too big, not too small IMO and all that technology hidden away looking just like another Outlander. My father would have loved it as well but I lost him just before I got the PHEV but he saw the Prius I owned and thought the hybrid principle was a great idea.

I heard that the 2017+ PHEV have had their electric motors revised to generate much more torque than the early pre-facelift 2014~15 models. Can you tell if that is true?

I will have more to say on this later.

Regards Trex.

 

[Trex]

Driving a similar one right now (loaner, as the trusty one is having some scratches done up) A great drawback is the lack of electric heating. If you run it on the EV button, it is unable to maintain a decent interior temperature, if you run it in standard mode, it runs more on petrol than on electricity.
It is smoother than my 2013 model, but the 16 wheels and Geolander tyres make it a bit more nervous on the straight on the motorway. I can not say that the alleged faster 0-60 time translates in more agile driving.
The new MMCS is a vast improvement and integrates perfectly with my iPhone.
The new "luxury" interior doesn't really impress me. Glitzy chrome edges everywhere, fake plastic "wood" panels, fake "stitching" on the steering wheel boss and instrument hood, etc. A bit kitschy, albeit a bit cleaned up, less open cubbyholes, etc..

Hi jaapv,

Do they still make a model with the electric heater over there?

This base model here still had 18" rims.

The interior looked pretty good to my eye but could be different to what is shipped there.

I just hope to get to drive my new one sometimes as the wife and the sons keep borrowing the PHEV so I hardly get to drive it. :roll:

Regards Trex.

Yes, the higher models have an electric heater, heated seats, heated steering wheel and windscreen. i agree about the MMCS, a vast improvement, although probably at its best linked with iOS.

So no excuses then. So jaapv, when are you going to upgrade?

That interior will grow on you after awhile I would think.

Go on, you know you want too.

Regards Trex.

 

[jaapv]

I'm driving this one until it (or I) falls to pieces. No signs of either yet

 

[mrqz]

Thanks for providing some insight to the latest model.

Electric handbrake with hill hold function.

My 2014 model obviously doesn't have the electric handbrake but I do have hill hold function - I wonder if its standard on 14 model PHEVs...
I'm envy for the electric handbrake nevertheless the PHEV's mechanical handbrake is by far the best I've ever got in any vehicle - it's virtually hassle-free (unlike others which tend to always get out of tune, not getting grip until the very last "click", etc.)
My mechanic also said the electric one is great - until it continues to function, that is. If you get stuck by it malfunctioning... then you can call the breakdown lorry and even then you'll have problems with pulling it up to the trailer.

Now has rapid charge port.

Can you elaborate on that a bit, please? A third socket or how should i imagine that?

 

[Regulo]

Hi, mrqz, I think the earlier Aussie models were not supplied with the "Chademo" port, as in the European ones.

 

[mrqz]

Hi, mrqz, I think the earlier Aussie models were not supplied with the "Chademo" port, as in the European ones.

Hello, yes that explained it, thank you!

 

[NightPHEVer]

I'm not a fan of weird handbrakes - I've been driving for 40 years and I've never once thought in that time "this car would be so much better with an electronic handbrake". Just another expensive gadget that only a dealer can fix with no doubt very expensive parts.

I remember driving various Mercedes Benz back in the 90s that had some sort of weird foot/handbrake. Couldn't see the purpose at all. My neighbour has just got a new Merc with a completely electronic handbrake. He thought it was the lever to open the bonnet! He had to look in the instruction book to find out how to use it. I think they're so strange that a lot of people just don't use them anymore - especially easy to do with an auto gearbox. I still have no desire for anything other than the central positioned, manual handbrake. I'm no Luddite though (smash the weird handrakes! - I'm not that old), I'm very happy with the PHEV 'no gears' auto gearbox.

I don't like the sound of any more bling - you'd have thought things would be moving more towards the BMWi3 style of interior these days. The Japanese still seem quite conventional when it comes to interior styling.

 

[user 1877]

I was no fan of electric handbrakes either. I had one on a Discovery 3. It didn’t work very well so I didn’t use it. The brake seized through lack of use and fixing it for the MoT cost a bit.

I now religiously use the PHEV electric handbrake and it is OK. But the PHEV also has an auto hold feature for stop start motoring in urban traffic. In my opinion that feature works brilliantly.