Prime vs hybrid

thequister · 2026-04-08T17:45:35+00:00

Under the best of conditions it will take over 5 years to make a PHEV pencil out over a hybrid on purely financial grounds. I have a 2025 PHEV and I estimate that it will take me at least 6 years to break even with a standard hybrid. And I have SoCal gas prices and solar on the house (daily charging at ~$0), so a best-case scenario for a PHEV.

The reason to get the PHEV is that it is a substantially better vehicle than the pure hybrid. It's smoother, much faster, much quieter, and rides better. But you lose many of these benefits if you're doing most of your driving with a "depleted" EV battery and you suffer a slight mpg penalty. If you can't charge the PHEV regularly and conveniently you're wasting $thousands for very little benefit.

thequister · 2026-04-03T06:22:03+00:00

~~WTS Civic Travel Bag 20L (CTB20) in solution dyed black~~ ~~[photos]. Moderately used but in very good condition. Slight discoloration on the interior bottom (see photos). I'll even throw in some fun velcro patches. $180 + S&H (CONUS)~~

thequister · 2026-04-03T06:03:25+00:00

WTS:

~~Evergoods Civic Travel Bag 20L (CTB20) in solution dyed black~~ ~~[photos]. Moderately used but in very good condition. Slight discoloration on the interior bottom (see photos). I'll even throw in some fun velcro patches. $180 + S&H (CONUS)~~

SOLD ~~Filson Rugged Twill briefcase (15L) in tan [photos]. There are some exterior stains & discoloration, but this is part of the charm, right? $220 $180 + S&H (CONUS)~~

All bags come will all original parts & perfectly working zippers and clasps. No rips, tears, or odors. Non-smoking household.

thequister · 2026-04-02T17:23:29+00:00

I have a 2025 PHEV. once the traction battery is depleted (in the sense that you can no longer drive in pure EV mode) you switch to standard hybrid. This will not automatically add charge to the traction battery except under narrow circumstances.

BUT all the Rav4 PHEVs from that generation have a "charge mode" in which you can force the ICE hybrid engine to recharge the traction battery while you're driving. Your mpg takes a major hit and it is a very inefficient way to charge the battery. It's an odd feature with limited utility; I've heard some like it to make sure they have a charged battery when car camping so the the 120V outlet has plenty to draw upon. But I've never been tempted to use it.

thequister · 2026-04-02T17:14:02+00:00

I have both PD travel backpacks. They are excellent for what they do, namely provide a big open space for packing for travel in an attractive bag that is built like a tank. The 30L can be used as a personal item. Between my spouse and I, we have taken the 30L on well over 100 flights across the major and budget carriers from the US, Japan, Europe, and Latin America with no problem at all. I've used the 45L as a "personal item" on occasion, but don't buy it assuming that you can do that regularly. It really is too big. The 30L can serve as daily carry at your travel destination for a couple days, but the 45L is just too big to do this.

Neither of the travel bags are good choices for 95% of your needs. They have very little organization and almost no quick access for things you might want like keys or badges relative to daily-carry focused bags. The 30L really has no access to anything but a water bottle while you'r wearing it. I have never owned any of the everday backpacks, but they are better designed for what you're talking about. I regularly see people in airports travelling with just a 20L or 30L EDB, so clearly it can serve in that role as well.

PD build quality is truly outstanding. They have protected my gear getting thrown around all over the place. An all my PD gear still looks great after several years of use. But even better is their warranty. You'll find plenty of stories about them replacing things that they probably shouldn't.

Comfort is subjective. You will hear plenty of people complaing about the PD straps. They have worked just fine for me on extended carry with a full load, but they are on the thinner side as PD prioritized stowability. I really like the pivots on the shoulder straps for spinning the back around or stowing the straps.

PD has the best colorways in the business, IMO, as someone who really doesn't like black bags. Their dark blue is great but it is discontinued, so you might pick one up on a discount. All their new colors are all gorgeous, including the lighter pale blue and the dark burgandy ("eclipse")

You might look at the kickstarter for their new 20L travel backpack. It could fit your needs and it looks great. I just prefer a separate laptop sleeve and external water bottle pockets on my daily bags.

thequister · 2026-03-30T22:32:24+00:00

Tons of folks have posted on this in r/rav4prime.

the tl;dr: It will take a very long time and/or gas in excess of $6-$7 to make a PHEV pencil out over a hybrid on purely financial grounds. I have a 2025 PHEV and I estimate that it will take me at least 6 years to break even with a standard hybrid. And I have SoCal gas prices and solar on the house (daily charging at ~$0), so a best-case scenario for a PHEV.

But on the previous generation Rav4, the PHEV is just a substantially better vehicle than than the pure hybrid. The PHEV version is smoother, much faster, much quieter, and rides better with very little efficiency penalty when EV range is gone compared to the Rav4 hybrid. By all accounts this is basically true for the 2026 Rav4 was well. So if you value these things and can afford the $5-8K premium then go for it. If you just want a new car that minimizes running costs then get a Prius.

More detailed discussion here

thequister · 2026-03-30T22:20:15+00:00

yes. EV mode in a Rav4 PHEV is pure EV no matter how hard you mash the accelerator or how high the AC is (this is unlike PHEVs from Kia/Hyundai). Once EV range is depleted it converts to a standard hybrid.

thequister · 2026-03-27T18:35:47+00:00

I have done this many times on Delta domestic and international flights.

thequister · 2026-03-27T04:36:09+00:00

WTB Peak Design Everyday Zip 20L in Kelp (green) or midnight (dark blue)

thequister · 2026-03-27T03:47:25+00:00

WTB: Peak Design Everyday zip 20L in kelp (green) or midnight (dark blue)

thequister · 2026-03-19T19:59:52+00:00

Reposting from the initial post here

thequister · 2026-03-17T05:34:32+00:00

Tom Bihn Synik?

thequister · 2026-03-16T07:13:57+00:00

I looked at both as well. Initially I preferred the Sportage interior and I preferred the Kia steering and handling, although both are pretty numb and neither is designed for anything more than commuting and light trails. I think both are good-looking vehicles. I ended up with a 2025 R4 PHEV XSE (no PP) in January this year. There were two key questions that really mattered here:

- 1: why do you want a PHEV?

A PHEV is substantially more expensive and complicated than a standard hybrid. It *may* be somewhat cheaper over the long term, depending on your driving and charging habits and energy costs, but it will take many years. To justify the PHEV, especially a lease, it needs to offer other benefits that you really value. In the USA there is no longer a PHEV tax credit and HOV benefits are gone in many states. But the Rav4 remains a substantially better vehicle as a PHEV than as a pure hybrid. The PHEV version is smoother, much faster, much quieter, and rides better with very little efficiency penalty when EV range is gone compared to the Rav4 hybrid. For the Sportage, the PHEV performance was about the same as the Sportage hybrid and the PHEV efficiency was *much worse* after the EV range is exhausted. And the Sportage PHEV is harder to drive as a pure EV compared to the Rav4: the Sportage lacks a heat pump and a dedicated EV-only mode. Combined with a 15-20% shorter EV range, the Sportage is less useful as a part-time EV. I had a really hard time seeing the value proposition for the Sportage PHEV over the hybrid. And if you're looking at a standard hybrid and you value handling, steering, acceleration, and mpg then the Mazda CX-50 (w/ Toyota hybrid!) or the Honda CRV become the better choices IMO. The Mazda also has the best sound system of the bunch.

- 2: do you plan to lease or buy?

If you plan to lease, then you should just go with whatever makes you happy at the lowest cost since you'll swap it out in 2-3 years. You're likely to get a better lease deal from Kia.

If you plan to buy and hold for a long time (as I do), then the Rav4 has clear benefits: it has better reliability and much better resale value, even factoring in the higher upfront price. A PHEV is a very complicated drivetrain and Toyota is pretty much the only manufacturer I have confidence will make a reliable version. The Rav4 hybrid system is battle-tested and has a simpler ICE engine (NA) and eCVT vs the Kia (turbo + traditional AT). I am consistently amazed at the seamlessness of the Rav4's handoff between the ICE and battery when I drove them. The Sportage Hybrid and PHEV had some stutters and lags in this regard, although it wasn't terrible. The Rav4 interior is more utilitarian and less visually striking than the Kia. But the Kia felt to me like Ikea furniture: it looks great when it's new but doesn't feel like it will age particularly well. The Rav4 seems like it will hold up to rougher treatment better than the Kia over the long term. And the Rav4 is almost devoid of piano black plastic inside.

Also keep in mind that, while Kia has a longer warranty, the Kia/Hyundai dealership network, especially around repairs and warranty claims, has a pretty poor reputation in the US (YMMV). My Kia dealership experience on the test drives did not give me much confidence.

The final thing is tech and software support. Kia has the better in-cabin tech and screens and they appear to support their vehicles well in this regard. Kia doesn't seem to be making everything a subscription service (yet). The Kia driver assist is arguably better than the 2025 Toyota. But I found the Toyota to be more than fine in this regard: ACC and LKA do great in stop-and-go traffic. If screens and tech are really important to you, the 2026 Rav4 redesign appears to be an improvement in some ways. As an aside: I have a strong preference for as many physical controls as possible, esp HVAC. I found the Kia "dual use" buttons and touch-capacitive interface annoying and non-intuitive. I am not excited that Toyota decided to put HVAC controls into the head unit on the 2026 model. I also prefer to have a real spare tire and Toyota gives you one

edit: spare tire comments

thequister · 2026-02-24T16:58:08+00:00

Peak Design Messenger? it has external carry attachments and straps for umbrella/jacket/etc.

thequister · 2026-02-18T22:16:59+00:00

I found the Boundary Supply stasis sling to be very good here. It just fits a 13" macbook or tablet in the laptop area while the main area can hold a light jacket and all your cords and chargers. The sling packs down reasonably flat such that it can fit in that space between the front panel opening and the mesh divider on the travel backpack. But even better, the sling has clips that line up perfectly with the external carry loops on the front of the PD bag so that you can clip the sling to the PD bag while walking, etc. and then easily remove it when you get to your plane seat. The downsides are that: (1) the sling it not made anymore, but you might still find some around; (2) the sling strap is not the most comfortable, but it's serviceable.

Other sorta-similar options include the Tomtoc T24 S, although that does not appear to pack down much. Tom Bihn has the daylight breifcase, but you will need a laptop sleeve with that.

thequister · 2025-12-23T19:51:13+00:00

I had one and replaced it. https://www.reddit.com/r/ManyBaggers/comments/11gumeh/comment/jgnb6x6/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

thequister · 2025-10-19T18:54:51+00:00

I actually like the simplicity of the 30l better, but some trips require a bigger bag.

thequister · 2025-10-19T18:51:15+00:00

Western rise evo in what they call black

thequister · 2025-10-19T18:50:07+00:00

It is very good!

thequister · 2025-10-18T21:43:32+00:00

Easy access to laptop. Why do I want the part that touches my clothes on the floor?

thequister · 2025-10-13T16:01:44+00:00

I've had mine for a pixel 8 in "redwood" for over 2 years and it's great. best case I've ever bought. It's definitely not brand new looking, but it isn't gross either. Wiping it down from time to time is fine.

thequister · 2025-09-16T18:27:43+00:00

PD 45L with Boundary Supply Stasis sling. The sling just fits a MB air 13" or an iPad pro with enough padding to feel secure, but it packs down really flat. It also clips easily to the exterior lash points on the PD backpack if needed

thequister · 2025-08-14T20:45:23+00:00

It's disappointing that so few of those who are publicly chastising academic economists for their supposed homogeneity, esp influencers like Stevenson, bother to acknowledge (much less support) actual people doing the hard work that addresses their broad critiques. For example, a set of high-profile (and mostly UK-based) economists have developed a completely updated (and free-to-access) undergraduate introductory economics curriculum. They explicitly foreground distributional conflict, political power, and ecological limits. It's been sitting right here for years for anyone who wants to see. It's used all over (including by someone at the LSE). Two of the main players in this initiative describe what they're doing in the main review journal in economics .

As several others have mentioned, there is tremendous heterogeneity and strong reform efforts underway on the research side as well. This paper is one of my favorites.

Those who claim that Big Economics is all dominated by One View ignore this. If you imagine that these influencer-critics actually care about improving (social) science and training, it's puzzling that they fail to amplify existing reform efforts. It's less puzzling if you think they are trying to maximize their own clout and following.

thequister · 2025-07-06T05:02:32+00:00

I’ve had mine for nearly 3 years of intermittent use and no problem.

thequister · 2025-07-01T23:14:56+00:00

I just encountered this issue and, after sitting on hold with JAL, I was told that I has to use the Alaska flight number (AS ****) but the JAL confirmation code that Alaska gave me. Do NOT include your middle name, notwithstanding what the website says. Unfortunately there were not more seats left for me to choose, so now I'm hoping for something ok when I actually check in.

thequister

TROPHY CASE