Choice of e-HYBRID or eTSI

kosymodo

Active Member
Jun 10, 2012
75
5
Warminster
After 9 years without a Leon (MK1 Cupra written off in 2012), I'm now contemplating getting a MK4 lease. Currently weighing up my options between a 1.5 eTSI DSG 150 FR and a 1.4 e-HYBRID DSG FR. Lease costs are broadly similar.

My work commute is around 15 miles. Therefore, let's say 30 miles per day.

According to reviews etc, the e-HYBRID has 30-40 mile electric range on a full charge, and a full charge is around 6hrs at a cost of approx. £3-£4. Therefore, for ease of thinking, 10p a mile.

Assuming the eTSI runs at 50mpg and fuel is £1.20/ltr (£5.46/gallon) this is 11p a mile.

On this basis, there's no real cost saving of running the e-HYBRID over the eTSI? Or am I missing something vital?

Also, what are the real life implications of choosing a 6-speed DSG in the e-HYBRID over a 7-speed DSG in the eTSI? My ignorant brain simply thinks that 7 gears are better than 6 gears, but if there's no real difference day-to-day, then maybe I'm overthinking things!
 

corbu33

Active Member
Oct 24, 2020
116
17
E-Hybrid = 204BHP + independent suspension + triple engine personality :) ... I choose easily the E-Hybrid (plus in my country the FR Hybrid is better equipped than eTSI FR but that's countries probably).
 

corbu33

Active Member
Oct 24, 2020
116
17
E-Hybrid = 204BHP + independent suspension + triple engine personality :) ... I choose easily the E-Hybrid (plus in my country the FR Hybrid is better equipped than eTSI FR but that's countries probably).
Regarding DSG the 7speed I think is the dry clutch the Hybrid clutch is a wet clutch and works flawlessly since around 2015... but yes 7 should be better than 6 in terms of fuel consumption. But in your case you can commute daily with charging at home or at work if it is available.
 

BoomerBoom

Active Member
Jun 1, 2018
690
249
Choosing a hybrid makes no sense, to me anyway, you only get some of the advantages that pure electric or pure petrol driven give - but with many more compromises thrown in.

Looking at some of issues that have since emerged with other manufacturer's hybrid models then I'm waiting until they make pure electric a no brainer for the majority before I switch away from petrol.
 
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kosymodo

Active Member
Jun 10, 2012
75
5
Warminster
Choosing a hybrid makes no sense, to me anyway, you only get some of the advantages that pure electric or pure petrol driven give - but with many more compromises thrown in.

Looking at some of issues that have since emerged with other manufacturer's hybrid models then I'm waiting until they make pure electric a no brainer for the majority before I switch away from petrol.
Yeah I tend to agree. The cost saving just isn't there for a personal customer, but I admit that for a business customer the BIK savings are attractive
 

Jimbobcook

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Nov 24, 2012
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Personally if you're getting a hatch, make sure you can deal without the boot space if you get the hatch version. Also with regards to how far you can drive off the battery on the E-Hybrid isn't 30-40 from what I found, I could get 30 tops, both times I charged it I would get 25 miles with a potential 2 extra if I drove even nicer but admittedly I used the battery for town driving only so stop start and not for longer journeys.

The power of the E-Hybrid is delivered much better than the 1.5 eTSI and a lot quieter from what the trips I did, I tried normal daily driving on mixture of roads for 60 miles and got 47mpg so you're figures are possible but depends on your route and road type etc.

If you could get the estate i'd go for the E-Hybrid as boot space isn't much of an issue (big thing for me)

And also as mentioned above the E-Hybrid FR I had was much better equipped than the eTSI FR.

I'm never quite sure how batteries will cope in the future with constant charging, they must degrade like phone batteries over a few years... So the smaller battery cars like the E-Hybrid will drop in distance (one assumes)
 
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kosymodo

Active Member
Jun 10, 2012
75
5
Warminster
Personally if you're getting a hatch, make sure you can deal without the boot space if you get the hatch version. Also with regards to how far you can drive off the battery on the E-Hybrid isn't 30-40 from what I found, I could get 30 tops, both times I charged it I would get 25 miles with a potential 2 extra if I drove even nicer but admittedly I used the battery for town driving only so stop start and not for longer journeys.

The power of the E-Hybrid is delivered much better than the 1.5 eTSI and a lot quieter from what the trips I did, I tried normal daily driving on mixture of roads for 60 miles and got 47mpg so you're figures are possible but depends on your route and road type etc.

If you could get the estate i'd go for the E-Hybrid as boot space isn't much of an issue (big thing for me)

And also as mentioned above the E-Hybrid FR I had was much better equipped than the eTSI FR.

I'm never quite sure how batteries will cope in the future with constant charging, they must degrade like phone batteries over a few years... So the smaller battery cars like the E-Hybrid will drop in distance (one assumes)
Thanks @Jimbobcook

I can't understand the comments re an e-HYBRID FR being better equipped than an eTSI FR, as, looking at the brochure, there is no difference in spec at all (apart from the inclusion of a charging cable with the e-HYBRID of course!) The only way in which I can rationalise that being possible was if the eTSI was an FR, and the e-HYBRID was an FR First Edition. However, I appreciate that it's not just your review that states this, I'm sure I've read the same elsewhere.
 

Jimbobcook

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Nov 24, 2012
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Thanks @Jimbobcook

I can't understand the comments re an e-HYBRID FR being better equipped than an eTSI FR, as, looking at the brochure, there is no difference in spec at all (apart from the inclusion of a charging cable with the e-HYBRID of course!) The only way in which I can rationalise that being possible was if the eTSI was an FR, and the e-HYBRID was an FR First Edition. However, I appreciate that it's not just your review that states this, I'm sure I've read the same elsewhere.
My review was the First Edition you're correct my bad, it's been many sleeps since then haha

On the release I got for both cars I can confirm they are pretty much identical in the FR spec section bar some wording of some.
 
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kosymodo

Active Member
Jun 10, 2012
75
5
Warminster
My review was the First Edition you're correct my bad, it's been many sleeps since then haha

On the release I got for both cars I can confirm they are pretty much identical in the FR spec section bar some wording of some.
Actually, to be fair, your review does state it was a First Edition! I think it all comes down to the fact the specs types are so similar sounding...FR and FR First Edition. They could have made life easier for us all and differentiated the names a bit more :D
 
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Jimbobcook

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Actually, to be fair, your review does state it was a First Edition! I think it all comes down to the fact the specs types are so similar sounding...FR and FR First Edition. They could have made life easier for us all and differentiated the names a bit more :D
It's a shame as the First edition does have a fair bump up in tech. In the end it's all down to driving both I imagine and finding out which you prefer to drive... MPG is mainly going off other people with different roads and traffic so it could be better or worse but you won't know until you have it for a while I guess.

Does the space loss of the boot annoy you enough as I do feel the battery only round town is a winner and there's no getting oil up to temp before joining a fast road and needing to boot it on battery power. But then I think 25-30 miles on battery doesn't get people far so it's probably mainly used for long journeys for that extra mpg as well.

Are you able to test drive both engines at a local dealership as the interior is the same bar the boot space.
 

kosymodo

Active Member
Jun 10, 2012
75
5
Warminster
It's a shame as the First edition does have a fair bump up in tech. In the end it's all down to driving both I imagine and finding out which you prefer to drive... MPG is mainly going off other people with different roads and traffic so it could be better or worse but you won't know until you have it for a while I guess.

Does the space loss of the boot annoy you enough as I do feel the battery only round town is a winner and there's no getting oil up to temp before joining a fast road and needing to boot it on battery power. But then I think 25-30 miles on battery doesn't get people far so it's probably mainly used for long journeys for that extra mpg as well.

Are you able to test drive both engines at a local dealership as the interior is the same bar the boot space.
Test drive??? I went to a dealership last weekend, and wasn't even allowed to open the doors of a car to look inside! The sales guy said that if I wanted to buy a car, but was concerned about buying without having looked inside, sat in, nor driven the car, I would have 14 days from collection to hand it back, no questions asked. All seemed a bit odd to me...
 

corbu33

Active Member
Oct 24, 2020
116
17
I think that sales guy is a retard... I test drove 3 models, each for around 2hours, alone in the car... with all the measures in place.

So in MY country FR Hybrid differs from FR normal. (check out seat.ro). And I got the estate version to solve the boot space issues... I will get it next week.
 
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kosymodo

Active Member
Jun 10, 2012
75
5
Warminster
I think that sales guy is a retard... I test drove 3 models, each for around 2hours, alone in the car... with all the measures in place.

So in MY country FR Hybrid differs from FR normal. (check out seat.ro). And I got the estate version to solve the boot space issues... I will get it next week.
This is the UK...enough said! ;)
 

vc-10

Active Member
Mar 29, 2016
330
112
Worth pointing out that £3-4 for a charge is a little excessive- if your electricity cost is 16.5p/kWh which is about what mine is, then it would cost you £2.15 to fill from empty.

It really depends on what sort of driving you do. You won't be getting 50mpg if you're doing all your driving in stop-start city traffic, but that's where the e-Hybrid shines. If most of your driving is on the motorway, then the TSI will be more cost effective.

Personally... I'm planning an ID.3!
 
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