Thanks MikeMarsUK and welcome to the forum.

I used to repeat all those stereotypical liabilities of diesel cars, but after doing the research and conversing with owners I realize it's another choice for a good car which gets great mileage.
I've been a member over at the TDI club for quite a while and participate in their mileage competition.

However, I continue to see many false negative hybrid stereotypes repeated such as:

* Diesels have a significant edge over hybrids regarding highway economy and hybrids don't much benefit on the open highway vs regular gasser.

As for the life of the vehicle, (Speaking for my own), at 111,000 miles starts/runs/drives/ just as if new off the lot. If you search 2nd hand auto websites such as Autotrader.com you'll find pages and pages of good Honda's, especially Toyota's with +200K miles, and I've seen a many over 300K miles and a couple approaching 500K.

I've owned my own Civic hybrid new since Jan 2004 and spent the first two years learing hypermiling, with a record of 1,003 miles/74.9MPG calculated in Aug 2006 for a single tank.
I used almost every fringe whack-oh techniques under nearly perfect driving conditions to make my record.

My average for that time was about 66mpg.

I've been driving more normally since then, my commute have changed- 50 miles all freeway into Atlanta using only moderate economy techniques and average mid-upper 50's. Cold, but no snow or ice.
My car has the CVT (Auto transmission)

Although there are a few experiments with hybrid busses and some military equipment, I think the real clear diesel advantage is in heavy vehciles. (Semi trucks etc)

Please don't think I'm trashing TDI's or other diesel cars- both technologies are great in their application.

Hybrid has good advantage on the open road over regular gassers: Just as diesel does.

-Steve

Efficient drivers do it better.
1003 miles a tank personal record. 74MPG calculated. HCH1 CVT