GreenHybrid - Hybrid Cars - View Single Post - Sorry, another "Should I buy the Hybrid" thread

salsbr · #7 (**permalink**) 02-14-2008, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Volkov

Still, if I'll see mid twenties overall in winter, that still beats 17mpg EPA for the regular Highlander, and I'd expect that 17mpg to drop at least 20% in our winter driving environment. My concern was we might drop to less than 20mpg throughout the winter.

Note that I have the Escape Hybrid, so no apples to apples here.

You might certainly beat the EPA for the highlander, but I got the impression that you were expecting something more dramatic. Of course I could be misinterpreting.

The kind of driving you described is basically as bad as it gets for the hybrid. If you are wanting a hybrid for reasons of economics then it doesn't sound justified. There are a number of other reasons that could affect your decision. You want to reduce your fuel usage but still drive a larger vehicle. You want to encourage the auto industry to move toward efficiency.

So I guess the decision is yours. Would you see real gains? Probably. Would they pay off the extra cost? Probably not given your descriptions. As much as I like hybrids, and as glad as I am that I bought mine, not everyone can justify one by overall cost.

Good luck!