Consider this as an alternate perspective...

By choosing a non-hybrid you are just saving yourself from seeing how lowsy the warm up mileage is.

In reality, the warm-up mileage of a non-hybrid is likely to be worse than that of an HCH or Prius. Just attach a Scangauge II to a modern gas-only car and you'll be shocked to see the initial mileage match that of a Lambo or Ferrari.

To many of us it is simply easier to defer the pain of seeing the low mileage on warmup by recommending a gas-only vehicle - which often conceals that information.

But the fact still remains that hybrids will likely consume less and pollute less than a similar gas-only vehicle under similar operating conditions. Short driving distances are not optimal operating conditions for any vehicle. In the end you just have to choose how much of a real environmental and fuel loss you're willing to bear.

But ...

On the other hand, short driving distances will cause premature wear of the emmissions systems. A modern hybrid would sustain marginally higher maintenance costs than a gas-only vehicle if it were to be operated consistently under such regime where it is denied a full warm-up.



Cheers;

MSantos