If you were starting from a stop the reason for the delay is that at first the only thing running is the electric motor, to get the increased power you wanted by flooring it--the engine has to start and that takes a split second. Its a bit disconcerting at first, but you get used to it and it almost seems as if when the vehicle gets a bit more worn in, that the hesitation is much less... but perhaps you just get more used to it.

Also if you are ever in a situation where you are afraid of that hesitation (like you need to pull into a heavily traveled road and are probably going to have to nearly cut someone off to get anywhere) you can always turn the defroster to one of the red settings, this will lock the engine on (so it can run the compressor for the defroster) therefore the engine is running all the time and you won't have the hesitation.

 

The engine, ICE, was running.

 

Hmmm... I don't think I've ever noticed a hesitation on mine if the engine was already going. Either I'm not remembering right or something isn't quite right with that vehicle if you ask me.

 

I don't remember any hesitation on mine either. The electric motor is enough to get you moving reasonably well that brief moment before the ICE kicks in. In other words, you aren't left standing still until the ICE can start.

 

Yes you'll move but I do have to say that if you FLOOR IT you'll notice a a bump of power a half second or so after you floor it when the engine kicks on. At least I did at first. I'm not noticing it these days.