Featured Hyundai IONIQ - Prius competitor?

mine is now booked in for an investigation on the DCT, not sure if its a firmware or clutch issue

24,000 miles, some slow gear changes 5th to 4th so they want to have my car for a week to investigate as first one showing the issue

I know the reliability / life of the DCT clutches was one item that concerned some who looked at the Ioniq as the DCT vs CVT in many respects is the biggest difference between the Prius and Ioniq

 

Thats a bummer! Hopefully everything works out.

Yes, the relative complexity of the DCT vs Toyota's HSD is a major concern for me.

 

Oh oh ...

 

Has there been a change in regular mileage?

Bob Wilson

 

no it was a issue I logged at last service just not had time to schedule it in as the want the car for a week, I will get a loaner ix20 (CUV) for a week while they work it out

 

I noticed a number of news articles citing the SEMA, 80 MPG Ioniq and it reminded me of a problem in engineering called, 'Managing user expectations.' It comes from engineers over promising the performance of a system whose nominal performance was something less. So the user becomes bitterly disappointed with they don't get what they thought was promised.

This not your problem nor mine but it reveals a potential problem for future Ioniq buyers. They see this "80 MPG" claim and ignore the reality of it being a SEMA special build. But this is not uncommon.

There are mileage drivers, at least a couple, who hire themselves out to do driving stunts and achieve exceptional mileage. These are then published hoping to fool the unwary that it might be a 'stunt' and not normal operation.

I have enjoyed your attention to detail and keeping things 'real.' But publishing inflated mileage claims, not your fault, sadly does no good.

Bob Wilson

 

You mean our 2004 Prius won't really do 130mph ?!?

Landspeed Prius Races Across Bonneville Salt Flats - Motor Trend News
I've been hoodwinked !

Unfortunately all the manufacturers like to say a lot - though it doesn't really happen for the most part.
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@bwilson4web 's can do over 130 mpg is that close enough?

 

Even published Urban/Highway/Avg l/100 (MPG) figures need interpreting. There are regularly complaints here in Australia by some people saying that the published figures are purely fictional. But I think the problem is that there aren't many drivers who drive the way the test is conducted. There are some people who can and will get close to the published figures - but I doubt if they would all the time unless they're very patient consistent drivers.

BUT what the published figures do give is some comparison between different cars and different types of cars. If for instance, I consistently used 44% more fuel in say my VOLVO's published figure, I'd expect that in my next FORD, I'd likely use a similar "surcharge" over the published figure.

But, there are some types of cars which can more easily do substantially worse than the published figure. My experience with a small car is that if loaded with luggage and 4 or 5 passengers, it tends to need pushing harder and achieve much worse economy than a larger car with a V8 engine loaded to the same extent, which will cruise more effortlessly.

My 2 Diesel hatches were the closest I ever got to achieving the manufacturer's published fuel use figures (5% more/4% less), with the PRIUS, I'm nowhere near (20% more).

 

Hyundai has a much better warranty than Toyota. "The Lifetime Hybrid/Electric Battery Warranty applies to all U.S. 2017 model-year Ioniq Hybrids. The Lifetime Hybrid/Electric Battery Warranty ensures that if the lithium-ion polymer battery fails, Hyundai will replace the battery and cover recycling costs for the old battery free of charge to the original owner. The Lifetime Hybrid/Electric Battery Warranty does not apply to lease, commercial vehicles or vehicles serviced outside the U.S. Original Owner only. Warranty is non-transferable and not valid on exported vehicles."

 

Let me guess what the trick is with a lifetime Hybrid battery warranty. For one, it's just to the original owner? 2, how do you know you have a warranty claim. What if gas mpg is just not as efficient. How do they measure worsening gas mileage? Do they measure overall pack resistance? How much worse can total capacity get? Or is partial failure where their wiggle room begins? Unlimited doesn't mean zero capacity loss for unlimited time iow. Or is Hyundai really telling its customers, "buy our hybrid car at age 18, & it'll still be running when you're 118" . I'd love to see the boiler plate on that warranty.
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it's the only way they have been able to sell cars.

 

Well that explains my test drive failure. Instead of driving the car, I should have just read the warranty.

Bob Wilson

 

sounds like you're gonna need it.

 

I'm amazed by the number of friends who just go on Manufacturer's websites, and choose a car - actually believing what they read. Yes, some good information like service costs etc - test drive only one and buy it. My Dad did that several times.

One friend who had a 20yr old TOYOTA HiLux appeared with a brand new HiLux recently (bit like your Tacoma I think). In discussions about why he bought that particular car, he said "the last one never let me down so I got another" - without looking at the alternatives.

 

We had that here as the Toyota pickup. It got replaced by the Tacoma that has now grown to approach the size of my 2000 Tundra full size pickup truck.

 

In other words, the tests are flawed and do not simulate real-world driving conditions.

 

Or is it that that they don't make drivers who simulate the machine which tests the cars?

I think the realiti is that some cars are much more able to equal the legislated tests - i.e. my Ford FOCUS Diesel Manual which I was able to better the published result consistently by 4% over the 60,000km I owned the car.

I don't believe I drive my PRIUS harder than I did the sporty FOCUS - in fact I think I drive it more gently - but there is no way I will be able to improve from 20.4% worse to 4% better like the FOCUS.

 

Exactly. The government tests for fuel economy aren't there to show the consumer what they will get with that car, but to allow the consumer to make like to like comparisons between models.

This is only a flaw in regards to emissions, but inertia tends to keep old tests in place.

 

the NEDC test here in the EU is notorious for fictional mpg claims, the current batch of small turbo charged engines are the worst

the US EPA figures seem to be the most realistic compared to real world driving

sites like fuelly help as they show the range of real world mpg people are actually getting

the Ioniq now seems to be getting a fair number of cars on there now, see Hyundai Ioniq MPG - Actual MPG from 133 Hyundai Ioniq owners