Hi @rosie54 I anticipated that the X1 PHEV would join the scheme, and don’t regret not holding on for it. Having had 3 different full days in iX1s of varying types, I really don’t like what BMW have done to their latest iDrive. Having gone from a nigh on perfect setup in the previous model, the rotary controller and favourite buttons have gone and the system is now too complicated and not as intuitive. I knew that the X1 setup was identical. Also, with the inevitable options that I’d want to add, I’d have been looking at around £10k plus the £12k sacrificed benefits for a car that we’d never own. For that sort of outlay I’d rather leave the scheme and get a 3 year old car privately which I’d own.
3,000 miles in, I’d say I have somewhat mixed views on the Tucson. I’m very happy with the build quality (in Ultimate trim the interior is pretty damned close to the BMW and doesn’t feel like a step down), the infotainment system is very good, the boot is bigger than the X1 (which itself was quite big) and I love having all the kit you can dream of as standard. It’s the first Motability car that we’ve not added options to, as we didn’t need to!
Negatives are that it doesn’t have the driver engagement that you get with a BMW (I see it as a functional car, whereas I always enjoyed driving the BMW) and I’m not convinced about the whole PHEV thing. I get why they are popular with company car drivers (as they benefit from lower benefit in kind tax levels) and those who only do local journeys but don’t want an EV, but I’m less convinced in our case. Even though I can charge it easily in my garage, it’s still a job that I have to do after each use which I didn’t have before. I quite like being able to drive it in EV mode, when it’s very economical, but when the battery is depleted it’s very thirsty on fuel due to the weight of the car and relatively small (1.6 litre) petrol engine.
I am monitoring running costs, which is more complicated with a PHEV as you can’t go by the mpg figures in the car as they take no account of charging costs, so I do what the most respected car reviewer does (and several others on here). I add my petrol costs to my charging costs and then work out a total pence per mile running cost. By dividing that figure into the cost of a gallon of petrol, I get an equivalent miles per gallon figure that enables a direct comparison of running costs with an ICE car. I’m averaging around 48.5 mpg equivalent, which is about 6 mpg better than I was getting from the X1. However, as I prioritise convenience over running costs, I’d probably rather have 6 mpg worse consumption and not have to charge the car after every use. I’d certainly much prefer to have the BMW engine back as it was a peach!