So what is the annual fuel consumption and costs:

Tahoe/Yukon:
14/20 (auto, 5.3L, 8 cyl) Yukon 1500 2WD
21/22 (hybrid) 2WD

A small business or contractor who drives in the City:

15000/14 = 1071 gal. @$3 -> $3,213
15000/21 = 714 gal. @$3 -> $2,142

$1,071 saved per year AFTER taxes

I don't know about you' all but that looks like: (1) annual insurance bill, (2) two car payments, (3) $1,400 of gross income. But it really looks sweet when you' re driving closer to 20,000 miles per year.

20000/14 = 1429 gal. @$3 -> $4,287
20000/21 = 952 gal. @$3 -> $2,856

$1,431 saved per year AFTER taxes

GM should be getting a good Federal tax credit to help offset some of the cost premium. But the individual shoppers will be looking at their cash flow, their operational costs, and saving $1000-$1400 of after tax money per year is a powerful argument.

One caution, as a first model year vehicle, an extended warranty might make sense. Consumer Reports has shown that the first model year of any vehicle tends to have the most problems and that was the pattern of the 2001 and 2004 Prius. The subsequent years of each model have been relatively trouble free.

Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
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