Car buyers (
Autobytel.com,
Autoweb.com,
CarSmart.com and
Cars.com) considering a hybrid will find that many of the
criticisms that dogged the first generation of hybrids have been addressed by improvements in
new car models. Today's hybrid offers more power and better performance than the
first models and now maintenance costs are about the same as a regular car. In fact, as hybrids
continue to grow in popularity more mechanics will become more familiar with them, thus lessening
a related concern.
Safety
Safety has also improved. The 2001
Toyota Prius received a three star safety
rating from the federal government (based on driver side front impact). By 2004, the Prius
improved to five stars. Today's
Honda Accord hybrid has the same safety rating
(five stars) as the regular Accord. And while most hybrids are rather small models, the next
generation of hybrid SUVs will comfort those who feel safer driving bigger cars. Drivers can
climb into a hybrid SUV without compromising safety. For example, the 2005
Ford
Escape hybrid has the same safety rating as the regular Escape. As with any
new
or
used car, researching a specific car's history (
CARFAX.com) is key to
ensuring safety.
So hybrids have risen to the level of regular cars in some very important ways. Add on the
widely publicized benefits of hybrids and that would seem to make them even more appealing.
Perhaps. But while hybrids have advantages over all-gas cars, those advantages might not be as
dramatic as
car buyers expect.
Mileage
Hybrid owners can expect very good gas mileage, but car buyers considering hybrids should pay
special attention to the fine print that notes "actual mileage may vary." Consumer Reports has
found that actual hybrid mileage is typically 20 to 25 percent less
than the advertised mileage, which is based on EPA tests. For example the 2004
Toyota Prius averaged 44 mpg (combining city and highway driving), not 55 mpg
and
Honda's hybrid Civic got 36 mph, 11 mpg less than EPA estimates. The Civic
hybrid bested the regular Civic's milege by about 7 mpg -— still a noticeable difference,
but not as dramatic as some hybrid fans have come to expect.
Cost
So the hybrid's mileage edge means less money spent at the gas station, but does it mean more
money in your pocket? Not necessarily. Compare a Civic hybrid to a top-of-the-line Civic EX.
Drive them both 15,000 miles and the hybrid will save you about $200 at the pump. On the other
hand, the hybrid costs about $2,400 more. It could take 12 years to recoup the costs of buying the
hybrid. But the cost comparison doesn't end there because hybrid owners can qualify for a $2,000
tax deduction that encourages the sale of low-pollution autos. Owners of
Toyota's
Prius and
Honda's Insight and Civic hybrid have qualified since 2002
and recently
Ford's hybrid Escape became the first U.S. made auto to qualify
for the deduction.
Pollution
There's no doubt that hybrids pollute less than most cars, but across the board cars are
getting cleaner. And for car buyers who care about air quality, hybrids are not the only option.
For example, roughly 30 makes and models (from the BMW 325i to the
Honda Accord LX)
meet smog very California's ultra-stringent Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (PZEV) standard.
To meet the PZEV standards, cars must emit 90 percent less hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and
carbon monoxide than conventional cars. An environmental researcher from University of California,
Riverside says PZEV emission levels are "almost below detection level."
When deciding to go hybrid or not, car buyers must carefully weigh what they value in a car and
make sure to separate conventional wisdom from reality.
