Order now or wait for Mild Hybrid?

[Sandj]

We've test driven the T5 XC60 and liked it, a lot. Our mileage is lowish so we'd go for the petrol model.
Having decided to order a new one, we've now read about the mild hybrids being released. We're set on the xc60 and we're buying rather than pcp'ing. We are thinking would it be more sensible to wait for the release of the petrol mild hybrid.
Any advice appreciated.

[MaDProFF]

Not exactly sure what you classify as a mild hybrid? but if you live in London, and are more short journeys, then a hybrid, or full electric would be more advantageous for you especially in the long term in my opinion.

[Sandj]

I read about mild hybrid on here. It's a petrol/electric car which is not a plug in.
Due to our usage a plug in wouldn't suit. We're greater London rather than central and hardly ever drive in.
We're more concerned about depreciation, will petrol cars become less desirable like diesels?

[redbuta]

Personal opinion: No depreciation concern if hybrids still burn significant amount of petrol on the go...

BTW, driving & parking in central London could eventually cost more than depreciation. The political vision is shared autonomous ride (Waymo etc.) for city centre commuting. Private cars will be used for weekend trips - apply only to ordinary people.

Originally Posted by Sandj

I read about mild hybrid on here. It's a petrol/electric car which is not a plug in.
Due to our usage a plug in wouldn't suit. We're greater London rather than central and hardly ever drive in.
We're more concerned about depreciation, will petrol cars become less desirable like diesels?

[Ringthane]

Yes, the B4 & B5.

If you are buying new, your choice will be limited to those or the T5, if you don’t go hybrid.

As for less desirable, all fossil fuel engines will be less desirable, it just depends on what time frame you are looking at.

There are some People that think the death of diesel will be next year, and would tell you Petrol will follow soon after. They will also have forked out on a Hybrid car, sometimes at great expense. Also, that all the major cities will be banning diesel cars very soon, so don’t buy one because you won’t be able to drive it anywhere.

In my opinion, the diesel and petrol engines will be here for a good few years yet; bought and sold on the second hand market, so long as they are maintained well, simply because we can’t afford to penalise the voting public, by taking away their everyday transport. No government would do that.

Anyhoo, buy the B4/5 and be confident that you have made a good choice, for you, no one else. For the next decade, it won’t matter.

[Deman77]

The depreciation differences will be trivial over long run. Fuel cost difference for low mileage are also trivial and will be more than offset by below considerations.
Noise - volvo diesels are rattly and noisy - T5 is very quiet. You hear it or not every day and it bothers you until you sell the car.
Warm up time is almost instant in t5 which means 8 months a year when you need heat out of vents T5 will be much better unless you splash out on AUX heater with diesel.
How it drives. At speed both t5 and diesel feel similar. It’s an 8 speed auto which will not hold gear in diesel either. For spirited driving - no contest T5 is much more fun - the effective rev range is probably double on T5. At low speed T5 beats diesel as it has no lag and pick up pace from standstill nicely. The mild hybrid may address that but I would not trust it until i’ve tried it, which brings me to the last one.
Volvo has a track record of beta testing on customers - mine was one of the early xc90s and it took me good 18m to sort out all the gremlins - it’s a great car now but it was not at the beginning. Until you tried it do not order it.

To summarise T5 is in most aspects the better choice unless you have some towing duties or doing very high mileage and do not care about urban driving comfort.

[jonnyu]

Originally Posted by Sandj

We are thinking would it be more sensible to wait for the release of the petrol mild hybrid.
Any advice appreciated.

Fact is that the T5 does around 20 mpg.
The mild hybrid version, the B5, I'm not sure if it's going to be a petrol or diesel version in the XC60. In XC90, the B5 is a mild hybrid diesel engine, not a petrol one so I'm not sure what the XC60 will get.
On the other hand the B6 engine is a mild hybrid petrol engine.
From what I saw in terms of price, the diesel B5 is 2k more expensive than the D5.
I would wait. They will roll out these engines during April/May and since we are so close, I would wait a bit longer.

[Deman77]

Originally Posted by jonnyu

Fact is that the T5 does around 20 mpg.

Just to clarify. In the conditions where t5 gets 20, d5 will not go past 25.
Research consumption - it’s been widely covered in past threads - let’s not argue here.
My D5 improved noticeably after 15k but if you are low mileage it will take a while to get there.

Depreciation is your biggest cost by far unless you are 30k miles per annum. So if you are paying 500 a month in depreciation ask yourself should you worry about 20quid fuel saving or getting the car that suits you best and is not compromised.

[jonnyu]

Originally Posted by Deman77

Just to clarify. In the conditions where t5 gets 20, d5 will not go past 25.

Depreciation is your biggest cost by far unless you are 30k miles per annum. So if you are paying 500 a month in depreciation ask yourself should you worry about 20quid fuel saving or getting the car that suits you best and is not compromised.

If you read the full response and the topic this was never a discussion between D5 or T5 but a discussion between getting a B5 or T5, where the B5 is not confirmed for the XC60 if it's going to be a diesel or petrol engine.

So this info you gave did not add value to the discussion.

[Kenp8257]

Originally Posted by Deman77

Just to clarify. In the conditions where t5 gets 20, d5 will not go past 25.
Research consumption - it’s been widely covered in past threads - let’s not argue here.
My D5 improved noticeably after 15k but if you are low mileage it will take a while to get there.

Depreciation is your biggest cost by far unless you are 30k miles per annum. So if you are paying 500 a month in depreciation ask yourself should you worry about 20quid fuel saving or getting the car that suits you best and is not compromised.

Just to add my two pennies worth , I have a S90 D4 R-Design.

During last month or so of ownership (it's now two years old with 16K on the clock) short journeys around town I have got 22mpg. Not good at all!! (Oh, and D4 is noisy from outside, but fine inside). However, a ten min journey on M11 and I hit 40mpg.

If it were me, I wouldn't pay £2K more for the B-hybrid; my understanding is its a self charging battery as you drive. I can't see there being much mileage in that and being cynical I wonder if it's in there to avoid the £95 charge the Government makes on the manufacturer for each non hybrid car sold.... (think that's due to come in this year).

Imo, I'd get the engine i wanted now, and wait for much better 'proper' hybrids to come out in a few years or so....

Good luck