Spec me a Hybrid.

Psycho Sonny · 1 Dec 2019 at 16:32

[TW]Fox said:
I don't see anything special about a Lexis CT that should preclude it's use as a taxi.

Remember the most popular car for a taxi in many places is a Mercedes Benz.

Fact is in this country where the OP is situated it doesn't really matter if the most popular choice is a tesla on the moon. In the UK far more taxi drivers use toyota and skoda over MB and Lexus.

Pyscho_Si · 1 Dec 2019 at 17:02

Nasher said:
The smallest engine in the Lexus GS is a 2.5L though. Probably overkill for a taxi. It will cost a lot more to run than a Toyota equivalent which have much smaller engines.

Why?

Nasher · 1 Dec 2019 at 17:32

Pyscho_Si said:
Why?

Because it will cost much more run and a taxi doesn't really need the extra power?

Pyscho_Si · 1 Dec 2019 at 18:37

Nasher said:
Because it will cost much more run and a taxi doesn't really need the extra power?

it is a very efficient Atkinson cycle which only produces about 178bhp (220 with the electric motor). Perfect for a taxi.

Vita · 1 Dec 2019 at 21:05

Just a small update. Having spoken to a few people and looking at my needs as well as taking advice on board from this thread (thank you), I am in somewhat a still confused state.

The Lexus Ct200h fits the bill, it'll be economic, reliable, and I suppose a nice play to be (if you can get over the interior and firm suspension ride). The downside is the size of the boot and gutless performance. Should I have passengers who wish to travel to airports with excess luggage I suppose I'll have to miss out on those jobs as 3 full sized suitcases in the back would probably be a tight fit. It will probably be tight for family activities and travel as well.

A friend as a is300h, he doesn't rate it much for Effiency but the ride and drive is good. He also mentioned he had to shorten the base of the middle seat in the rear bench due to some sort of height restrictions with regards to Uber.

This then leads me onto the octavia vrs. Seems to fit the bill perfectly. Nice place to be and plenty of power and space in the estate. Although, the worry is diesel reliability. Seems to have a bit of an issue with waterpumps leaking, turbo, injectors and I suppose everything else that comes with diesels (dpf looking at you), but then again a car with warranty and low mileage should be ok?

Again, not sure what the government will do with diesels in the prolonged future but I would like to keep the car for at least 3-5 years. Hybrid seems to be a better "future proof" investment. But again, I'm still confused about it all.

In short the ct200h and Octavia vrs seem to attract me the most but both two different cars in their own right.

jpaul · 1 Dec 2019 at 21:12

for the lexus hybrid, how much additional maintenance/liability is there outside of the warranty for the atkinson aspect of the engine, and for a hybrid generally. -
does the economy of it, offset that ?

This became possible with new variable valve timing technology, which used hydraulics to actuate the camshaft position and alter the timing of the intake valves.

https://blog.lexus.co.uk/atkinson-cycle-engine-work/

Psycho Sonny · 1 Dec 2019 at 22:41

Vita said:
Just a small update. Having spoken to a few people and looking at my needs as well as taking advice on board from this thread (thank you), I am in somewhat a still confused state.

The Lexus Ct200h fits the bill, it'll be economic, reliable, and I suppose a nice play to be (if you can get over the interior and firm suspension ride). The downside is the size of the boot and gutless performance. Should I have passengers who wish to travel to airports with excess luggage I suppose I'll have to miss out on those jobs as 3 full sized suitcases in the back would probably be a tight fit. It will probably be tight for family activities and travel as well.

A friend as a is300h, he doesn't rate it much for Effiency but the ride and drive is good. He also mentioned he had to shorten the base of the middle seat in the rear bench due to some sort of height restrictions with regards to Uber.

This then leads me onto the octavia vrs. Seems to fit the bill perfectly. Nice place to be and plenty of power and space in the estate. Although, the worry is diesel reliability. Seems to have a bit of an issue with waterpumps leaking, turbo, injectors and I suppose everything else that comes with diesels (dpf looking at you), but then again a car with warranty and low mileage should be ok?

Again, not sure what the government will do with diesels in the prolonged future but I would like to keep the car for at least 3-5 years. Hybrid seems to be a better "future proof" investment. But again, I'm still confused about it all.

In short the ct200h and Octavia vrs seem to attract me the most but both two different cars in their own right.

the CT200H isn't gutless if you keep it in sport mode all the time.

Armageus · 1 Dec 2019 at 22:47

Psycho Sonny said:
the CT200H isn't gutless if you keep it in sport mode all the time.

Surely ruining the economy and defeating the point of buying a smaller engine in the first place?

Psycho Sonny · 1 Dec 2019 at 23:06

Armageus said:
Surely ruining the economy and defeating the point of buying a smaller engine in the first place?

Yeah well you can't have both speed and economy

daz · 1 Dec 2019 at 23:08

I liked my CT200h, it was very reliable, economical and was a bit different. Not sure I'd have it as a taxi though! It's a small car and not particularly practical. The boot on the CT200h is very small - a golf's is 50% bigger from a quick google.

mattpj · 2 Dec 2019 at 05:51

Hyundai Ioniq meets your requirements

Nasher · 2 Dec 2019 at 08:08

Psycho Sonny said:
the CT200H isn't gutless if you keep it in sport mode all the time.

It is gutless. It doesnt have much HP and its heavy. But then its not meant for performance.

Psycho Sonny · 2 Dec 2019 at 12:14

Nasher said:
It is gutless. It doesnt have much HP and its heavy. But then its not meant for performance.

When it comes to electric and hybrid it isn't all about horsepower.

Also I think I would know better than you. I drive a car which does 0-60 in less than 5 seconds and my wife has the Lexus. The Lexus in sport mode is actually very fast. So much so my wife refuses to use it as it's too fast for her in terms of acceleration.

If you are talking about eco mode then yeah it's gutless. But I specifically said sport mode for that reason.

So I have access to the Lexus and use it on a weekly basis and I own a 0-60 in less than 5 car so I think I would know better than most if it's fast or not.

Nasher · 2 Dec 2019 at 12:51

134hp combined and over 1.4 ton.

But whatever you say...

Psycho Sonny · 2 Dec 2019 at 12:59

Nasher said:
134hp combined and over 1.4 ton.

But whatever you say...

I just said it's not all about horsepower and you just went and posted the horsepower. Are you okay? It's torque on electric and hybrid vehicles which makes them fast. It makes a lot more difference to initial pick up. As in overall yes it will get there slower than a car with 300 hp. However the initial starting point and pick up are faster and it pins you to your seat if you gun it.

The car is in Normal mode and Ito approaches a banked curve at around 60mph. He backs off the throttle, enters the corner, nails the apex perfectly, and then powers through to the exit. It was a perfect demonstration of smooth, anticipatory driving at speed. But then we turn around and take the corner again; this time in Sport mode. The result is a tighter, faster and more enjoyable tackling of the same curvature.

A difference could certainly be felt between the two passes but what had just happened within the car?

In Sport mode, the power control unit, traction control and electric power steering systems work together to enhance cornering performance. One specific thing that happens is that the PCU keeps the engine revs high after you've releases the accelerator before entering a corner. This optimises the engine-braking effect for greater stability but also means you’ve got high engine speed when you’re ready to accelerate again, so pick-up is more immediate.

https://blog.lexus.co.uk/how-sporty-is-the-lexus-ct-200h-f-sport/

Do you own the car?

Nasher · 2 Dec 2019 at 13:02

Torque doesnt make a low HP car quick. Its also not exactly known for its agile handling lol. Its an eco car. The end.

Even the more "sporty" RC300h is lardy.

Psycho Sonny · 2 Dec 2019 at 13:11

Nasher said:
Torque doesnt make a low HP car quick. Its also not exactly known for its agile handling lol. Its an eco car. The end.

Even the more "sporty" RC300h is lardy.

Based on what specs off a sheet of paper?

Put it this way we had a mini before. And I feel this car is infinetely better. It's also just as exciting in terms of speed. The mini cooper has how much HP? It also weights how much? Yet many on here will say it's like a go kart. It's certainly a lot slower than a CT200H in terms of initial pick up it doesn't have that pinned back feeling that you get in the lexus. The mini cooper S and John cooper works are obviously the ones that give you that same sort of feeling but they are also proper fast cars overall.

Nasher · 2 Dec 2019 at 13:16

Sure, you get that in some diesel cars but then there is nothing after 30mph.

Psycho Sonny · 2 Dec 2019 at 13:22

Nasher said:
Sure, you get that in some diesel cars but then there is nothing after 30mph.

And where do you think most people are using a CT200H? On the nurburgring and autobahn? No it's a city car (the hybrid should be the big giveaway but maybe not so obvious to everyone now that it needs pointing out) which spends most of it's life around 30 mph. In stop start traffic, in front of traffic lights and in rush hour queues. And in that usage it is very fast if you stick it in sport mode and gun it. It will easily please most of it's target market. Which aren't people looking for a ferrari.

Vita · 4 Dec 2019 at 20:30

@Psycho Sonny out of interest what are your real world mpg figures of the ct200h? I ask as I was speaking to a p/h driver and he mentioned it's around £50 tank and a range of 400-450 miles city driving.

The only thing which is a let down for me is the size of the boot. It's firm contender along with the octavia vrs estate.