Help before buying second hand

[newbie2025]

Hoping to benefit from your wisdom.
We are looking at buying a 2021 HS 1.5 T-GDI PHEV Exclusive. Yesterday we test drove it and although the battery was charged initially to 40% (it was showing a range of 12 miles), every time we tried to switch to EV mode it was telling us it couldn’t. Occasionally it did but would quickly come out of it. Even when stationary after driving it for a while it was telling us it couldn’t enter EV mode (battery was at around 38% by this time). The garage, after we left, put some more charge in it and called to say the EV mode was now working ok! We’ve asked them to fully charge it and tell us how many miles it tells us is available and potentially we’ll test drive it again.
Questions for you
1) what mileage should we expect it to say it has when fully charged?
2) is there a general level of charge it needs to be over for EV to be working? For it not to consistently work at 38% is a bit concerning as that is a lot of the battery then that isn’t available? Maybe this is due to its age? I don’t know which is why I have joined to be able to ask these questions. Don’t want to buy a car that is faulty!

 

[Speakasyoufind]

Hi. I have 2021 version and when fully charged it will, or hopefully will, read 31 miles range. What you need to bear in mind with this version, it relies on the engine to provide heat, so if the heater was set to warm the car interior it will not allow the ev part to kick in until cabin temp is correct. Was the heating on in the car? If it was, either turn it off or down to about 19 degrees after it has warmed up the interior sufficiently and it should allow travel by ev until it senses it needs to warm the interior again, then it will kick the engine into play again. It will go into EV mode, if heater is off or set to a low enough temp, even with just a mile range left, so the amount left there if enough for about 10 miles ev range. I use mine even in winter time in full EV mode to and from work (35 mile round trip) no problem at all. I just warm the interior enough so I can turn it down to a low enough point to then allow me to shut down the ICE. Takes some juggling but it becomes second nature lol. Presently on 1130miles for my last tank full of petrol and still have 3 bars illuminated on the gauge (no real journeys mostly commuting to and from work)...

 

[newbie2025]

Hi. I have 2021 version and when fully charged it will, or hopefully will, read 31 miles range. What you need to bear in mind with this version, it relies on the engine to provide heat, so if the heater was set to warm the car interior it will not allow the ev part to kick in until cabin temp is correct. Was the heating on in the car? If it was, either turn it off or down to about 19 degrees after it has warmed up the interior sufficiently and it should allow travel by ev until it senses it needs to warm the interior again, then it will kick the engine into play again. It will go into EV mode, if heater is off or set to a low enough temp, even with just a mile range left, so the amount left there if enough for about 10 miles ev range. I use mine even in winter time in full EV mode to and from work (35 mile round trip) no problem at all. I just warm the interior enough so I can turn it down to a low enough point to then allow me to shut down the ICE. Takes some juggling but it becomes second nature lol. Presently on 1130miles for my last tank full of petrol and still have 3 bars illuminated on the gauge (no real journeys mostly commuting to and from work)...

Thank you so much that is really helpful. The car is going to be fully charged for us to have another test drive on Friday so will have a bit of a play with the heating and see what happens. This is our first introduction to a hybrid so don’t really know what to expect.

 

[Speakasyoufind]

Thank you so much that is really helpful.

No problem at all. The more you read on here, the more you'll learn how it all works. Had mine almost a year, Nov '24, so if you need to know or ask anything, just message me on here. Hope all goes well