www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

As some of you may have picked up on another thread I have just got a new Hyundai Tucson Ultimate mild hybrid. It is a bit of a leap into the unknown for me as I have had conventional diesel cars for quite a few years now. This is an automatic 1.6 turbo petrol with a self-charging electric motor booster to help with power and economy. First impressions are that is just as powerful as my 2.0 diesel Kuga but it drives a whole lot smoother and better.

It is a little disconcerting as there is not a conventional starter as the electric motor does both power and starting actions very quietly. As you drive there are three switched modes of eco, sport, and smart with eco being the default on start. In Eco mode as you drive the car works out the power needed and switches the engine off, you see the rev counter drop to zero and a little sign comes up with 'sailing'. As soon as you touch the accelerator or brake the engine imperceptibly flips in again.

The one I got has everything, all the driver aids, leather heated and ventilated seats, a panoramic sunroof it looks very snazzy too for an old git like me. Given the shortage of new vehicles at present, the deal I got was very good. I got more than I paid nearly two years ago for my Ford Direct Kuga as a trade-in value and the margin was what I would have paid to upgrade to 6 month old Kuga next year. Having said that the Ford prices have gone silly so I may have been buggered anyway.

I am pleased to have the Hyundai 5 year warranty though

DWD

Nice, does it still have a small standard battery as well? I take it as not the top of the range plug in, which seems a lot more dosh.

Sounds good Walt.
TBH I'm not a big fan of the idea of hybrids, although a mate of mine has one up country and is pleased with it, and I went in a Prius taxi that the driver had on loan a while back, that both me and the driver were impressed with.
Don't know what I'll end up with next time. I'm still running this old Peugeot Partner Tepee into the ground.

Enjoy your new motor mate!

Since I owned my Kia Cee'd I've been swung over to them In case you didn't know Hyundai own Kia and their models are virtually identical to each other. I think the Hyundai i40 is the equivalent of the Kia Cee'd.

I own the Hyundai Santa Fe and it's been great. It was a leap though jumping from my Cee'd at 60mpg to my Santa Fe at 28mpg. But I needed it for towing. Very reliable cars.

I'd jump at an electric car but I don't think they'll be anything remotely affordable for towing and with a decent range in my lifetime.

My son has had two Santa Fe's and Mrs D has had 6 I-10's. We have been very pleased with them and the dealer we use goes the distance for us. I must admit I was not in a hurry to move to electric and this Hybrid seems a good compromise. It has two batteries apparently Aero, the usual battery and there is the hybrid battery somewhere, I do not have to plug it in as it charges by harvesting lost energy in coasting and braking. I have not got my head around that yet? It is just a bit strange, easy to drive but different from what I have been used to for 50 years. Good fit and finish and looks solid.

DWD

More on the self charging do you remember the drag on your bike wheel using the Sturmey Archer dynamo? There is a feint feel like that when you coast. I assume this is the self charging in operation

DWD

dewaltdisney wrote: ↑Fri Dec 10, 2021 2:41 pm More on the self charging do you remember the drag on your bike wheel using the Sturmey Archer dynamo? There is a feint feel like that when you coast. I assume this is the self charging in operation

DWD

No mate, that's the Sturmey-Archer Dynamo. . .



(It's the same thing, it's converting the kinetic energy of the car, back into electricity.)

Those bloody SA dynamos used to really slow you down. It was too late before I realised the little knob had to only just touch the wheel to work. But being a typical kid, it was just fitted how you thought and when you clicked it over to charge the spring tension was too much if you did not adjust the body right. My pal had a SA hub dynamo that I envied.

DWD

I thought you lot had Hovis bikes

DWD

I think the hybrids may be more of a tax fiddle for company cars than an actual energy saving thing. Isnt there no BIK on hybrids?

Hey DWD.... I presume you'll never be lifting the lid on the engine then? I'm sadly habit forming in the sense that I always buy vehicles I can service/repair myself (although I feel I'm getting past that now) but I balk at the thought of working on a hybrid vehicle. You'd probably need a PhD in computing (to start with) and a toolkit no-one would recognise any more.

Other aspects of modern vehicles worry me too - EV's for example. Flatten the battery (or brick the software) and the ONLY thing you can do is get LIFTED - you can't even tow! These new vehicles had better be reliable!

Yes, you are right. I bought the service package I won't put a spanner on it. Quite frankly all modern cars are too complex and
that is why I sell after three while there is warranty and a good residual. There is not an ideal solution any way you play it.

DWD

I moved over to a Toyota hybrid 2 years ago, spends 90% of its life around town currently doing 55-60 mpg the colder weather does have an effect on the battery pack - warmer months I get 65-75mpg i have seen it peak at 86mpg