Question about a hybrid car

[iemanja]

I want to buy a Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, but I just read that hybrids aren't good for low mileage drivers. I'm wondering if people here have experience with hybrids and if any of you drive less than the average mileage. I posted in the environment group, and a couple of Prius owners said they only put low miles on their cars and haven't had any problems. This car has the same engine as the Prius.

I like the Cross Hybrid because it has AWD, 8 inches of clearance, and should be good for the snow. I drove a Suburu Crosstrek and didn't like it as well. I was particularly concerned with the blind spots in the car, which lacks good visibility. I do like that it is continual vs. on demand AWD.

So I'm wondering what people here think about my getting a hybrid, or if I should just look for a regular internal combustion engine car (the Corolla Cross without the Hybrid doesn't have much power). I like the fact the Corolla Cross isn't too big. I need a good car for the snow, but I don't want a full or even compact SUV. A Rav-4, for example, is bigger than I want.

I'd be interested in any advice people here have.

[MLAA]

1. I have a Lexus hybrid. I've had it about 2.5 years and I barely drive 2000 miles a year.

I’ve never had a problem. 🙂

[iemanja]

2. Good to know!

Thank you!

[DFW]

3. My wife drives a hybrid and is very happy with it

It’s a locally made car (we live in Germany), a BMW 530 station wagon. Her mom, 97, lives almost 300 km away in a tiny town up north that has no public transportation. So, she drives up there and back at least twice a month to look after Mama, and bring her stuff. Once a social worker, always a social worker.

[iemanja]

7. Sounds like she puts in significant mileage then.

I tend to tool around the city. Every so often I drive out to the suburbs to see my siblings or to go to the mall, but I don't put many miles on my car.

[DFW]

11. She has no choice.

Her mom is from that village. She still lives in her own house, and she would die in a week if she were forcibly removed.

She reminds me of my own grandfather, who took care of his mom in much the same way until he was 77. He still lived another 25 years, too.

[CanonRay]

4. I have a Prius Prime and am a low mileage driver

I mostly run errands around town and am seldom over 25 miles a day. Therefore I use zero gas most days. I filled up in early August I think, and it's still full. Since purchase in January 2020 I average 129.5 miles per gallon. That includes three road trips (one of 4000 miles). We don't get snow, so the Corolla Cross should be better for you.

[MNWild]

5. EV is a great solution for low mileage drivers?

Have you considered an EV or PHEV, (electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle)? I've owned both, and they get me everywhere I need to go in MN in the winter.

[iemanja]

8. AWD Evs are out of my price range

Plus I worry about having to rewire my garage, which would be another significant expense. It's either a hybrid or internal combustion engine.

Additionally, I don't know of a subcompact SUV that's an EV. Do you? Subcompacts are really wagon-size with AWD and high clearance.

[Lulu KC]

17. I could do my spiel

About how much easier it is to have an EV than I ever imagined and how cheap and reliable they are used, but I’ll refrain. I was so wary of them and my Leaf is the best car of my life. But I love the Prius, too! Solid as a rock!

[Tadpole Raisin]

6. Not a car enthusiast but I have wanted a hybrid for awhile now and what I heard

Is there is a concern about battery ‘self discharge.’ Something about the car needing to go through regular charge and discharge cycles. What I couldn’t find out is what the time frame was that was acceptable to sit unused - a week, a month?

I know recommendations vary from car to car but I did read some stories of people complaining about their hybrid not starting (don’t remember if the problem was associated with a specific manufacturer or a particular model year, or even certain - probably northern - climates). Then my life changed and getting a newer car was put on the back burner and so did my research, which I was doing a couple of years ago.

[iemanja]

10. Yes, it has to do with the battery charging

I'm unlikely to let it sit a whole week though, and certainly not a month. I've emailed the salesman to ask if I can monitor the battery on the display panel, so I might take it out for a longer drive if it gets low. I've yet to hear back from him. I think he's off today.

The battery does have a 10 yr warranty, so that's good.
Toyota is meant to make the best hybrids.

[Tadpole Raisin]

13. Yah I'd want a Toyota! I love them.... I believe the cars have the hybrid battery AND a regular battery.

I wonder if it would be the regular one that has the discharge problem.

I currently have a Honda Fit which has the smallest pain-in-the-ass battery (no standard replacement size) in the friggin world. If you sit in that car and have the radio going for even a few minutes when the car is off you will be lucky if it starts. I was willing to put a larger battery in there but everything is so tight it wouldn’t fit.

If that is the case with a hybrid (since it wouldn’t need great cranking power) I’d at least want to know there were options for a stronger battery that could replace it.

Either way I’m jealous of your pending purchase.
Good luck and enjoy!!

[mahina]

28. I have a Prius with 160,000 miles on it, it's 19 years old. Here's what I've learned.

My mechanic who with his brother created the Toyota hybrid repair team in Honolulu before they went independant tells me you have to completely cycle the battery at least two or three times a week if you wanted to last. I personally have replaced this battery three times- that’s not terrible for how many miles it has. It’s the best car I’ve ever had and if the paint wasn’t going, I wouldn’t even be thinking about changing over, but it cost a fortune to paint a car and I don’t love driving around in a shabby looking car. I might just paint it and keep it, still deciding.

Anyway, the bottom line is if you’re a low mileage driver for a while it will be fine, but you’re going be replacing that hybrid battery sooner than you expect and it costs @3k. Also stay away from 3rd gen Priii. Also, don’t buy anything until they’ve made a million of them.

The next thing that goes as the brake actuator and that cost several thousand dollars too. If I remember correctly. For this reason, and because of not needing to do oil changes and because of the reduced CO2 footprint, once I get solar on the roof, I do plan to get a plug-in. The only difficulty with that is that in Hawaii the power goes out semi regularly, sometimes for a long time after bad storms.

My .02 fwiw.

[Lulu KC]

9. Hello again

I responded to the other post about low mileage not being a problem for our two cars, but now you’re making me want the Corolla Cross Hybrid! Maybe we’ll give the Prius to our daughter. I like the snow features. I still miss our Forester, which had terrible mileage but was such a great snow car.

[iemanja]

12. Hey, that's cool

Just be aware that it's hard to get your hands on one of these Corolla Cross Hybrids. You basically have to reserve them as soon as they appear on the dealer's website, or if you have a salesperson call you when they see their bimonthly allocations, that's even better. Only the XSE trim comes with heated seats.

I was going to wait for the 2025 model because it will have a 360 degree camera, a heated steering wheel, and a larger display.
I'm told Toyota will start production on them in November.

[captain queeg]

14. Hybrids get better mileage in town than in the city. You probably already know that.

I’ll keep an eye on this post. I’m going to have to get a new car soon and I was looking at that Corolla hybrid myself.

[piddyprints]

15. I have a Toyota Sienna AWD Hybrid and love it.

No, I LOVE IT! I don't drive every day and usually just around town. It's the most comfortable car we have and the one we take to Asheville for day trips about once a month. Well, that won't be happening for a while now. I'll just be going to my doc appointments and grocery store. I get over 37mpg, which is insane for such a roomy (big?) car.

One of the options on the instrument panel is that you can see where the power is going (front/back wheels), and if it's on battery or gas or charging. Even though it's my car, my husband kept changing it to that display, so I left it there. I'm guessing the Corolla has the same thing.

Have I mentioned that I LOVE this car? We had a 2005 Sienna until earlier this year. That was my all time favorite car and I sold it to a good friend who absolutely loves it. Don't tell it that I love the new Sienna more.


I briefly had a Honda Accord Hybrid. It was ok, but I didn't love it. That did get stranded in my garage when the starter battery died. The starter battery is not the same as the hybrid battery, so it's something you can buy anywhere. Still, it was sort of disappointing, especially since the emergency key didn't work and we had to call AAA to unlock it for us.

Can't wait to see pics of your new Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid!

[iemanja]

16. Can you see the level of battery charge on the instrument panel?

The percentage, for example?

[piddyprints]

18. Yes.

It's in a different non-configurable area. So no matter what you have displayed in the middle part, you can always see the battery percentage. My car is a 2024 and I can't speak for other years.

[iemanja]

19. Great! Thank you! nt

[iemanja]

20. Well, I decided against the hybrid

Between the expense--a real stretch for me--and the fact mechanics don't recommend hybrids for low mileage drivers, I ended up getting a different car. Evidently the battery can not only lose its charge but fill up with sludge if not driven long enough distances. I do a lot of short errands, and not every day.

Today I signed the paperwork to purchase a 2023 Mazda cx-30 premium with 4k miles. I got a great deal, about $11-12K less than the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid. I won't have such a large car payment, and from what I'm told it better suits my driving habits. Also it has continuous AWD, 8 inches of ground clearance, lots of safety features, leather seats, Bose Audio, and is really a lot of car for the money. I'm really excited about it. It's a beautiful shade of red.

Here's what it looks like:

Sorry to disappoint the environmentalists. My thought was making myself drive more to look after the hybrid would defeat the purpose and end up using more gas anyway.

[Emile]

21. What kind of mileage you get with your Mazda cx-30 ?

[iemanja]

22. 30 combined.

I do love the car.

[Emile]

23. That's pretty good 👍.

[Exp]

24. Your insurance will cost a lot less, too.

We just bought a 2024 RAV4 SE, but wow, insurance is $1,750 per year.

[iemanja]

25. Mine's about $15 moth less than the hybrid would have been. nt

[pandr32]

26. We have a hybrid truck--Maverick.

Love, love. love it!
We average about 50mpg and months we don't drive much we still get the same.

[Wonder Why]

27. 2 hybrids. 12 y/o Prius and 16 y/o Camry. Would I do it again knowing how few miles

in total I have on them? Yes, absolutely, if the clock were rolled back. Now they will be replaced by PHEV and EV when they are replaced.

[Scrivener7]

29. 2015 Lexus hybrid. Haven't hit 50k miles yet.

No problems at all. Best car I ever had.

[louslobbs]

30. My Lexus Hybrid was purchased new February 2020. It now has 4,120 miles on the odometer.

Not one single problem with the vehicle and I’m still in love with it!

The vehicle make and model:
2020 Lexus RX 450h F Sport

[hot2na]

31. Go for a Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)

I have a Chevy Volt since 2019. I have driven 40,000 miles. Only 3800 miles of that are gas miles. This means that I have driven 3800 gas miles over the last 5.5 years (690 gas miles per year).

Sure, the 36,200 miles of electric are not free but they are a fraction of the cost of gas miles. Aside from the benefit of not handing money to big oil every week, I love it that I only have to get gas a couple times each year.

Im retired so I dont commute. 91% of my driving is within the electric range.

[Homoudont]

33. PHEV

I considered a PHEV but was afraid of how the transmission mated to the hybrid system. I went with EV models for in town use and I have a traditional minivan for long distance trips as well as when I have to carry more then the EV would hold.

[Homoudont]

32. Chevy Bolt VW ID.4

I own two EUV's both 2023 models. Chevy Bolt EUV and the VW ID.4 Took advantage of the $7,500 tax credit from Biden and I am satisifed with both vehicles. The Chevy is half the price of the ID.4. The ID.4 is a very nice vehicle but it isn't 2x as nice as the Chevy. If I had to do it all over again I would buy two of the Chevy Bolt EUV's. Both are great around the town and we have free charging in town. I normally just charge at home as the electricity rates in MS are dirt cheap.

[kozar]

34. I've only driven hybrids for 10 years,

My first, 2013 Ford fusion hybrid, off the lot. When hybrid was new.
7 years later, I sold that car for 8k. Never had a hitch, it had 80k miles on it, when I sold it. So many short trips.
Now I drive the Lincoln MKZ hybrid. Granted, it's the same setup as the Fusion.
I now, according, to my insurance, drive less than 9k miles last year.
Only hitch I ever had,
I got in car one morn, and nothing.
It was just a dead battery. Had to get it jumped.
I make a ton, of short trips, ( less than 10 miles, round trip)
I've never had a battery pack fail.

Koz