Hello fellows. I currently have a 2011 Hyundai Sonata with 63k miles. I’m a 6’5" husky guy so it’s not always easy getting out of the car since its low to the ground. I’m considering the all new designed 2016 Tucson with the new 1.6 turbocharged engine with the new 7 speed dual clutch auto transmission. My question is how hard would it be on a turbocharged engine if I do daily short (1 mile) commute to work? I’ve never had a car with a turbocharged engine so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Having owned turbocharged engines in the past…I would avoid them. Buy a non-turbocharged vehicle.
A daily 1 mile commute will be extremely hard on any car, whether or not it is turbocharged. Those who habitually drive very short distances w/o allowing the engine to fully warm-up will face sludging of the motor oil, early battery failure, and premature rotting-out of the exhaust system, in addition to perpetually poor gas mileage.
The only way to counteract the sludging problem is with very frequent oil changes, When you consider that a turbo-charge engine usually requires oil changes more frequently than normally-aspirated engines, and then factor in the reality that this engine will not be allowed to warm-up properly, I would recommend that–if you buy a car with a turbo-charged engine–you should change the oil at least once every 3 months.
For the type of driving that the OP does, I would recommend buying either an all-electric car or a hybrid.
There’s a discussion going on right now about today’s turbocharged engines, given that they’re becoming more common, so you should read that. It’s here:
http://community.cartalk.com/discussion/2306615/new-turbocharged-engines-built-to-last/p1
Beyond that, VDCdriver is correct in describing how this is hard on any car. How often can you mix in a longer drive?
What about an electric car? Your commute seems ideal for that. Edmunds True Cost to Own says that a new Leaf loses over $10,000 in value through depreciation in the first year. If you buy a 3-year old Leaf, they estimate it is worth $17,000 less. Than new, and you will save a bundle. Test one out and see if you can fit into it. i imagine that you would have to charge it every two weeks or so if you also run errands in it. You would likely need another car for longer trips since the range is around 70 miles between charges, IIRC.
I Don’t Know… Something Hits Me Wrong About A 6’5" Man Named Rusty, Driving A Nissan Leaf. He Should Be Driving A GTO Or HumVee, I Think…
I can’t just stand by and see the species eradicated, sorry. :neutral:
CSA
I usually take a 25-30 mile drive on the weekends…still don’t recommend a turbocharged engine? I really appreciate your feedback. The new Tucson still offers the 2.0 liter GDI motor but I thought the new turbocharged motor would be better…guess not. Thanks again fellows!
I’m inclined to agree with VDC here, and add that turbochargers are hard on oil even without the added stress of mostly very short trips.
Turbos operate subject to a condition found nowhere else on the engine; high pressure differentials combined with high heat, high temperature differentials, and very high rpms. They have a shaft with an impellar at either end, one heated by the exhaust and spun at very high rpms, the other cooled by the flow of air being pulled through it to the induction system… and alsos spinning at the same high rpm. Between them is an oiling system for the bearings and a couple of seals (O-rings).
This high pressure differential, the exhaust side pushing and the induction side pulling, combined with the high temperatures of the exhaust side impellar and the proximity of the rubber seals and the oil to the heated components, is rough on oil. That’s why turbo-engine cars all require full synthetic oil. Couple that with the higher stresses placed by extremely short drives every day, and you might be better to seek a naturally aspirated engine. At least if the oil does start to coke up, you won’t be placing that additional stress on a turbocharger.
Oh, and I’d definitely recommend full synthetic and frequent oil changes.
Everyone’s going to turbos. Perhaps in the not too distant future they’ll start putting the hot side of the turbo and the cool side on a shaft long enough to isolate them from one another… and to mitigate the push/pull effects of the high pressure turbo side bolted to the low pressure induction side. And to prevent the exhaust heat from creating a passage in the seal for the bearing oil to get drawn into the engine. But until they do…
My feeling is that you should avoid a turbocharged car based on the way the vehicle will be driven. Even a naturally aspirated engine should get VERY frequent oil changes based on that one mile a day.
Besides, turbochargers work best when they’re spooled up a bit and a measly mile a day will mean that a turbocharger is essentially dead weight.
Personally I would stay way from the DCT no matter what the engine is. My SO has one in her Veloster. It works fine, doesn’t break or anything, but it’s not as smooth as an automatic (gets downright schizophrenic sometimes at stoplights and hill starts) and not as fast as a manual. There’s literally no advantage to the Hyundai DCT system. I’m guessing they put it in there either as a testbed for future tech or so they can point at Porsche/Audi and say “me too!”
When I had a 5 Speed Focus, every time I went in for warranty work, they would give me a DCT Loaner Focus and I hated the thing. It is supposed to shift like a manual, well, it shifted like someone who doesn’t know how to drive a manual.
As far as the Turbo, if you want it get it, use it for the weekend 25 mile drive and walk the one mile to work 
Yeah, that’s exactly how the Hyundai system works. And it’s noisy as hell. I’d rather have a slushbox than the DCT.