While the ideal for the auto industry is to have every vehicle be as environmentally friendly as possible, this is simply not a current reality for all models given our current technology. Saving the environment, spending less on gas, or just being appreciative of the great design and engineering which has gone into the current 2011 line-up of hybrids, there are many reasons to want to own a hybrid vehicle, but while hybrids are on the rise and the Toyota Prius is as ubiquitous as apple hardware, there are still more than a few factors which one may wish to take into account when considering the purchase of a hybrid vehicle.
5. Higher Initial Cost: Lets face it, if you are not driving a hybrid, you are driving the last generation’s technology, which makes it cheaper. A lot of work and complex materials go into the making of a hybrid vehicle, much more so than with a traditional engine, thus the cost of a hybrid version is a bit higher, between 5 and 10 thousand higher on average.
4. Time Taken To Recoup Cost At The Pump: This is all a matter of the initial price of the vehicle vs future gas prices. If the vehicle was comparatively cheap AND gas prices continue a steep rise, then a hybrid owner could recoup the cost in as little as two years, but if the price tag is high AND gas prices flatten out a bit, as usually happens, then savings at the pump may never make a dent in the initial buy in, depending on how long one intends on keeping their vehicle.
3. Clean Diesel is a Viable Alternative Fuel: The European market has really picked up the slack in this area with its development of clean diesel technology. Coupled with newer federal regulation on diesel fuel, these vehicles are environmentally friendly, and get close to, and sometimes match, hybrids in their mpg for both city and highway driving.
2. A Hybrid May Not Best Suit Your Driving Style: Hybrids are great for city driving, with full electric power at lower speeds and idle-stop technology for when you are caught in traffic, a hybrid makes sense all around for city driving. Highway driving is different. A smartly designed gas or diesel can get comparative, or in some cases better, gas mileage on the highway than the average hybrid vehicle.
1. Fewer Interior Luxuries On Hybrids: As discussed in point 5 with the higher buy in costs, when you buy a hybrid, you are buying the technology that goes into the engine. Some of the things we have come to take for granted in a new vehicle, such as gps technology or an mp3 hookup, do not come as standard on many hybrids. When one buys a hybrid vehicle, one pays more money for a more efficient engine, yet also pays more money for a stripped down and simplified interior. If one is to have these luxuries added on at buy in, well, that will drive up the initial price and add to the time at the pump it would take to recoup the extra costs.
Hybrids are great for city driving, especially in a city like Phoenix Arizona where we spend so much time in cross town traffic, but they may not be the best choice at present for every taste, need, and lifestyle. Stop by any quality Phoenix Valley auto dealership(use yelp.com to find the best) and compare hybrid vs gas vs diesel, and decide which one may be best for you.
My Prius (both of them since I’ve had two so far) usually has about 50-55 mpg average on the highway.
GPS doesn’t come standard in nearly any car around it’s price. MP3 & WMA is playable on CD in a Prius.
Were you comparing some other hybrid to gasoline? The base price of a hybrid is $23K, and $5-$10K less would be $13-$18k. I don’t know many cars in that price range that could be a comparison.
I appreciate your comments. On the one hand I am playing devils advocate, and then on the other hand I am making a case for diesel and bio fuel technology. The Prius certainly stands out amongst hybrids, but from my research a fully equipped Prius(not stripped down), comes out to to just under 30k brand new. There are cheaper options, such as the Honda Insight, but they lack what the Prius delivers in mileage as well as amenities. Thanks for reading.