It was a novel and unlikely to be repeated experience…The Bus
Loan Cars
- Thread starter Wyld Stallyn
- Start date
My latest loan was a Formentor V2 eHybrid 204 DSG which I'm very thankful to have experienced.
I feel the Formentor as a PHEV is a far more conflicted vehicle than the 310. The 47mpg over the last 1000mi just isn't that impressive to me having done 60mpg with a Honda hybrid that you never plug-in.
Being completely used to the VZ2, the most immediate difference is the brake feel - it's super sensitive yet super soft under foot, requiring a feather touch.
Frankly the extra complexity attached to the drivetrain is not beneficial either; I've already experienced the gearbox lunging forward with a thud as I come to a stop.
For a 2023 build it's also got a nasty suspension squeak on the nearside front. The power steering is even lighter on the eHybrid which was surprise to me, likely also due to reduced caster angle on non-VZ rack.
The principle problem with PHEV though is that it's not self sustaining clearly. It will never gain it's charge level back while driving efficiently with the engine power, thus there is no reward in doing so, and electricity becomes just a another fuel to top up. Responsiveness with the electric motor is the main benefit over the 310, but it's not EV instant. The front wheel drive is easily overwhelmed and doesn't put the power down without a controlled throttle, whereas the 4Speed advantage is vital from a standstill. The Cupra Born makes a better case for this instant power delivery being something fun as it's RWD.
Sorry to turn this into a mini review.
I feel the Formentor as a PHEV is a far more conflicted vehicle than the 310. The 47mpg over the last 1000mi just isn't that impressive to me having done 60mpg with a Honda hybrid that you never plug-in.
Being completely used to the VZ2, the most immediate difference is the brake feel - it's super sensitive yet super soft under foot, requiring a feather touch.
Frankly the extra complexity attached to the drivetrain is not beneficial either; I've already experienced the gearbox lunging forward with a thud as I come to a stop.
For a 2023 build it's also got a nasty suspension squeak on the nearside front. The power steering is even lighter on the eHybrid which was surprise to me, likely also due to reduced caster angle on non-VZ rack.
The principle problem with PHEV though is that it's not self sustaining clearly. It will never gain it's charge level back while driving efficiently with the engine power, thus there is no reward in doing so, and electricity becomes just a another fuel to top up. Responsiveness with the electric motor is the main benefit over the 310, but it's not EV instant. The front wheel drive is easily overwhelmed and doesn't put the power down without a controlled throttle, whereas the 4Speed advantage is vital from a standstill. The Cupra Born makes a better case for this instant power delivery being something fun as it's RWD.
Sorry to turn this into a mini review.
Good job you didn’t get a hybrid then…
I would imagine the brake feel is a function of being hybrid rather than V/VZ as it’s using regen at higher speeds before transitioning to mechanical braking at low speed. Wouldn’t call them sensitive or soft, with the loan Arona I had I almost went through the windscreen at the first brake application!
Never known my car (245 hybrid) lunging forward coming to a stop.
A PHEV isn’t supposed to be self sustaining - unless you live somewhere hilly, I almost managed on holiday in Devon a couple of years ago. It will slowly charge the battery via regen, or at lower speeds with spare engine power, but I’ve always left it to sort itself out rather than try to get the charge to a significant amount before deploying it. You can set the engine to charge the battery but thats self defeating as it uses more petrol to do so.
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