Auris Diesel Vs Hybrid

[acb]

Hi,

I am considering replacing my existing Auris with the 2013 model. My current Auris is a 2Lt Diesel.

I spend about 1 month a year driving overland. The remaining 11 months are within town environments (I come from Malta - one big town).

Fuel economy is the most important consideration.

The Toyota official publication states that the Hybrid is more fuel efficient but online I seem to read that the figures quoted by Toyota for their hybrid model are immensely exaggerated.

I would appreciate comments from people who have the Hybrid and the Diesel models vis-a-vis fuel economy.

[FROSTYBALLS]

The only fuel consumption figures that car manufacturers are legally allowed to quote in advertising, etc are the official EU fuel consumption testing figures - http://www.dft.gov.uk/vca/fcb/the-fuel-consumption-testing-scheme.asp'
These are obtained under laboratory conditions and do not relate well to 'real world' fuel consumption - ie the actual mpg that owners can expect to achieve.

If you want to get an idea of what mpg owners are getting have a look at http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg/ or http://www.whatcar.com/truempg/

[Cyker]

It's a bit tricky;

Hybrid's strength is in town-driving where there is some starting and stopping.

Diesel's do better for long distance constant speed driving.

To be honest, the cost of changing cars would take considerably longer to recoup vs what you'd save day to day so unless you have a reason to change, I don't think it's worth it...

[Aceshigh84]

I'm getting 62-63mpg onboard reading out of my hybrid, fuelly was saying about 58mpg until I short filled the tank last time and my mpg plummeted to 21mpg.

I test drove the 1.4 diesel before buying the hybrid, I only managed 55mpg onboard reading out of that over the same journeys I made when I test drove the hybrid. Those journeys were driving around town and my normal 70 mile round trip to work, 40 miles of which are on a dual carriageway at 70mph.

The reports you have read about people not getting anywhere near Toyota's figures for the hybrid are probably because they are driving it like a "normal" petrol - harsh acceleration to get the car up to speed & harsh braking because they can't read the road ahead.

The hybrid does require a slightly different driving style, you have to be more aware of what is happening and plan ahead, but it pays dividends in that it is an easier drive with a lot less stress behind the wheel.

Do the savings in mpg outweigh the extra cost of the hybrid? Probably not for most people, but I calculated that for me it would break even based on lower insurance, fuel & servicing costs. Plus I enjoy the geek factor and wanted a car with all the toys.

[acb]

Thank you for all your input. I've had 3 Diesels Toyotas (this would be my 4th) so unless by "stress behind the wheel" you mean the the inconvenience of Diesel (slow to gain momentum as compared to petrol, etc) than that is something I can live with.

I'll check the links you posted. This is the article that got me thinking about the efficiency of the hybrid: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/toyota/auris/62262/toyota-auris-hybrid. The article states that "although the diesel version may be a better choice for some.". Am I one of those some? They quote a Test economy of 41.8mpg.

Someone told that that the problem with all Eco5 Diesels is that unless you drive the vehicle at more than 60km/h for at least 15 minutes the filter will not be cleared and one would have to take it to the garage to perform an "active discharge". Can anyone please elaborate on this? Living in Malta, there is absolutely no place one can do a constant 60km/hr for 15 minutes. Even though I go overland a number of times between April and October, for the other 6 months I am on the island.

Thanks.

[Cyker]

All 'modern' diesels have something called a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) which will slowly clog up with soot; In order to clear it out to avoid blocking up the exhaust, the car needs to be driven at higher RPM (Not necessarily high speed!) for a while now and then to heat up the exhaust enough to burn off the soot (The system may also inject some diesel into the exhaust to help this along).

This is called a DPF regeneration cycle.

If you haven't had any issues thus far, I wouldn't worry too much as your current Auris will almost certainly already have such a thing!

<rant>

This is one of the nicer things about Petrols and Hybrids, as diesel has been shafted by emissions legislations, making them put on silly devices like EGR and DPF which make the car less efficient, use more fuel and have more problems, but slightly reduce the emissions (Or, in the case of the EGR, make all the emissions worse except for NOx's!)!

But I love the torque and from my diesel Yaris and would find it hard to give up! Petrol engines just feel so gutless in comparison, and even the Hybrids have been tuned for efficiency so they don't have that torquey surge you get from a turbo diesel if you put the foot down (A little disappointing since electric motors have spades of torque, even from a standstill!)

[Aceshigh84]

By stress behind the wheel, I meant that driving a Hybrid is - to me anyway - a bit more relaxed, I just let everyone else do their own thing, if they want to speed so be it, I will just enjoy gently accelerating to speed and then gently braking to a stop. You find have more time to react to things, and so you don't burn as much fuel by, for instance, needlessly accelerating towards stopped traffic.

You can of course apply the same driving technique to a petrol and a diesel, but with them it is just too easy to revert back to boy racer mode.

[Uncle Buck]

Thank you for all your input. I've had 3 Diesels Toyotas (this would be my 4th) so unless by "stress behind the wheel" you mean the the inconvenience of Diesel (slow to gain momentum as compared to petrol, etc) than that is something I can live with.

I'll check the links you posted. This is the article that got me thinking about the efficiency of the hybrid: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/toyota/auris/62262/toyota-auris-hybrid. The article states that "although the diesel version may be a better choice for some.". Am I one of those some? They quote a Test economy of 41.8mpg.

Someone told that that the problem with all Eco5 Diesels is that unless you drive the vehicle at more than 60km/h for at least 15 minutes the filter will not be cleared and one would have to take it to the garage to perform an "active discharge". Can anyone please elaborate on this? Living in Malta, there is absolutely no place one can do a constant 60km/hr for 15 minutes. Even though I go overland a number of times between April and October, for the other 6 months I am on the island.

Thanks.

To me this is a no-brainer. For the kind of driving you'll be doing & in that sort of environment, then the hybrid is the obvious choice. You don't have to worry about the DPF & the hybrid is much better suited to low-speed stop/start driving. But of course, the choice is yours ....... :)

[trackrat]

I have just purchased a 2013 Auris 1.4D, it now has 258 miles on the clock.

In town driving I am getting around 45 MPG and on the motorway it has climbed up to 68 MPG.

For an engine that is nowhere near run in yet, I consider these excellent figures, the only thing I miss with the diesel is cruise control, but as I only do long journeys about 6 times a year I can live without that.

[acb]

I have just purchased a 2013 Auris 1.4D, it now has 258 miles on the clock.

In town driving I am getting around 45 MPG and on the motorway it has climbed up to 68 MPG.

For an engine that is nowhere near run in yet, I consider these excellent figures, the only thing I miss with the diesel is cruise control, but as I only do long journeys about 6 times a year I can live without that.

I know your car is new but is the vehicle powerful? All my previous Toyota (including my current Auris) is 2Lt and I still find it hard to understand how technology has advanced so much that the performance from today's 1.4Lt is equivalent to the 2Lt of 5 years ago. Overland I tend to drive through mountainous areas were curves and steep inclines are common. My 2 Lt D4D has never let me down; will the 1.4Lt be up to the job?

[trackrat]

I cannot answer that question, the gearing of 5th and 6th gears are very high, so if you do a lot of mountainous terrian, you would probably only use up to fourth gear.

The other day i went up a 1 in 5 hill and had to drop down to fourth gear but that had ample pull to get up the one mile hill, whereas 5th gear would not do it.

[FROSTYBALLS]

I presume from Toyota's viewpoint that the Hybrid will effectively be the replacement for the 2 litre diesel - certainly until 2014 if not beyond. In 2014 BMW will be supplying 1.6 and 2.0 litre diesel engines to Toyota for the European market - as to whether these find their way into the Auris is open to question.

The 90bhp 1.4 diesel is the same as used in the first generation Auris - so is about 36bhp down on the 2.0 litre.

[Uncle Buck]

The 1.4 isn't even close to the old 2 litre engine - it has more power & torque, making for much easier overtaking.

[acb]

The 1.4 isn't even close to the old 2 litre engine - it has more power & torque, making for much easier overtaking.

You mean it (1.4 lt) is better?

[FROSTYBALLS]

No. The 1.4 has 66% of the power of the 2.0 (90bhp as opposed to 126bhp) and less torque ('less pull' - 151lbft as opposed to 200lbft).

[Cyker]

The 1.4D4D in the Auris is a good engine; It will do the job and get better mpg, but it will feel really underpowered coming from the 2.0D4D (I imagine the experience is similar to me going from my 1.4D4D Yaris to this 1.0 petrol 107!! ).

Whenever I get to hoon about in my brother's 2.0D4D Corolla I get slightly Clarkson (POWAAAAAH! ) because it has such ridiculous torque. :D

Y'know what, stuff changing cars; keep the 2.0! You'll save money and have more fun! :D

[Uncle Buck]

No. The 1.4 has 66% of the power of the 2.0 (90bhp as opposed to 126bhp) and less torque ('less pull' - 151lbft as opposed to 200lbft).

Exactly Mike - thank you