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Hybrid or No Hybrid

14K views 71 replies 37 participants last post by  Tony H 
#1 ·
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?
 
#2 · (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.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Electric vehicle, yes - you would be correct..
However, a hybrid is not a totally electric vehicle. It is a 'mix' of both ICE & electric motor - it may have most, if not all of those items you mentioned, from items #1 to #6.

See below - copied directly from the Honda website, concerning the CRV Hybrid(s).
Read the description at the bottom. It is NOT totally electric..
Tire Wheel Vehicle Toy Automotive tire
 
#4 ·
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
 
#6 ·
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.
 
#16 · (Edited)
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.
 
#13 · (Edited)
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.
 
#18 ·
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.
 
#19 ·
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.
 
#20 ·
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.
 
#46 ·
Consumer Reports issued an analysis late last year on hybrid reliability. Their data says hybrids are currently THE MOST RELIABLE power train on the market. Of course the fact that Toyota is the 800 lb gorilla of hybrids, that might be a factor in the data results. But Honda iMMD hybrids of the current era have shown no signs of being less reliable than ICE versions.

I believe your fears to be misplaced. But your fears, your choice to avoid hybrids like the plague. Other buyers will see things differently.
 
#23 ·
Love my hybrid! Tremendous 42-48 MPG in city traffic. Very good 28-38 MPG on hwy. The variarion is due to running AC during hot sunny days. Super quiet. Dependable pick-up when entering the interstate. Plenty of driving options from: Sport mode, to Regular, to Eco, to EV. I cannot speak to maintenance costs at this time as I've only been driving mine for 5 months. Very, very happy so far. (Had 2 previous non-hybrid CR-Vs)
 
#24 ·
I am assuming that you know the difference between conventional (ICE), hybrid (ICE & Electric), and totally electric vehicles.
I recently purchased a conventional vehicle (about two weeks ago), after doing some research into hybrids & electric vehicles - already being very familiar with conventional / ICE vehicles.
My recommendation is pretty-much what others have already said. Do your own research, get to 'know' the vehicles you are considering purchasing, and look into their history, to include repairs & servicing, etc..
While you may consider others opinions on the subject, you're the one that will be 'living the dream' (or 'nightmare')..
Good luck! (y)
 
#29 · (Edited)
I have a 2021 hybrid bought new gas mileage combined is right at 36 which is twice what our trade in was getting, I’m 81 and wife no longer drives, our CRV just turned 7807 miles so I don’t drive much either, like the car only complaint is this it the noisiest car I’ve ever owned nice around town but highway crank up the radio if you want to hear it.
 
#32 ·
I've had my Hybrid Sport since Thanksgiving - traded my 2017 EX for it. I have 4000 miles on it.
1.) It is much quieter and rides better than the 2017. I attribute some of that to the extra weight from the battery.
2.) I miss the Sirius but I won't miss the $200 annual bill. There are 100+ stations I can pick up anyway, and if you have a smartphone with unlimited data you can use it to get Sirius or any other type of audio you want.
3.) THe only time I hear the acoustic warning is when I am backing out of my garage.
4.) My average MPG so far is 36.5. My driving is approximately 80% city, 20% highway. The mileage is still creeping up about 0.1 MPG/week as long as I don't take any road trips.
5.) The initial cost is only about $1500 higher, a lot less than the difference used to be. While that may take a few years to get back via reduced fuel consumption my guess is that I will get it all back when I trade it in for my next hybrid.
 
#33 · (Edited by Moderator)
My wife and I just bought a 2023 CRV Sport Hybrid and we love it. We have a 2013 Toyota Prius (hybrid) with 160K miles and going strong, I bought it used with 42K miles, I drove it across the country 3 times with no issues. I haven’t had to change the battery yet and maintenance has been minimal.

To add more context my wife loves Mustangs (not the electric one) and loves our hybrid cars. My mom has had two gasoline CRV and I know they’re great cars. Everything I’ve read about Honda hybrid systems is that they are reliable and that sold us on switching from Toyota to Honda (plus to save some money).

Hope me sharing my experience with hybrids helps you. Like others, I encourage you to test drive them. I choose hybrids now and can’t wait to get plug-in hybrids and EVs later. Good luck!
 
#34 ·
I have a hybrid ( non Honda) and it was worth it to me since I tend hit traffic daily and can pull 45-50mpg but when the highway is wide open, 40mpg. When it was time to get a new crv, we opted for the gas since i felt it want going to be using the electric side of the engine. My research was average of 34 mpg on the hybrid. For a lease I would have got the hybrid to save money on gas. Felt long term, it wasn’t a saving. I would of went with the top trim not the sport By the way.
 
#42 ·
I asked my mechanic before buying a 23 CRV. One factor he mentioned is how long do I plan to keep the vehicle. If 5-6 yrs, hybrid or electric is fine. If you keep the vehicle a long time, then you will likely have to factor in replacing the battery that fuels the hybrid/ electric part of the engine which may be pricey. He also was wondering about lithium supplies down the road.

We went with a EX-L AWD since the Touring/ Touring Sport only comes in the hybrid. We like our choice. It seems quieter & smoother than our 2018 CRV Touring. The 23 came with Bridgestone Tires. We are running Michelin Defenders (fairly new) on our 2018. Good luck with your decision!
 
#47 ·
I asked my mechanic before buying a 23 CRV. One factor he mentioned is how long do I plan to keep the vehicle. If 5-6 yrs, hybrid or electric is fine. If you keep the vehicle a long time, then you will likely have to factor in replacing the battery that fuels the hybrid/ electric part of the engine which may be pricey. He also was wondering about lithium supplies down the road.
Honda warranty for the drive battery for 8 years / 100K miles.

Hybrid batteries do not see the kind of loading on them that EV drive batteries do. Reason: hybrids do NOT let the drive pack get to a low disharge point before kicking on the ICE motor, because they always want a good reserve in the drive pack since it is used to start the ICE motor at vehicle power up.
 
#51 · (Edited)
For anyone familiar with the carcomplaints web site, this is a web comment at the top of the Hybrid page....

"We don't have a lot of complaints on file for the Honda CR-V Hybrid — feel free to add yours here. It's either not very popular ... or it's very, very good."

This is a very informative site, I've used it to evaluate other cars I've owned and it was very accurate. That comment is all I needed to see when considering reliability of the Honda Hybrid.
 
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