Park assist

[bluerav4]

Hopefully should be picking up my C-HR 1sg week of February.

what are your experiences with the park assist? I had a go with parallel parking on my test drive and found it really weird. I suppose you would get used to it after a few goes. Just be interested in your thoughts

 

[Jonmartin]

Parallel parking is weird, but after a few goes you do get less panicky. Reverse parking is, in my experience a bit random. My C-HR sometimes can’t seem to find spaces, or isn’t to accurate. You need to be VERY aware of what the car is doing. Can’t say I use either very often.

[PeteB]

It can work really well, and has got my Prius into (and out of) spaces I wouldn't have attempted to use.

BUT - it can mess up, and I'm glad my car's alloys are covered with a plastic wheel trim, because one of my early uses of it saw the front nearside wheel jammed against a very rough high kerb that looked like it mas wade of granite.  A new trim was £30, I suspect having the alloy refurbished would have been dearer and more inconvenient.

Since then I've made sure I'm let the car creep very slowly as it does the final straightening and am ready to stop quickly if it rapidly applies a lot of lock.  I must say it's quite are for it to mess up[ like that though.

Also, it seems to take some of it's position from the vehicles at either end of the space, and if they are very wide and/or parked a long way from the kerb, it will often leave you a long way out too.  I sometimes manoeuvre closer after the system has done its bit.

Great for impressing passengers who've not seen self-parking before though.

[bluerav4]

I picked the C-HR up yesterday will try it out over the weekend shopping trip. Seen a few videos and it looks easy but as you say just need to be careful

[PeteB]

I found it best to try it out the first few times by finding a quiet road with a few spaces.  If you're getting used to it with people waiting behind you, it can be tempting to feel under pressure and rush.  It quickly becomes second nature.

[bluerav4]

22 minutes ago, PeteB said:

I found it best to try it out the first few times by finding a quiet road with a few spaces.  If you're getting used to it with people waiting behind you, it can be tempting to feel under pressure and rush.  It quickly becomes second nature.

Hi

Thanks Pete I’ll do that. I really do like the car at the moment I’m struggling to keep it in electric mode as it thinks I’m heavy footed so need to practice more with that too. Is that something that you experienced too?

 

[PeteB]

Probably, but I bought my first hybrid in 2002 and have driven well over 300,000 miles in hybrids since, so it became second nature a long time ago.  I keep mine in ECO mode almost all the time, which helps.  But practice is the key.

[Jonmartin]

I think the models are different. My first hybrid was an Auris, easy to use electric up to 40 mph, after that mostly petrol. I now have a C-HR and that uses electricity much more, not difficult to drive over 40 mph on pure electric. It’s a case of almost learning to drive again, certainly maximising electric requires a bit of practice.

[bluerav4]

3 minutes ago, Jonmartin said:

I think the models are different. My first hybrid was an Auris, easy to use electric up to 40 mph, after that mostly petrol. I now have a C-HR and that uses electricity much more, not difficult to drive over 40 mph on pure electric. It’s a case of almost learning to drive again, certainly maximising electric requires a bit of practice.

What’s the best way to do it then? I’m trying to be as light footed as possible but then feel I’m driving slow as you always get someone on tailgating. I think practice should perfect it see how it goes. I’ll update in a week or so 

[PeteB]

2 minutes ago, Jonmartin said:

I think the models are different. My first hybrid was an Auris

They are - they have different generations of the Hybrid system.

The 3rd Generation Prius, Auris, Auris TS and Lexus CT Hybrids have what in the UK is considered as a third generation hybrid system using the 1.8 litre petrol engine.

The 4th Gen Prius and C-HR got an updated Hybrid system (4th Gen) based on the same 1.8 engine.  The first 3 generations would run on electric up to 42 mph (on the speedo), whereas 4th gen will go to 60 mph.  [That's not the same as EV Mode, which is selected by the EV button (1st gen Hybrids didn't have this) - this tries to force the car into electric only providing there is enough charge and the HV Battery temperature is within acceptable limits.  Gen 2 Prius could go to 30 mph in EV mode, 3rd Gen systems up to 24 when cold and 30 then warm, and 4th Gen 24 when cold and up to 40 when warm,]

[PeteB]

5 minutes ago, bluerav4 said:

What’s the best way to do it then? I’m trying to be as light footed as possible but then feel I’m driving slow as you always get someone on tailgating

That's right - you won't accelerate very quickly electrically without upsetting people behind.

Try using the HSI (Hybrid System Indicator) (but don't overdo it, best not to crash!) - while the needle is in the bottom half of the ECO zone it will stay electric only as long as the HV Battery has sufficient charge and you're not using the front screen defrost setting.

[bluerav4]

1 hour ago, PeteB said:

That's right - you won't accelerate very quickly electrically without upsetting people behind.

Try using the HSI (Hybrid System Indicator) (but don't overdo it, best not to crash!) - while the needle is in the bottom half of the ECO zone it will stay electric only as long as the HV battery has sufficient charge and you're not using the front screen defrost setting.

Thanks Pete really appreciate your advic e

[Chriss27]

Worked a treat each time on my Auris but did not use it very often

[bluerav4]

4 hours ago, Chriss27 said:

Worked a treat each time on my Auris but did not use it very often

Thanks Chris