PHEV... Anyone done anything interesting or unusual using their Warp Core?

[Nick72]

Done a lot of light off roading mainly. No problems at all. Did a 40 degree incline and down again no problem last week. Light mud. Drove across a muddy field and weaved through some trees in a forest over pine needles. No idea how they end up all over the inside of the car.

Occasionally out paced so called sports cars from the lights. Oh to be young again. I love a sleeper car. Engage Warp number 1. Warp factor 10. Still makes me smile. Nice though if that rear motor was 174hp. May be on the Prime 2.0.

 

One thing on motorways is that no matter what speed you are already doing and you need to floor it to get past that swaying lorry, or the idiot in the Audi or BMW who keeps cutting you up, that the power is instaneous and there's still loads of it. Literally within a few seconds and it's a case of 'how fast am I going? WTH'. Need to take care on that one. I'm sure I read somewhere that the car is faster than the Supra 50 to 70mph.

 

Anything interesting folks have done and any observations?

[Hybrid21]

Yes in sport mode 80mph can come up pretty quickly before you realise it.

Need to watch the old licence 😃 

Ps and mine is only the hybrid.

[ernieb]

Nick, totally agree, I'm more impressed with the passing acceleration in this car than many I've owned. It's those situations where there is little choice but to hit the accelerator the PHEV works very effectively.

[ernieb]

But, if you want off road in a road car, take a look at the Subaru Solterra, very similar to the BZ4x, but having driven 3 Subaru’s in the past with the permanent AWD it’s magic and instantaneous in it’s operation, plus all the toys you need.😁😁😁

[Nick72]

11 hours ago, Hybrid21 said:

Yes in sport mode 80mph can come up pretty quickly before you realise it.

Need to watch the old licence 😃 

Ps and mine is only the hybrid.

Indeed. Waze usually reminds me. I also tend to use adaptive cruise a lot these days too.

[Nick72]

8 hours ago, ernieb said:

But, if you want off road in a road car, take a look at the Subaru Solterra, very similar to the BZ4x, but having driven 3 Subaru’s in the past with the permanent AWD it’s magic and instantaneous in it’s operation, plus all the toys you need.😁😁😁

Been looking at that. I believe they are the same car but slightly different Shell and aesthetic. Believe Toyota and Subaru jointly developed so the AWD functions should be the same with all the Subaru modes for terrain type. Ground clearance is virtually the same as the RAV too which is good. Twin motor for sure. 6.5sec 0 to 60 so slower than ours but not massively different. 

May get one in 24 months depending on other options and most importantly, what the real world range is. Winter, motorway. If I can get 220 miles here then I might just be interested. Over 270 preferred. 

[ernieb]

41 minutes ago, Nick72 said:

Been looking at that. I believe they are the same car but slightly different shell and aesthetic. Believe Toyota and Subaru jointly developed so the AWD functions should be the same with all the Subaru modes for terrain type. Ground clearance is virtually the same as the RAV too which is good. Twin motor for sure. 6.5sec 0 to 60 so slower than ours but not massively different. 

May get one in 24 months depending on other options and most importantly, what the real world range is. Winter, motorway. If I can get 220 miles here then I might just be interested. Over 270 preferred. 

The top model is spec’d at 254miles. WLTP, but the Solterra has a 150kW DC charger so a quick charge will give a relatively good boost to SOC. 

 

[kucyk]

Flooring the throttle on the motorway and seeing cars getting smaller in the rear mirror is definitely the best feeling ever 😅

[Big_D]

If you need mirrors you're not driving fast enough 😁

[Steve169]

Normally rapid upto 70, floored it pulling onto a busy dual carriageway today in auto ev/hv mode and flat as anything? 🤔 Decided to run on Battery only, not sure why 

[Cyker]

I get that with my Yaris occasionally; It's almost like I have to prime it by going half-throttle, feel the torque build and *then* floor it, rather than just floor it, as that seems to just cause it to bog down when it's doing that!

[kucyk]

23 minutes ago, Steve169 said:

Normally rapid upto 70, floored it pulling onto a busy dual carriageway today in auto ev/hv mode and flat as anything? 🤔 Decided to run on battery only, not sure why 

Was the engine warmed up?

[Roy124]

On 4/22/2022 at 6:37 AM, Hybrid21 said:

Yes in sport mode 80mph can come up pretty quickly before you realise it.

Need to watch the old licence 😃 

Ps and mine is only the hybrid.

First test drive in a 1.8 Corolla overtaking a truck and in no time the warning needle was the wrong side of 70 and increasing. 

[philip42h]

11 hours ago, Steve169 said:

Normally rapid upto 70, floored it pulling onto a busy dual carriageway today in auto ev/hv mode and flat as anything? 🤔 Decided to run on battery only, not sure why 

Which mode - Eco, Normal or Sport?

(There are, probably, too many mode options on a PHEV 🙂 )

[Steve169]

11 hours ago, kucyk said:

Was the engine warmed up?

Yeah was in the middle of a run, only ever had it happen once, was in Sport mode 

[Lawnmowerman]

Only once did the acceleration not impress. Engine was not on - so missed the boost from the ICE.

Other than that it is a latent rocket ship wearing a bread van disguise - that's how Beemer drivers think of it until they see it disappear over the horizon 😇.

[ernieb]

The PHEV is really a wolf in sheep clothing and still puts a smile on my face even after a years motoring. 😇

[Mike2222]

99% of my driving is pootling around in ECO mode, with happily enough thrust for most road needs, tho I did try an overtake recently, about 45mph to 65-70, that took a little longer than I was expecting (EV mode only), tho I didn't truly "floor it". 

 

Last week or so, on the rare occasion I have felt like overtaking (I find I tend to drive more sedately in the Rav, perhaps a sense of self confidence, ie knowing I don't always *need* momentum per se) I have clicked the centre wheel into normal or sport, and that's largely solved and concerns. Kind of like a manually operated turbo, in the way that I used to get an inherent sense of what was needed and how to time things for it the turbo to spool up for the extra shove needed. 

[ernieb]

I think with the PHEV in particular the acceleration is pretty special considering the size and weight of the beast. Coupled with the near instant torque with the Battery it’s there if needed.

As Mike says I tend to be more than happy with the performance and economy of ECO mode but the options are always there when needed. 👹

[Nick72]

Definitely a wolf. EV mode is quick to 50mph but Toyota have deliberately flattened off the acceleration performance after that. Economy rules the waves. EV mode on the motorway and overtaking even in sport mode is very sedate but not a major problem. But then again it's best to conserve the Battery for sub 50mph stretches around town or the dreaded motorway roadworks. Get the optimal range out of the energy you put in. Just don't return home with any remaining Battery if you do this because that was lost opportunity.

In hybrid mode (with ICE) it can go 60mph to close on 100mph literally in a blink of the eye. It's a maniac. Got to really keep your eye on that when overtaking.

[Steve169]

Must just be me! Seems to react differently everytime I put my foot down, sometimes rapid, sometimes as flat as a !Removed!. 

Always in auto ev/hv, tried normal and sport, not a fan so far 

[ernieb]

I guess it depends on what you are used to driving, but I have to say it still puts a smile on my face whenever I use a heavy right foot.

[ernieb]

10 minutes ago, Steve169 said:

Must just be me! Seems to react differently everytime I put my foot down, sometimes rapid, sometimes as flat as a !Removed!. 

Always in auto ev/hv, tried normal and sport, not a fan so far 

How long have you had the car? It takes a few miles to understand your driving style. I also think it may ‘protect; itself until it’s got a few miles under the belt.

[Cyker]

This might not have any relevance, but I find in my Mk4 Yaris I can't always just 'floor' the accelerator and have the car instantly fly off. I find It's much better and more consistent if I do it more progressively - Maybe accelerator half way, feel the torque build, then push the accelerator more and keep feeding in as the torque builds.

If I just floor it, it sometimes just bogs down like a petrol engine in slightly too high a gear will, then the engine will race but it takes a second for it to figure out what to do or something before launching off. By not going straight to the floor, I find it reacts better without having to go through all that.

 

[Nick72]

5 hours ago, Steve169 said:

Must just be me! Seems to react differently everytime I put my foot down, sometimes rapid, sometimes as flat as a !Removed!. 

Always in auto ev/hv, tried normal and sport, not a fan so far 

Sounds like something could be wrong. Consistent response here. In hybrid then it's rocket ship. Always. In EV mode it's rapid to 45 or 50 then sedate after that.