PHEV - massive price drop...

[Saxacat]

Just checked the prices on my current leasing company's website, and the cheapest PHEV model is £180 more a month than I'm paying. I can't remember what the difference was when I was ordering my car in April, but its still well outside my budget 😞 

[Nick72]

1 hour ago, PeteB said:

Nothing is!  When I got my 2016 (4th Gen) Prius, I thought it would be the car I'd keep for the rest of my driving days (some hereditary heart probs mean I'll lose my licence at some point when the medics think I start to become a risk).

During the 4 months I waited for it I prayed (well, I would have done if I were religious!) I'd still be driving when it came.  Unfortunately, by the time I'd had it a year it's very low ride height (which helped get it's world-beating drag factor) was causing massive problems with my hips, getting in and out was agony, and doing it a way that minimised the pain put lots of extra strain on my hips, and knees, and back.  Before long I was popping nearly as many pain killers as all my other drugs!

It had to go.  Now I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I was instantly smitten with the Hybrid's driving style some third of a million miles ago.  I'd actually decided to find a suitable car that wasn't a Toyota but drove as nicely as the Prius.  I did lots of research, but I'm quite picky on the features I want, and ruled out cars with automated manual gearboxes, conventional engine one and and electric motor the other.

Eventually, I came back to the newly announced 5th Gen RAV4.  I didn't want to go back to old fashioned dials on the dash, I did insist on a spare wheel (being able to buy a full size spare and fit it in the boot was a big bonus).  The one key thing I didn't want to give up but didn't get was a Head Up Display.  The Honda CR-V was a close contender (it had a HUD and the newest Honda Hybrid system has been said by some reviewers to have overtaken the Toyota Hybrid System - it does have even fewer moving parts, but can do all the THS tricks), but when I found it had no spare wheel or space for one I didn't even take a test drive.

So RAV4 it was.  Another nearly 4 months' wait with bated breath, and now I just hope the day I hang up my car keys is a little way off.  At least my next vehicle will be an EV - mobility scooters tend to be!  And it will fit in my garage!

Well good luck Pete and wishing you all the best.

Sound logic to me.

Getting in my low then lowered more A class AMG Merc was hard work so I can sympathise albeit fingers crossed my hips are fine (except after doing a cancer charity 10 mile walk in the dark a few weeks ago). Think I'll drive it next time!

[Yugguy1970]

There's a lot of hate for SUVs for being high and large.  I used to be down on them for that but I've been thinking about it, the height anyway.

When we first started travelling we used horses.  Nice and high up.  Then we put carriages behind them.  Still nice and high up for visibility.

The car came along and the first ones of those were nice and high too.  Then we got obsessed with speed and handling and everything had to be built round a low centre of gravity.

But really, for driving and seeing hazards why would you NOT want to be high up?

My inlaws are in their 70s, he's got an artificial hip and a bad back.  They are getting a chr largely because they dont have to sit down into it.

[ernieb]

@Yugguy1970,

We’ve had SUV style cars for many years, step into rather than step down being a big positive. I’ve also enjoyed the higher seating position given a much better view of the road, over hedges and seeing around those tricky corners. Interestingly my son and daughter-in-law have recently moved to a car with a more SUV style saying that they felt as time has gone on the lower cars they’ve traditionally driven were seen by many drivers as a target to be cut up or overtaken rather than another road user. Since the change they have commented on the difference they have noticed?

[Yugguy1970]

I get other SUVs up my **** now.  Invariably Jag or Range Rover, trying to point out how much better they are than mine. 🤣

[Lawnmowerman]

2 hours ago, Flatcoat said:

Just bought one! Dynamic premium PHEV at the new price plus further discount….. not in a million years did I think I would buy a Toyota until a conversation with my manager who is on his 7th or 8th Toyota having just bought a 2wd hybrid on the 0% deal. It set me I had a Camry estate for a short while many years ago. 

Well done!

What did they quote on delivery times?

[PeteB]

45 minutes ago, Yugguy1970 said:

There's a lot of hate for SUVs for being high and large...

I never thought I'd have one, but I couldn't find anything that met most of my requirements and took away the pains the Prius was giving me.

Two other pensioner friends have recently bought their first ever SUVs for the same reason.

It does irritate me when Ministers and others !Removed! about the number of people buying SUVs but they seem oblivious to this reason that's driving some of the sales.

[ernieb]

3 hours ago, philip42h said:

It seems weird when the discounters are asking more than the Toyota website prices! 😉

(Note: I didn't check them all, and I only checked for the Design spec, but the best / lowest price I could find was on the Toyota website!)

It looks like the discounters have also been caught with their pants down, 😊

[ernieb]

3 hours ago, Flatcoat said:

Just bought one! Dynamic premium PHEV at the new price plus further discount….. not in a million years did I think I would buy a Toyota until a conversation with my manager who is on his 7th or 8th Toyota having just bought a 2wd hybrid on the 0% deal. It set me I had a Camry estate for a short while many years ago. 

Congratulations and welcome to the PHEV club sounds like you got a good deal.

[Yugguy1970]

The same ministers usually drive around in collosal V8 Jag XJs so they've got no room to lecture anyone else.

[AJones]

4 hours ago, PeteB said:

It does irritate me when Ministers and others !Removed! about the number of people buying SUVs but they seem oblivious to this reason that's driving some of the sales.

Well some of them believe in this global warming theory, they have these ideas that we should be trying to buy smaller and more efficient vehicles to reduce emissions and protect the planet for the next generation. SUV are bigger, heavier and generally less efficient than the alternatives, so more people buying them makes things worse rather than better.

[Flatcoat]

5 hours ago, Lawnmowerman said:

Well done!

What did they quote on delivery times?

This month or October subject to colour. 

[Broadway One]

20 hours ago, Catlover said:

Price drop surprising especially as the chip shortage is affecting production and likely too beyond 2022 from what I am reading.

Hi all.....UK dealers officially informed by Toyota at 1pm today.

Full marks to this forum for the early heads up yesterday.

All new & respective car orders are being honoured with the new lower price.

Apparently the chip stockpile is responsible for 500 RAV PHEV's landing in the UK.

The manufacturer is adverse to a UK stockpile of new RAV's.

Hence the distribution across the dealer network at the new discounted OTR price.

Barry Wright Lancashire.

 

   

 

 

[Nick72]

7 hours ago, Yugguy1970 said:

I get other SUVs up my **** now.  Invariably Jag or Range Rover, trying to point out how much better they are than mine. 🤣

Funny you should say that. Twice today. BMW x3 and a range rover. I stayed in eco ev mode. Lol

[Rav Rob]

1 hour ago, Nick72 said:

Funny you should say that. Twice today. BMW x3 and a range rover. I stayed in eco ev mode. Lol

keep going, you will lose them eventually as they will run out of fuel long before the frugal Rav does.. lol

[ernieb]

9 hours ago, Nick72 said:

Funny you should say that. Twice today. BMW x3 and a range rover. I stayed in eco ev mode. Lol

My wife dose not usually get involved when I'm driving but a few days ago some guy in an regular Audi came up alongside, looked over and started the rev, rev sequence, she turned to me and calmly said 'see him off, put your foot down", needless to say I did not and like you continued in ECO mode. I then drifted past him as he hit a rather step hill and seemed not to have figured out which gear he should have been in, so funny at the time.

[Nick72]

13 hours ago, ernieb said:

My wife dose not usually get involved when I'm driving but a few days ago some guy in an regular Audi came up alongside, looked over and started the rev, rev sequence, she turned to me and calmly said 'see him off, put your foot down", needless to say I did not and like you continued in ECO mode. I then drifted past him as he hit a rather step hill and seemed not to have figured out which gear he should have been in, so funny at the time.

Good to hear it Ernie.

Although whether I'll be so reserved all the time after I put 600 miles on the clock is another matter. 

[Andy427]

Hi, just ordered a PHEV Dynamic Premium, can anyone tell me if it has the 360 PVM camera system as i cant find anything online to say yes. standard non PHEV with JBL has the 360 camera 

 

Thanks in advance

[PeteB]

9 minutes ago, Andy427 said:

Hi, just ordered a PHEV Dynamic Premium, can anyone tell me if it has the 360 PVM camera system as i cant find anything online to say yes. standard non PHEV with JBL has the 360 camera

By some coincidence I was asking the same thing this evening!  I started a web chat with Toyota on their web site and after almost half an hour of trying to find out the operative said she'd been defeated for today, but promised to find out and email the answer to me on Monday.  When I hear, I'll report back.

Thing is, the JBL is listed as standard equipment on the PHEV Dynamic Premium, whereas it's part of a two-item optional extra on the non plug-in that also includes the 360° cameras.  I have this on my Excel and it's one of the best things about the car, even with a 1980s quality screen.

I thought I'd seen before that the PHEV had the cameras, but maybe they've realigned the equipment list at the same time as dropping the price.

[ernieb]

6 hours ago, Andy427 said:

Hi, just ordered a PHEV Dynamic Premium, can anyone tell me if it has the 360 PVM camera system as i cant find anything online to say yes. standard non PHEV with JBL has the 360 camera 

 

Thanks in advance

Unless it's been sneaked in under the radar no it does not have the 360 camera. US and Canada does but not the UK.  Lots of spec'd US items are missing from the UK spec.

[Flatcoat]

I will check, I thought the Premium had the 360 camera….

[Flatcoat]

Yep, the 360 camera is not included. I was sure it was, I wonder if this is a spec change that partly reflects the price drop. That could prove a dealbreaker…… we are keen on the 360 to help with caravan hitching and manoeuvring.

[ernieb]

@Flatcoat, I was never included in the UK spec, the US and Canada and these feature heavily on YouTube.

[Flatcoat]

Presumably not possible to retrofit?

[MyOpinionIsWorthless]

2 hours ago, ernieb said:

@Flatcoat, I was never included in the UK spec, the US and Canada and these feature heavily on YouTube.

360 panoramic camera in sept 2021 spec for excel grade