Skoda Bob - if I could buy a diesel I'd buy a 1.6 Honda CRV in a shot.
But my daily commute is 7 miles each way in and out of Leicester in stop start traffic. I would hit DPF and EGR issues before too long, I rarely see a dual carriageway to allow a diesel to regenerate....
A diesel only makes sense for those using motorways every day, hybrids or EV's are the way to go for low mileage urban commuters.
I get 62 mpg average from our gen2 2007 Prius on my commute, my dad gets into the 70's with his Yaris hybrid and has had over 80 on certain journeys. A diesel would not touch them for mpg in town.
My situation is complicated by camping, I need a hybrid that is large and can tow a few times a year.....
Thanks Warren - that is really useful to know. I could live with 50mpg easily - what kind of driving are you doing to get that figure - mainly urban or longer runs?
I actually test drove a RAV4 hybrid last Jan when they came out, it was minus something degrees and snowy. The car only had a handful of miles on the clock. I only got 29mpg in the hour or so I had it.
I have heard they take some running in, and the weather was poor, but that MPG has stuck with me.
Perhaps I need to book another test drive.
Is yours 2WD or 4WD? The test car was an Excel 4WD....
Mine is a awd Excel with TSS. Normal extra urban driving, I am light with my feet and having driven a Prius before, I know all the little tricks to get the best out of the hybrid system.
You have to go for the AWD as the 2wd can't tow anything over 750kg.
Thanks Warren. I'd only be towing a camping trailer - Brenderup 1150s with extension sides and ABS lid - the max load weight for it is 450kg. It is unbraked.
I'm therefore weighing up whether 2WD would be ok. We have a Prius so I think I could eek out good mpg too
Posted a question on Honest John today about the RAV and John thought the 2WD plus all weather tyres, eg crossclimates, would be fine in lieu of AWD on grass.