So after having my Prius Prime since December 2016, I have reluctantly decided I needed to trade it in. I am getting a Kia Niro PHEV. I really was hoping Toyota would add the Prime features to the Rav 4 but that doesn't seem to be in the future, not to mention the Rav Hybrid's MPG rating is pretty poor so I went to the Niro which while not perfect adds just enough features to make it a good move. I needed something to haul my Kayaks on and eventually to mount my bikes behind. I also wanted a better cargo area and a 5th seat. The final item was Android Auto which still doesn't appear to be available to the Prius folks even if I were to trade for a new one which would be crazy. I will miss the fact that on my last trip to VA I got 62 MPG over the 400-mile trip and the rather nice HUD display which I have surprisingly fallen in love with. Been fun reading the chats here over the last couple years, maybe I will be back when I get my next car if I again become a 2 car household. Enjoy your Primes.
I came from a '15 Hyundai Sonata, and while they make really nice luxurious cars with Android Auto and better implementation of autonomous driving features, Hyundai/Kia have something going on with their GDI engines. Things like engines seizing with under 100K miles on the clock, and engine fires. It's kinda a long thing to figure out, but Hyundai keeps saying it's because of this or that and limited to this or that engine, but the community believes it's simply because GDI engines don't clean the intake valves properly. You'll think it's limited to the 2.4L engine at first, but may find out they've also recalled some 1.6L engines (the Veloster). Toyota on the other hand, doesn't have pure GDI engines, they implement dual injection so that the valves are still being cleaned by gasoline. Here's just one thread to checkout, they basically issued a recall on the Sonata I had, and engines were still failing after the recall, because they don't admit and address the real problem, which is their GDI implementation doesn't work: Service Campaign 953 | Page 33 | Hyundai Forums The Niro uses a 1.6L GDI.
congrats! how was the inventory level? there's a kia nero phew thread here, maybe you can tag on with updates. that member is very happy with his. all the best!
It sounds like you already own the KIA ? If not... Subaru Crosstrek, I'm not a fan but it would have done what you needed with a full Toyota Hybrid drivetrain. 2019 Subaru Crosstrek - Hybrid | Subaru Rob43
I was seriously looking at the Kia Niro PHEV and Hyundai Ioniq PHEV while I was car shopping. Went with the Prius Prime cause of availability (I was driving a dying Honda Civic Hybrid) and the spectacular deals they were offering on the East Coast. If not, I would have definitely considered the Niro PHEV as a good option.
I did look at the Crosstrek and my friend just bought the PHEV Crosstrek. There are several issues with it. 17 Miles of EV range is too short for my daily commute and the 36 combined MPG is lower than my minimum of 42 MPG so it wasn't a good fit. I do like the vehicle though and if I become a two-car household it may become the second car as it brings AWD to the table. Although I am hopeful that the Jeep Compass PHEV Trailhawk will come to the US. A friend of mine just looked at the EV here in the area. There are a couple in the area. There was only like 10 PHEV Premium, but overall the inventory isn't bad, I wanted the high-end model for some of the features.
how much did you get for your trade in? I was reviewing the #s. the match doesn't add up does it? You lose your a$$ on these cars trading it in only to get into a higher monthly payment. considering ive only spent $700 on gas to date - bought my car in nov 2016 - it doesn't financially make sense to trade in. But cars aren't of any financial sense are they?
I got about $24k for my trade-in, I got about $7k in tax credits when I bought the car if I recall correctly (state and federal). So if that aligns correctly, then I only paid about $6k for almost 2.7 years of use, not horrible but also not great. The reality is that if not for the utility I would never have traded the car, the original plan was to have 2 cars but plans change.
Is there a minimum time of ownership requirement for the incentives? I remember past hybrid ones had 3 years. If you got rid of the car before that time, you owed the incentive amount back.
For federal, no. For state, it varies depending on the state. For my state, it's one year. I think CA is two years.
