Great review on YouTube

[marlinleg]

 

[marlinleg]

It’s in English 

[PeteB]

Seems like USA, Germany gets things like Digital Rear-view Mirror and Wireless phone charger (which my Prius has), but we (UK) don't and can't even pay extra for them!

The guy in the video doesn't seem impressed by the camera, but it will be great when tall people or lots of luggage blocks the mirror view.

[marlinleg]

Yes Car Manufacturing . Just read of car review Volvo CX40 I think 38k and no folding mirrors . Like I said in another post Honda CR-V Hybrid no spare wheel as the battery’s take up the room , I told the salesman after my test drive in the Honda that having no spare  Wheel was ruling the Honda out he said “ I can get a spare wheel put in the boot 😳) it beggars belief . Anyway for me its the RAV4 .

roll on June 

[PeteB]

I favour the RAV4 over the CR-V in most respects, plus I've got such a good relationship with my Toyota dealer - been with them since 2002 - so I'd like to stay with them if I can.

I also absolutely won't go without a spare wheel, but during my test drive I was constantly missing the Heads Up Display (HUD) (as I did when I tested a BMW 13 EV).  Whilst the fact that the RAV4 speedo can at least be switched to analogue or digital, so whichever people prefer they should be happy, it's more of a chore to keep looking down through the steering wheel, rather than the nice, high, bold central screens of the Prius dash.

The whole reason some cars (pre 2012 Yaris, Prius, some Hondas, Renaults, Citroens for example) started coming with a central speedo and HUDs, further away from the driver's eyes, was that refocusing takes progressively more eye-muscle power the closer they have to focus.  On a longer journey, this adds up and it's supposed to have been clinically demonstrated that the more distant speedos and HUDs significantly reduce fatigue and eyestrain.  I forget the figures, but to bring the focus from inifinty to 1½ feet away take something like 3-4 times as much energy as 3 feet away, HUDs better still.  HUDs also mean you can monitor speedo without losing vision of the road ahead (and the Prius optionally shows the Hybrid System Indicator (energy graph) and traction Battery charge as well).

Since I started to get keen on the RAV I've been trying to drive the Prius with the HUD switched off to see how easily I can adapt, but I usually cave in within 10 minutes and turn it back on!

The only reason I'm looking to change the Prius is that whilst it was one of the top 5 most aerodynamically 'clean' productions cars available (at launch, anyway), and in most respects it's the best car I've ever driven, one snag I didn't see coming was that as it's so low to the ground my hips have started playing up and it's painful getting in and out.  I don't know, but it may even be the lowness of the car that brought it on in the first place, as it only started a year after I got the car.

[Konrad C]

16 minutes ago, marlinleg said:

Yes Car Manufacturing . Just read of car review Volvo CX40 I think 38k and no folding mirrors . Like I said in another post Honda CR-V Hybrid no spare wheel as the battery’s take up the room , I told the salesman after my test drive in the Honda that having no spare  Wheel was ruling the Honda out he said “ I can get a spare wheel put in the boot 😳) it beggars belief . Anyway for me its the RAV4 .

roll on June 

Spare wheel even a space saver is a must! I know two people who had tear punctures, where the puncture repair kit was of no use. One had to call out tyre replacement service, well over an hour plus wait, the other had to get a friend who he was visiting to take him and wheel to a tyre place. I had puncture and changed the wheel in just over 10 minutes. 
Honda need to package their cars better. Even the Yaris Hybrid has a spare. 

[Konrad C]

8 minutes ago, PeteB said:

I favour the RAV4 over the CR-V in most respects, plus I've got such a good relationship with my Toyota dealer - been with them since 2002 - so I'd like to stay with them if I can.

I also absolutely won't go without a spare wheel, but during my test drive I was constantly missing the Heads Up Display (HUD) (as I did when I tested a BMW 13 EV).  Whilst the fact that the RAV4 speedo can at least be switched to analogue or digital, so whichever people prefer they should be happy, it's more of a chore to keep looking down through the steering wheel, rather than the nice, high, bold central screens of the Prius dash.

The whole reason some cars (pre 2012 Yaris, Prius, some Hondas, Renaults, Citroens for example) started coming with a central speedo and HUDs, further away from the driver's eyes, was that refocusing takes progressively more eye-muscle power the closer they have to focus.  On a longer journey, this adds up and it's supposed to have been clinically demonstrated that the more distant speedos and HUDs significantly reduce fatigue and eyestrain.  I forget the figures, but to bring the focus from inifinty to 1½ feet away take something like 3-4 times as much energy as 3 feet away, HUDs better still.  HUDs also mean you can monitor speedo without losing vision of the road ahead (and the Prius optionally shows the Hybrid System Indicator (energy graph) and traction battery charge as well).

Since I started to get keen on the RAV I've been trying to drive the Prius with the HUD switched off to see how easily I can adapt, but I usually cave in within 10 minutes and turn it back on!

The only reason I'm looking to change the Prius is that whilst it was one of the top 5 most aerodynamically 'clean' productions cars available (at launch, anyway), and in most respects it's the best car I've ever driven, one snag I didn't see coming was that as it's so low to the ground my hips have started playing up and it's painful getting in and out.  I don't know, but it may even be the lowness of the car that brought it on in the first place, as it only started a year after I got the car.

Pete seeing your profile, I wonder what you think about this video about the Yaris and the term 'self charging hybrid' which the reviewers and others hate - 

 

[marlinleg]

PeteB yes that’s my problem getting in and out of the car . With the RAV4 it’s not going to be a problem . Ref looking at the speedo , it may seem strange to you but my last 2 cars had Adaptive Cruise control in a word Brilliant whenever I get in the car I press to activate the cruise, the car will hold the speed and moniter the distance from the car in front down to stopping then following the car in front once it moves . I passed my Institute of Advanced Mottoring  test last year , I got a First  and I used Adptive Cruise Control for most of the test. Believe me it’s second nature now . When I test drove the RAV4 it has it on . We were coming into a 30mph area and the RAV4 slowed, the salesman said it has Road Sign Assisted once again excellent . BUT ALWAYS REMMBER THEY ARE AN AIDE 

 

[marlinleg]

O thank you for James and Kate video hybrid self charging I will watch it later I am looking forward to it 

ANY MORE VIDESOS PLEASE ON TOYOTA HYBRYID DRIVING  I am 71 this month never to old to learn 

[PeteB]

59 minutes ago, Konrad C said:

Pete seeing your profile, I wonder what you think about this video about the Yaris and the term 'self charging hybrid' which the reviewers and others hate - 

I don't have a problem with the term myself, I suspect (but don't know for sure) the term came into use with the intention of avoiding confusion with Plug-in Hybrids, Range-Extending EVs and pure EVs.

Her comments about a bigger Battery - I suspect trying to shoehorn the existing one into a small car is why it has a smaller petrol tank than the non-hybrid Yaris, and Yaris models since the Hybrid became available lost the sliding rear seat and load of headroom.  The lady's quite petite, I find the front fine, but the rear I find it hard to get in because of the low roof, and when I do have to sit with my head tilted at 45 degrees!  I used to have a 2011 Yaris, and with the rear seat slid back, 4 adults my size could sit very comfortable with plenty of headroom all round.

BTW 'B' mode causes lots of confusion - it's a just given extra control on steep hills - while using it, less energy goes into the traction Battery because the pumping losses in the engine are doing some of the work to slow the car, instead of the motor/generator doing it all.

Looking at the discussion it provoked on YouTube, discussions on Hybrids always seems to get some people's feelings running high.  I tend to keep out of these, because there will be no winners.

Personally, I'd love an EV, and did look seriously at the Tesla Model S before getting my current Prius - the spec I liked (4WD, largest Battery, Air suspension) would have cost over £75 after the £5k grant available at the time.  What killed my enthusiasm was:

• no spare wheel - I though I could get one and keep it in the 'Frunk' (front trunk), but with the 4WD's extra motor in the front, the Frunk is too small.
• No Heads Up DIsplay - I'd already long since found this near the top of my "absolutely must have" list
• No rear wiper (even on the Model X SUV! (ditto on my list)
• 300 miles range wasn't realistic if cruising above 55 mph, using heat or a/c etc.
• One or two days a month I'd need access to a very rapid charger - I could find none East on the A1, which I where I do most of my long distances.  If I went to Hull, I might have to find a domestic socket, and would need 20-30 hours charging time!  This will improve as more chargers become available.

I'd have loved a plug-in Prius.  The first one only did 9-13 miles on a charge, but this would have worked fine for me most days.  But no spare wheel.  New Plug-in does 30 ish miles EV, but still no wheel, even less boot, no rear wiper due to double curved screen and only 2 rear seats.

At least on my Gen 4 Prius, in a couple of minutes I can squeeze about £45 worth of unleaded into it if the run it almost dry, then do over 600 miles before thinking about filling up again!

[PeteB]

39 minutes ago, marlinleg said:

... my last 2 cars had Adaptive Cruise control in a word Brilliant ...

yes, it's something I really love too.  All my Prius since 2002 had ordinary cruise, and my Gen 4 Prius that I got almost 3 years ago has adaptive.  I use it a lot, and was delighted to see on the new RAV4 the set speed can be as low as 18 mph (have you seen my review?) - I put a link on here:

I do a test every 3 years with RoSPA, the examiners prefer one not to use CC during the test, other than maybe briefly to demonstrate you can use it sensibly.