Featured Hyundai IONIQ - Prius competitor?

I think car manufaturers are much like teachers here. Teachers her "teach to the test" instead

What you said is true for the US currently. European (& Australian) tests are more unrealistic, if I am not mistaken.
Alan is in Australia.

 

Car fuel economy ratings don't pass the test
Australia uses the european NEDC standard, which NEDC claims is international. It hasn't been changed since 1997 and really does not replicate anything like the modern drive cycle anywhere in the world. Besides the cheating and ease of designing cars to look good on the test, NEDC makes hybrids seem more efficient than they are, and diesels less. It also makes diesels look like they pollute less than they do. Having bad tests and increasing strict requirements will only cause more future discrepancies. The Japanese tests are even worse. The EPA test in the US was based on how people drove in LA in the 1940s, in other words nothing like the way people drive in australia or even america today. EPA has added tests for higher speeds, cold weather, and hot weather to the ancient drive cycles for the 2008 model year. They again modifying how to do the 5 cycle testing and use it to calculate fuel economy for the 2017 model year. This is probably the best test from any country, but it still has its problems. IMHO the idea to do 5 tests then use them to calculate numbers for different countries/environments, makes a lot of sense. The driving profiles of the cycles still needs to be worked on so mathematical fudge factors play a smaller role in determining the window sticker.


There are proposals to make a world test that 62 countries would use that is better than NEDC. This will apply in europe for the 2019 model year. The problem? Japan and India driving cycles are extremely different than those say in australia or germany, and the new proposed test still has unrealistic expectations for slow acceleration and cold weather driving. Still, I would bet the 4 cycles tested here could be used with different math to get a more realistic number for australia.
WLTP: discrepancy between laboratory and on-road performance | WLTPfacts.eu

 

With those limitations, I'd say it was practically useless.

 

Agree, our HSD batteries are under 10 yr warranty in Europe, if serviced/tested at Toyota dealers. Fair enough.

 

In addition to the lifetime warranty, the Ioniq pack will also be covered by the federal 8yr/100k mile emission warranty or CARB 10yr/150k mile one.

 

Yep - & CARB states are 10yr 150K miles. That still doesn't say how much capacity loss has to take place, in order to give rise to a warranty claim . That's why Honda Insight owners had to file a class action. Honda simply intimated drivers were driving worse.
.

 

Known of the major manufacturers have been perfect in regards to warranties. Toyota denied their engine design wasn't to blame for oil sludge at first.

 

at least with toyota, you don't have to wait a lifetime to find out you're not covered.

 

You just to get a lawyer to have them cover something that should be.

 

Neither worsening mpg nor sludge will kill you though.
Death toll for GM ignition switch: 124 - Dec. 10, 2015
.

 

That was a major ef-up by an engineer. The part was fixed, but kept the same part number.

Though any car shutting off unexpectedly could lead to a crash and death, and the Prius was recalled recalled over an unexpected shutdown.

Companies are controlled by people trying to make a buck. Sometimes they purposely cheat and break laws, like VW did, in pursuit of that goal. But since those running things are human, I expect most are just mistakes, whose fall out might be made worse by the humans hoping they didn't make a mistake. The sludging engines was because something figured they could save some money by reducing the number of coolant channels in the block, and they probably thought the block would still get enough cooling.

 

autoexpress.co.uk did a test of the Ioniq plugin premium SE vs Prius plugin business edition

it was close on everything except media unit and one other thing i can't remember where the Ioniq narrowly beat the prius in their opinion

they said it was one of the closes fights they have had when I had a look in the supermarket

give it a week and the article will be available online

 

That may be so, but the auto mag hacks seldom have the nous to understand the Prius and can't be arsed to learn how it works and should be driven. With their cut and paste reportage they still broadcast rubbish such as the B Mode engaging engine braking instead of having to use the brakes. I have not read any that can be trusted with accurately reporting the unconventional models like the Prius.

 

@RCO I know what you mean, you have to ignore the rubbish and try and work out from the rest of the text you own opinion

mine is they are very close and it will come down to personal preference for the transmission and interior

performance, economy, interior space and basic aero shape are very similar

will have to have another look at the article next time i am in the supermarket

 

You're right, but what if they're making similar mistakes about the Ioniq?

 

They're both Asian hybrids, so I would assume they will get more or less the same (unfairly negative) treatment from reviewers.

Off the top of my head the only thing that may cause them to favor one is that these alleged professionals generally prefer the "feel" of traditional transmissions so they will skew against CVT.

 

Well, it is an automated 6 speed dual clutch manual. I believe you can also paddle shift these sequentially... sequentially like a motor cycle.
Dual clutch seems pretty high tech to me. Also, their Direct Injection... IF they aren't one of the many that get dirty intake valves and/or injectors. My daughter has a 2016 PHEV Sonata with those things. No engine troubles yet, but she had her car in the shop for 30 days waiting for a new traction battery!!! I guess they don't stock parts here! (Ford also uses direct injection, but the tranny is more Prius like).
Handsome is as handsome does. I am waiting for real world US results from the Ioniq PHEV. Remember Ford's C-max sounded real good on paper, 'til REAL WORLD results started coming in! At least now, the C-max on paper sounds more like real life. 42/39 I think. The were quoting 48 their 1st year, and most folks were getting 39 in real life. In the Lexus I4 IS250 has the dirt buildup prob, while their V6 IS330 doesn't. I think that the diff is the V6 has both port injection AND direct injection, which it uses when each gives better power or economy results. The side effect (I think) is that the port injectors keep the intake valves cleaner. I know this is a bit far afield, but this is where low/high tech took me.

 

Dual clutch is newer tech to everyperson models, but they've been around for years in luxury and performance cars available in elsewhere. The costs are dropping on them.

Direct injection should be better in terms of build up than past versions; better control of injection timing. The new Camry has the dual port and direct system on both its engines, but this is more to reduce particle emissions. DI engines might need exhaust filters in Europe soon.

Is the Ioniq PHEV even for sale yet?

 

Not last time I checked
.

 

I have a less technical question. One of the things I don't like about my Generation III Prius is that the visibility for the driver seems restricted to me. I have heard that the Generation IV Prius is superior in this regard, but that the Ioniq might even have less visibility for the driver than even Generation III, let alone Generation IV. Do any of you have any comments about this? My vision is not 20/20, so I need all the help I can get.