Hybrid Drive Experience - ICE/EV Transition Annoying?

[fbov]

... It's just a different driving experience than a ICE powered only vehicle.

Indeed!

It's nowhere near as boring when driving alone; the Hybrid Game gives you something to do in addition to listening to the radio and watching the scenery go by.

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[LucasRavenhorn]

I am new to the hybrid world, but like the idea of the good MPG. I went ahead and test drove a 2016 Rav4 hybrid and the transition from battery to engine power was very noticeable. The engine turned off and on and I could hear/feel when this happened. Overall, I found this to be pretty annoying. Is this just part of the experience of driving a hybrid, or is there a way that the transition between the two power modes can be made more seamless, for example by the engine always being on?

I bought a 2013 CMax in 2015. Test drove that and a new Prius. There was a very noticeable difference between electric/gas in the Prius. The CMax was seamless. The only way I knew the gas engine was on was the display unless I had the radio off and it wasn’t raining). Put over 100k miles on it with no issues. In my opinion, Ford’s hybrid system is superior to to Toyota.

 

[FordHybrid]

We have a 2018 KIA Niro Hybrid we will be trading it in for the Maverick Hybrid when it ia delivered. It has been seamless in its transition from electric to ICE. In the almost 4 yrs we have had it, we have averaged 46 mpg. This figure is based on numbers at filling at the pump and miles covered. I am suspecting the Maverick will be even smoother in that it uses an eCVT.

 

[Flomounier1]

As a valet driver, the Maverick is by far the least noticeable transition (Maybe with the exception of the Lexus ES300H). Priuses are the worst.

 

[troynm]

I am new to the hybrid world, but like the idea of the good MPG. I went ahead and test drove a 2016 Rav4 hybrid and the transition from battery to engine power was very noticeable. The engine turned off and on and I could hear/feel when this happened. Overall, I found this to be pretty annoying. Is this just part of the experience of driving a hybrid, or is there a way that the transition between the two power modes can be made more seamless, for example by the engine always being on?

It's very seldom I can tell when it switches from electric to gas or gas to electric. Mainly on initial start the electric is on but shortly after starting and sitting in the driveway waiting for the garage door to close I will feel the gas kick on to provide heating or whatever. While driving I never know what mode I'm in unless I look at the gauges. The only other time I notice it is accelerating from a stop. While driving yesterday I was thinking (and amazed) how seamless and unobtrusive the switch between power modes was.

 

[g1zstar]

For me, definitely can tell when it switches from pure electric to hybrid and back. Not annoying or anything but it is noticeable. Even when I have music playing loudly can notice the transition about half the time.

 

[OTACORB]

I find when that Atkinson 2.5 liter is cold she is noisy when it cranks up. But after she warms up then the transition between electric and hybrid is pretty seamless. I notice it mostly early in the AM when I am heading out. But it could be because I am not jamming at 6 am in the morning too.

So far my experience with the Hybrid system has been great! Glad I went this route.

 

[ffoc01]

Ford's hybrid transitions have been a major selling point since the Gen II was introduced for 2010. Read any comparison test between a Ford and a comparable Toyota hybrid, the Ford's are much smoother. The gas/hybrid transition in my 2013 CMax is almost impossible to detect if you're not looking for it. If not for the gauge cluster, there'd be times that I'd have no idea.

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