I am strongly considering getting a new vehicle, I am considering an Accord hybrid, Prius, Escape hybrid, or some other vehicle thats not a hybrid.

I have drove the accord hybrid and escape hybrid. I liked the accord very much.
The escape was nice also but i didnt care for some of the displays om the escape, plus my test drive was very short.

I liked the electric only mode of the escape and I wish the accord had it.

I would like a hybrid that has electric only mode and has plenty of room , the 2003 civic, that i have is not big enuff for my family.

I have 2 young kids in car seats and a wife. need a family car.
Any way would like your input on the good and bad ponts of the escape, prius, and accord or any other vehcle you may like.

thanks

The 06 hch is due to arive shortly. You could check out the 06ex to see if its big enough since they are the same body. The 06 other than being larger than the 7thgen civics also has a limited electric only mode. Basicly the rule of thumb is if you are going to be driving on the highway get a honda hybrid and if your going to be driving in the city get a toyota based hybrid.

Also, don't get a hybrid if you think you are going to save money. While you will, most likely, save money in the long run it will take a while to pay you back.

If you are buying a car to save money you could look at non hybrid cars such as hyundi's. They have a bad rep from when they were first introduced but they are excelent these days. They are very inexpensive for what you get.

My hydroponics experiment

You ever notice how hard it is to lip read cartoon characters?
"Crazy is what the sane call Delta Flyer"

There's a lot of factors at play when making a decision like this.

Do you drive a lot/put a lot of miles on a vehicle? If you do, you're probably better off with a hybrid. If you don't put a lot of miles on your vehicle, you may be better off not getting a hybrid.

Are you looking to purchase or lease a vehicle? Generally, if you plan on owning it for more than five years, you're probably better off with a hybrid. If you're going to own it for less than five years, you may be better off with something else.

Are you looking for good MPGs no matter what you do? Many people seem to expect hybrids to be a magic bullet to getting good FE. The truth is, if you're interested in saving gas money and getting good MPGs, you're going to have to be willing to essentially learn how to drive again. Hybrids, driven like hybrids, can yield fantastic MPGs compared to their conventional equivalents, but if you're not willing to learn how to drive them, then you may be in for a shock. (Driving styles can mean the difference between a 34 MPG tank and a 22 MPG tank on a FEH.) Or isn't that important to you?

You said you weren't happy with some of the displays with the Ford Escape Hybrid (FEH). Did you have the Audio/Nav system or a basic system on your test drive? That can make a world of difference! What weren't you happy about in particular? If you can test one with the A/N system (provided the one you tested didn't have it), I can pretty much bet that it would change your mind.

Depending on your financials and just what you're looking for in a hybrid, you may also want to test out a Highlander Hybrid. While a bit more pricier, and is more focused on power than FE than a FEH, it is larger, and may be able to meet your needs (EV around, roomy, etc.) better than the other hybrids.

You may want to check out the thread about why people bought their FEHs, http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/w...-feh.4145.html (Which I answered in, and talked about the benefits both expected and not of owning a FEH.)

Also, there's an excel spreadsheet by MrFixit http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/f...el+spreadsheet that you can download from that thread, that you can modify a bit to help you compare costs for a vehicle to get a rough idea of if or when you may be better off financially from a hybrid, or which one may better suit you in terms of pure money. (You can make some changes to compare two vehicles other than the ones there rather easilly)

Take some time to look at the forums and the real milage database, acquaint yourself with the hybrids. Don't be afraid to ask questions in the vehicle subforums. For some people, their hybrid is a tremendous asset. For others, it's a disapointment.

As mentioned, the different hybrid and hybrid systems are better suited to different tasks, but don't let that stop you from getting one because the other is better suited for it. We can't tell you which you should get, or which one is going to best for you without actually knowing you, but we can answer a lot of questions; we can provide you with the information, but it's up to you to do the homework.

Of course, if you're not willing to do the homework, or you're not that interested in savings, but you want to get a hybrid, buy a FEH.

First 4WD Hypermiler

Have you read the FEH FAQ?

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Read My Automotive Blog at Rich Rambles

Pravus Prime (Rich) referenced the "Why did you buy a FEH?" thread. Perhaps you would like to start a similar thread for other makes and models to check them out as well.

His assessment of the plusses and minuses is pretty much spot on. Start with such things as the kind of driving you mostly do (city or highway, short or long average trips, etc.), how long you expect to own the vehicle, expected maintenence (although some of the vehicles haven't been around long enough to know this!), excellent FE vs. other features such as room (for big people, passengers, cargo), off-road capability, and the like. Then match your preferences with what's available.

No match will be perfect. I expect this will improve in the future.

Honda, Toyota, and Ford/Mercury owners have some different perspectives - some general and some personal - but we are pretty well united about the advantages of hybrids. But finding the one which is right for you can be a chore.

'06 FEH 2WD "Sainte Marie"