With the shift from fuel as a sole source of energy to renewable sources of energy, we all agree that at the moment, hybrid vehicles are halfway home as we continue to build the infrastructure for fully electric vehicles. As such, we have seen a steady rise of hybrids on our roads with Toyota and Honda vehicles taking a strong lead. Both models offer solid hybrid vehicles and their systems are not distinctly set apart as their difference are very minor. Our comparison of these models is as below;
Toyota hybrids are more fuel efficient as compared to Honda hybrids. This is because they have a stand-alone mode for the EV and its regenerative braking and battery management system are more efficient, seeing that there are times when the battery is charging and conserving energy while the engine is running.
On the other hand, Hondas have an Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) which as the name suggests is a continuous system of charging and discharging the battery that is in use throughout. This, therefore, implies that the engine has no resting time unlike in Toyotas where there are moments when the battery is fully charged and you are when driving at a slow speed, the vehicle can go for a while without running the engine.
The flip side of the above is that Toyota batteries are more vulnerable to failure compared to Honda due to the high demand for power from the batteries to run the vehicle. The IMA system in Honda assists the engine and therefore there is less demand for power on the battery and resultantly they last longer.
Further, Honda has adopted a cylindrical design for its batteries which allows for efficient cooling of the cells as the airflow is better. Toyota on the other hand has adopted a prismatic design which does not allow for better airflow. Heat impacts the battery life of hybrids and also based on the fact that we are in a relatively hot zone, Hondas are more resilient.
Honda’s and Toyota’s Battery Design
In conclusion, both models are relatively at per when it comes to maintenance, and based on our experience in handling these vehicles, the main issue with Toyota hybrids is their batteries while a Honda is likely to develop an issue with its motors or fans.
I am Nyambura The Motorist
I have a bias for Hybrids
An insurance expert
Helpful
thanks for the article. does it mean if you have a choice, you will pick Honda over Toyota? A minor difference in MPG is not that important to me, I care about the long term reliability.
A good piece this one, now I know better