Hybrid or No Hybrid

4144 Views 67 Replies 35 Participants Last post by Tony H, 7 d ago

miscverb

Discussion Starter · 30 d ago

We will be getting a new CRV and are a bit torn between a hybrid or no hybrid. Overall the most important thing is dependability and a no hassle ownership experience. Based on your expertise, what would be the general recommendation, hybrid or no hybrid?

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JakeTheWonderDog

· #2 · 30 d ago (Edited)

Hybrid.

Look, some will say that the hybrid is more complicated. I don't know that to be true.
With the hybrid you don't have:
1. starter
2. alternator
3. drive belts / idler pulley
4. belt driven CVT transmission
5. AC clutch and bearings - AC compressor is electric and not driven by a belt
6. Turbo - and the issues around a small, turbo-charged engine

What's more, with the hybrid the brakes last 30% longer, and the engine is on less. You are starting the engine with a high-voltage Lithium battery connected to a ~150hp electric starter/generator, not a 12v lead acid battery with questionable terminals.

Somewhere after 100k miles you may have an issue with the battery - but by that time, the cost may have come down significantly.

Power is much smoother, the car is much quieter, and the gas mileage is significantly better in city/suburban driving.
There's no anxiety about engine auto-shutoff at intersections like there can be with non-hybrid because the electric motor is what will propel you through that dicey left turn in front of the oncoming semi - with no hesitation. The engine will come on later at some point.
If you get the Sport Touring, you also get additional noise reduction such as noise reducing glass and foam in framing members.

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Easierthan123

· #3 · 30 d ago

I was in the same boat as you and ultimately decided to go non hybrid as I was doing mostly highway driving and was not able to find a fair deal on a sport touring.

Reactions: 1

Avisitor

· #4 · 30 d ago

Personally, I would love to have a HYBRID vehicle.
On the other hand, Hybrids are much more complicated.
And there aren't many mechanics that are very well trained or experienced with troubleshooting hybrids
Of course, the higher MPG is very attractive and maintenance is on a very different schedule
Yeah, I bounce back and forth between the two.
Ultimately it would be the cost that determines my choices.

Lately, there has been discussions about taxing electric vehicles
There is a gasoline tax. Politicians want to tax electric vehicles
The money to be used for roads and other infrastructure projects
Charging time versus filling up on gasoline
Distances between charges and chargers
I do not like pure electric vehicles.

Hybrids would be a good choice if I could afford it.
Still regular engine is a well known technology

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Mike728

· #5 · 30 d ago

miscverb said:
... Overall the most important thing is dependability and a no hassle ownership experience. ...

Should be good with either choice. Just get the vehicle you enjoy more.

Reactions: 4

williamsji

· #6 · 30 d ago

miscverb said:
We will be getting a new CRV and are a bit torn between a hybrid or no hybrid. Overall the most important thing is dependability and a no hassle ownership experience. Based on your expertise, what would be the general recommendation, hybrid or no hybrid?

Consumer Reports has stated that their analysis shows that hybrids are just as reliable as ICE, sometimes even more reliable (depending on brand). Also, hybrids carry very little cost premium over ICE.

As to hybrid or ICE, it really depends on your driving habits and personal preferences. If you do mostly highway driving, a hybrid offers little benefit over ICE. But if you drive mostly city, or a balanced mix of city and highway, then a hybrid will pay big dividends on fuel economy compared to ICE. If you simply want to jump into the hybrid ecosystem, then a Honda hybrid is an excellent choice.

For me, a plug-in hybrid version would be the cat's meow. I think Honda is still a year or two away from proliferating plug-in hybrids in the US.

Most of the major brands other than the Japanese major brands are racing to proliferate true EVs over everything else, and are largely ignoring hybrid and plug-in hybrid alternatives. This is where the Japanese major brands are doing really well, even as they slow walk their way into full EVs.

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TheDarkKnight

· #7 · 30 d ago

miscverb said:
We will be getting a new CRV and are a bit torn between a hybrid or no hybrid. Overall the most important thing is dependability and a no hassle ownership experience. Based on your expertise, what would be the general recommendation, hybrid or no hybrid?

Worth reading:

www.crvownersclub.com

Master Thread - First Impressions/Features of 2023 CR-V...

I currently own a 2017 EX and now a 2023 Sport Hybrid that I just drove home 50 miles from the dealership. Compared to the 2017 EX, the Sport is missing fog lights, Sirius XM radio, handles to fold the rear seats from the trunk and a jack/spare tire. The safety tech is much improved...

www.crvownersclub.com

www.crvownersclub.com

EXcommunicated

· #8 · 30 d ago

miscverb said:
We will be getting a new CRV and are a bit torn between a hybrid or no hybrid. Overall the most important thing is dependability and a no hassle ownership experience. Based on your expertise, what would be the general recommendation, hybrid or no hybrid?

Drive them both, and make your decision on that basis. Overall mpg differences are not material, and maintenance / running costs will essentially be the same. It should come down to which you think has the superior driving characteristics.

Reactions: 2

miscverb

Discussion Starter · #9 · 30 d ago

thanks for the feedback everyone, much appreciated. keep it coming. i did think of a question i can not find the answer for. is it possible to turn off the hybrid electric functions and run just on the engine itself if you want?

Mike728

· #10 · 30 d ago

miscverb said:
thanks for the feedback everyone, much appreciated. keep it coming. i did think of a question i can not find the answer for. is it possible to turn off the hybrid electric functions and run just on the engine itself if you want?

Nope, and not something you would want to do anyways.

Reactions: 3

EXcommunicated

· #11 · 30 d ago

miscverb said:
thanks for the feedback everyone, much appreciated. keep it coming. i did think of a question i can not find the answer for. is it possible to turn off the hybrid electric functions and run just on the engine itself if you want?

Nope, the fundamental design point of the car is that the ICE runs to power the electric motor that sends the power to the wheels. The small hybrid battery is a means to recover a small amount of energy and store it temporarily (like a capacitor in an electronic circuit).

Driving the hybrid vs a pure ICE CRV requires no knowledge or conscious thought about what the car is doing. You start it, put it in D and drive.

As said earlier, drive them both, and let that be your guide.

Reactions: 5

Cliff's CRV

· #12 · 29 d ago

I went with the EX-L last year. Still don't feel great about having a Hybrid that does not have a spare tire. Not all flats are repairable with the can.

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EXcommunicated

· #13 · 29 d ago (Edited)

Cliff's CRV said:
I went with the EX-L last year. Still don't feel great about having a Hybrid that does not have a spare tire. Not all flats are repairable with the can.

50 years of driving, and never had a flat tire strand me anywhere other than home. Also, the CRV is my wife’s car and a spare tire would be about as useful to her as a repair kit — i.e., not at all. I may replace the OEM tires with runflats when the time comes just to provide a bit of a safety net, but realistically Honda Roadside Assistance is backup. Flat tires are just not that much of a risk.

Reactions: 1

Cliff's CRV

· #14 · 29 d ago

EXcommunicated said:
50 years of driving, and never had a flat tire strand me anywhere other than home. Also, CRV is my wife’s car and a spare tire would be about as useful to her as a repair kit.

My 57 years of driving have had to change two flats. Once is to many if out on the road somewhere without a spare. Too each his own.

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EXcommunicated

· #15 · 29 d ago

Cliff's CRV said:
My 57 years of driving have had to change two flats. Once is to many if out on the road somewhere without a spare. Too each his own.

Yep, about as likely as a mechanical breakdown, but I don’t carry a spare engine either.

Reactions: 5

craig baconator

· #16 · 29 d ago (Edited)

williamsji said:
Consumer Reports has stated that their analysis shows that hybrids are just as reliable as ICE, sometimes even more reliable (depending on brand). Also, hybrids carry very little cost premium over ICE.

As to hybrid or ICE, it really depends on your driving habits and personal preferences. If you do mostly highway driving, a hybrid offers little benefit over ICE. But if you drive mostly city, or a balanced mix of city and highway, then a hybrid will pay big dividends on fuel economy compared to ICE. If you simply want to jump into the hybrid ecosystem, then a Honda hybrid is an excellent choice.

For me, a plug-in hybrid version would be the cat's meow. I think Honda is still a year or two away from proliferating plug-in hybrids in the US.

Most of the major brands other than the Japanese major brands are racing to proliferate true EVs over everything else, and are largely ignoring hybrid and plug-in hybrid alternatives. This is where the Japanese major brands are doing really well, even as they slow walk their way into full EVs.

Edit: I had to read back to see why I quoted that post. That’s a really great post. I guess my point was going to be it’s too bad the push for EV’s may be the demise of this great hybrid technology.

I’m not against EV’s per se, or against hybrids either. I think both are great technologies for certain applications.
I think the best idea is simply finding ways to drive less.

One shame about EV’s:
The demand for minerals will push the manufacturing cost of hybrids higher. That may lead to less of them and so more emissions—well, less “reduction in emissions” than EV’s claim.

I have talked to many taxi drivers with very high mileage gasoline or hybrid cars (mostly Toyotas). Both can serve well.

dundundata

· #17 · 29 d ago

I got the hybrid for the higher HP/torque numbers. MPG also but that seems to vary. Drivetrain is smooth and responsive. I did not however drive the 1.5t to compare.

2023HondaOhio

· #18 · 29 d ago

I completely agree with JakeTheWonderDog. I'll also add that the ride is smoother/softer than earlier version CR-V's. With that said, I drove the 1.5t as well and that too is a fine vehicle. The Turbo and CVT on the ICE version would not hurt my decision to go ICE if that's what I wanted due to the fact that Honda just does things right. If fact, the issues in the first year of the turbo direct injection engines was due to Honda's ability to make things so efficient. In that case a bit too efficient. They tweaked the design and problems were resolved.
These are extremely well made machines so I don't believe you can go wrong in either case. It's just a matter of preference. Drive both and decide what you like most.

Reactions: 1

C_J

· #19 · 29 d ago

I like the lower MPG (especially in city driving) and the performance (including torque). I've been pleasantly surprised by the less frequent servicing (once a year when I used to run about 6-9 months between). Two years is probably too soon for me to say much about dependability, but 25+ years of experience with Hondas has given me reason to trust them.

A_Turkey_Sammich

· #20 · 28 d ago

Really depends on just how long you intend to keep it. in pure terms of reliability, I don’t think there is much of any difference there. The hybrid battery is essentially a wear item however, and WILL go bad whether from cycles (use) OR age. You could end up with a dead hybrid battery around the same time frame on a very lightly driven very low mile vehicle as they next guy really racking them up. Hybrids are getting so common now that maybe the battery packs won’t cost so much by the time these start dropping, but even so will still be a significant expense. If you plan on keeping beyond the 8yr/100k battery warranty, I’d EXPECT having to change the battery. You might get lucky if you held on a little longer without having to spring for one, having a battery that makes it to or even past the upper range of lifespan, but know the potential! That is the only big downside to current hybrids and EV’s IMO.

Now with the latest hybrids and mandatory acoustic warning…be aware just how loud that POS actually is! It’ doesnt seem that bad sitting in the car out in the open, but these Hondas are ridiculously loud! Drive through a relatively dense neighborhood with the windows down and you can hear it reverberating of structures and vehicles. Stand outside with It active (esp in reverse).. in a real tight space like a garage it’s almost deafening! I dunno if that is the level now required by law or if Honda just figured more volume is better, but it’s def way overkill! I didn’t think much of it at all while shopping but I sure underestimated how annoying that minor detail is now. If I would of known better before, I would of steered well clear of the hybrid on account of that alone, as minor and petty that is in the scheme of things.

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