Tips for Buying a Hybrid Car

Currently, because of demand, buying a hybrid may take a little more leg work than with a traditional vehicle. This is especially true with popular cars, such as the Toyota Prius.

• Get on a Waiting List Early: Once you hear of an upcoming hybrid that you’d like to buy, it’s a good idea to get on a waiting list at your local dealership. This will help you avoid the longer wait lists that may occur after the vehicle hits the market. You will also probably avoid paying higher than the MSRP, which may happen after demand increases. On the downside, you will probably have to put down a deposit, which may be non-refundable. Also be sure to ask your dealership about hybrid mechanics and their history of maintenance and hybrid repairs. Many will say they can work on them, but few mechanics have lots of experience and hybrid passion.

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Honda Insight

The Honda Insight is a 2-seat hatchback hybrid automobile manufactured by Honda. It was the first mass-produced hybrid automobile sold in the United States, introduced in 1999 (in Japan, however, the first generation of the Toyota Prius was launched in 1997). According to the EPA, the 5-speed manual transmission variant of the Insight is the most fuel-efficient mass-produced automobile sold in the United States. The Insight is also one of the cleanest: the CARB rated the 5-speed variant ULEV and the CVT variant SULEV. This trade off is due to the 5-speed's lean-burn ability which increases efficiency at the expense of slightly higher NOx emissions.

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Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius is the world's first commercially mass-produced and marketed hybrid automobile. It was first sold exclusively in Japan starting in 1997, and entered the worldwide market in 2001. By the end of 2003, nearly 160,000 units had been produced for sale in Japan, Europe, and North America, and as of April 2006, Toyota had sold 504,700 Prius models.

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