Hybrid cars with big boots

[Myneedycat]

Advice needed in the best hybrid car with a big boot which is economical in fuel for long motorway journeys.
I have thought about
Ford Kuga
Honda CRV
Kia Sportage
Skoda Superb

Not all of these are available in hybrid though. Currently we have a petrol car which drinks fuel.

Have you compared fuel economy of a self charging hybrid v plug in hybrid?

A self charging hybrid is effectively a petrol car with some (expensive) extra technology that will allow you to save a bit on petrol if you drive enough (using petrol) to generate power.

A plug-in hybrid is effectively an electric car with the back up option of the petrol engine for when you are driving beyond the electric range and can't (or don't want to) stop and charge it.

We have a Renault arkana
It's a saloon car with a self charge hybrid.
Massive boot - needed for a wheelchair and also for watersports equipment
The backseat is roomy enough for three adults to sit comfortably.
So far we seem to use 1/3 on free charge and 2/3 petrol

I hadn't realised that to be honest. It's a minefield. I just don't want all the hassle of finding a charger.

But every year it gets easier. It’s like anything- a bit of planning needed but once you are used to it, it’s easy.

I always thought hybrids are the most awkward and costly if they go wrong, as you basically have the petrol car and all the mechanical stuff for that, plus all the mechanical of an electric. So twice to go wrong.

Just look at 100% electric. It’s not a chore

@Myneedycat We have a charger at home. Costs were around £1k but they differ depending on brand of car. We have a split traffic and our night costs are low so the charger is set to charge from midnight to 5am.

It is obviously more difficult if you live in a flat/no driveway.

We charged three times off-site, at a large shopping mall and a huge Tesco.

Toyota must be fairly confident that they won't be inundated with problems as they give a 10 year warranty now.

Not sure, but I think your criticism may apply more to so-called 'mild hybrids' which sound like they're more of a conventional IC engine with a bit of regenerative braking tacked on ... they really dont seem like a good idea.

I have a Nissan xtrail hybrid. It has a good size boot, 3 big suitcases and a couple rucksacks. Or a small-medium dog cage and three cabin suitcases and some spare space.

the back seats fit a child seat and at a squish two size 16-18 women. Plenty legroom though. If no child seat or just booster it would fine.

Currently torn between an older Rav 4 model (2018 ) and Honda CRV. Both hybrids. They seem to do about 50mpg. I suddenly thought why am I considering this as my current car apparently does about the same. It is a petrol and I’ve hated it from day one. We previously had a diesel and it was so economical compared to the one we have now. Our car isn’t worth much to trade in despite having low mileage because of some damage. So is it really sensible to spend thousands on a new car if the fuel economy isn’t going to be any better and the rear seat space is the same. Help! I don’t know what to do. We were offered a good deal on the RAV and the Honda is also likely to be quite discounted . The main reason for upgrading is needing more space on the back seats and some motorway driving from next year. At the moment nearly all driving is city driving .

I like the Tucson and the sportage but hybrids are much more expensive than other brands.

Very interesting point there re economy. Are they all around that level? It really wouldn't surprise me as tbe hybrid element is quite heavy. When I worked in fleet, everyone was quite anti hybrid and electric as it worked out no better.

What about an outlander? Mitsubishi no longer sell in the uk so could be difficulties parts but not sure.

Those two models seem to be around 50 mpg . My current car is rubbish but that’s what it’s supposed to do too! I could get so much mileage out of my previous diesel.

A petrol Skoda Octavia estate is over 50mpg.
And a lot cheaper than a diesel or hybrid.

Older models (up to 2020):
The 1.0-litre TSI 115 three-cylinder petrol engine, meanwhile, can returns a combined NEDC number of 58.9mpg, or 50.4mpg WLTP, while the 1.4 TSI 140 can return 54.3mpg (NEDC), while the latest 1.5-litre can claim an average of 51.4mpg under the WLTP tests.
https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/estate/used-review/n854

Newer models (2020+)
Plug-in hybrid 1.4-litre iV variants should provide you with the lowest running costs – even the vRS version is claimed to achieve over 200mpg. Be mindful, however, that this figure is difficult to achieve in the real world. The lower powered of the two 2.0-litre diesel engines is the most economical, averaging 67.3mpg. The 110bhp 1.0-litre petrol unit is also an economical choice for those who make a lot of shorter journeys, with an official average fuel consumption of 53.3mpg.
https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/estate/used-review/n23576

Funnily enough, someone I know has just bought one and loves it. Older model petrol .