Picking up a 2012 1.5RS Hybrid tomorrow which i understand was Japanese only mode. RHD as well as I am in Cyprus. Unfortunately a CVT.

It is a June 2012 model imported into Cyprus end 2016 with two owners since then. 90,000 kilometers and very good condition with only an engine mount needing replacing. Looks like it has a paint film installed.

Build was June 2012. If i have understood this has a 1.5l engine with 83kw and 114nm torque plus 10kw and 79nm from the battery. Not sure if this is like many other hybrids where the combined power is not simply the addition of both numbers but rather a lower combination of both? I believe this came with a nickel metal-hybrid battery pack instead of the lithium cells which may have come out from 2013 and had more power both from the engine and battery pack and 100kw combined? Can anyone confirm this?

Also anyone has any idea on what make these tick and perform better?

Spark plugs - Iridium, platinum, particular brand and heat range?

Air filter

Fuel - i have the choice of 95, 98 and 100 octane (which I run in my STi). Being a high comp motor, will the better fuels help?

Suspension mods for a bit better handling? Maybe lowering slightly may help with the roll. Definitely could be better around corners as will be driven plenty on mountain roads.

Performance mods - now I know you don't get much extra out of N/A motors but every kw counts. Would consider exhaust manifolds and engine management changes. Remapped for higher quality fuel? Nothing internal. I know this goes against the ethos of buying a hybrid model, but I have found on my current daily Focus ST diesel, a remap from 185bhp to 220bhp and a heap of torque, lowered fuel consumption about 10%. 48mpg to 53mpg and more if i am good.

Sound proofing - although it is much quieter than my old 2002 Fit, the racket when accelerating is not good. I am used to loud cars coming from V8s and two Imprezas that I own, but this is terrible as it is not exhaust noise. Has anyone worked out where to strategically place sound proofing.? I assume transmission tunnel, bulkhead and possibly under bonnet blanket?

Looking forward to comments and taking delivery.

 

My opinion is CVT should not be pushed, especially on mountain roads; not a good idea to add performance. And that 100 RON fuel helps.

 

Thanks for your response. Are they that susceptible to failure? I notice in the last two years since being in Cyprus that the CVT oil has been changed 4 times in 20,000 klms. I will also change again now with the full service that I will give it. Given the heat that we have here, I wonder whether a gearbox oil cooler would be a good idea for longevity.

Any idea on best spark plugs to use? As this model is not sold in Cyprus it looks like some special order parts have to come in. The engine mount that needs replacing is not sold locally.

I was thinking to get it mapped to the 98 or 100 octane fuel to take advantage of their better quality and higher octane or will the standard ECU alter its timing based on the better fuel and will run better?

Thanks

 

AFAIK, ECU will alter timing to take advantage of better fuel up to 100 RON. Best spark plugs would be OEM - NGK or Denso long life iridium.

Many CVT's on the 1st gen Fits didn't last 100k kms., so 2nd gens w/ CVT were only sold in Japan. The rest of the world got traditional automatic transmissions.