What's the Kia XCeed plug in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) like to drive and how efficient is it? In this video I test it's efficiency, driveability and usability.
The KIA PHEVs have a system that keeps the engine warm enough and lubed even when idle, and the Hybrid decides automatically which mode to use based on the route that you have chosen in its navigation app.
I would love to see you do a review of the new Toyota Yaris Hybrid and maybe go into the intricacies of the break pedal not being very linear due to the regenerative breaking and the different safety systems the car has
This video may be of interest: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-aFq95rGR_sw.html I don't recall having a problem with the brakes though.
Nice review. I own one of these. In case any viewers want more info about how the car switches between EV and ICE, here’s my experience. If the battery is charged then it starts in EV mode. You can drive at motorway speeds in EV if you don’t accelerate hard. After battery is 80% discharged then it switches automatically between EV and ICE to easily return 65+ mpg if not driven with hard acceleration. I can get 33 miles on battery alone on slower roads. Even in EV mode, if the car requires heating then the ICE has to run briefly. This is because the engine heat warms the car. Whilst running, the engine charges the battery.
I want to see your take on the Golf GTE or A3 Sportback TFSI e. It has the same 1.4L TSI as your SEAT but with a 6spd DSG mated with a 80kW electric motor in between.
About cold engine runs... Toyota's Priuses from gen. 2 onwards, have very durable engines, running easily for 400-500k km in Russia, where temperatures can be as low as -40C. Don't know about Kia hybrid design, but usually hybrids are running on Atkinson cycle, which actually increases engine durability.
I think the Prius is different though as the engine runs most of the time. The Kia had the engine off a lot in hybrid mode. Funny enough my MX5 runs on the Atkinson cycle with low loads and goes to Otto under high loads. Quiet clever, 33mpg when driving it hard but up to 50mpg on the motorway.
Decent video to be fair. With regards to the jerkiness, I think that maybe linked to the brake regeneration. Not sure if the Kia PHEV system let's you adjust this though.
Japan is the pioneer in Asian hybrid car making countries. Toyota hybrid systems usually come with these modes instead: EV mode, Eco mode, normal mode (a.k.a. no modes activated) and power mode. Eco mode makes your car accelerate slowly like most average conventional gas cars, in a less sensitive acceleration curve, possibly keeping you in a higher "gear" in most time, and less torque. Power mode in the other hand, acts like "sport mode" of your car, accelerate more quickly than "normal mode", more sensitive acceleration curve, making your car "launch" from stopped steady, possibly keeping you in a lower "gear" in most time, more torque. In power mode, gas engine kicks in since your setting off from stopped still, which means your gas engine kicks in all the way in your journey from 0mph, but not only kicks in since 30mph. "Normal mode" a.k.a. no modes or all modes off, gives you the most linear pedal response and appropriate acceleration sensitivity, and manufacturer claims that this is the mode most ECO and balancing your performance and fuel usage in factory (They said, whatever you or anyone believe it or not). But actually, these modes don't only decide how your pedal responds and how is acceleration, but also decide how much "engine brake" each of them giving you. While you come off your go pedal (as you named), Eco mode decelerates the most, like you're in lower gear in your manual car, normal mode (a.k.a. no modes) decelerates moderately, which I think it's natural and easy to be handled. Power mode, really very slight deceleration, nearly no deceleration, you can hardly feel any deceleration, it just like you're coasting with N gear in your manual car. Maybe a little bit, but hard to notice anyway. But even eco mode itself doesn't give you as much deceleration as both eco mode and B gear (braking gear) pairing together. Touch wood if anything really deadly critical and you must emergently brake your car from high speed to steady stop with 1/10s, all you'll have to do are eco mode + B gear + flooring your brake pedal as quick as you can (better with BAS + ABS in newer generations). If you think even no time to switch on eco mode, just pull your stick to B gear straightaway and floor your brake.
Very good point Richard. I agree with you about the engine temperature etc. But, if the engine does burn through a piston, you have the comfort of the Kia 7 year warranty.
@@ConquerDriving Ideally, I'd be keeping a car for 5 years anyway. I'm also pretty sure that Toyota do a 5-7 year warranty as well. I do love the Kia. It is a good looking car. Very reliable also.
Interesting point about cold engines Cold engines are also less efficient, everyone knows that stink of petrol on a cold start. (although direct injection lessens this a bit), running rich and under load must use lots of petrol. Do manufacturers A-Heat the engine by idling it so it's warmed up and ready to go once its needed B-Have better fuel efficiency by not warming the engine up un-necessarily In an ideal world, the electric motors and battery can keep up with almost all driving conditions, but then you have to think about other things such as heating and airconditioning.. does that require the engine to come on..? Lots to think about Perhaps even pre-heating the engine coolant using an electric heating element would help (whilst charging), but on a cold day it could soon cool down, requiring the engine to come on. I guess it'd be nice if the user got the choice in vehicle settings/whatever, short supermarket trips at slow speed could be done 100% on electric power if the engine doesnt need to be kept warm. With the 300hp Peugeot 3008 hybrid doing 0-60 in 5.5s, I can imagine hybrids sticking around for some time.
My guess is engines are do durable now and are capable of lasting much longer than a car when serviced properly that the manufacturer isn't bothered about the extra wear. But that's a guess.
Test drove the NEW Toyota Yaris for 1 hour as i want a Hybrid for driving lessons and smooth as it can get in my opinion and i got 88mpg on average and that was my first time driving one which is of course great mpg. coming from teaching manual over 11 years now and wanted to change to auto but not with those bad mpg ratings. so well done toyota id say :)
Cars can last for 30 years when looked after. The average car lasts 13.9 years in the UK, but that's an average, plenty last a lot longer. It may not matter to the first owner but owners down the line may need to be aware.
It actually looks like, when the eco section on the power meter ends, is where the ICE kicks in. So quite reliable and useful gauge, if you want to just go in EV mode.
I'm using a Hero 7 black in that video. I'm not happy with it though, third action camera I've tried. It seems action cams don't give very good footage.
I didn't notice they had changed it. If I'm honest, they haven't made a car I like the look of yet, the proceed comes close to my taste but still not my cup of tea.
Interesting one, thanks! I often find myself thinking of where to put these hybrids.. They are intended to pollute less, or even zero, but in the end may sacrifice internal combustion engines for the sake of doing it. So they are urban vehicles intended for longer journeys, where the petrol engine can perform. We will indeed have to see this.
