Last month I blogged about my Toyota Prius test drive and how it left me wanting more in terms of fuel efficiency. Well, the following shows that it could have been worse. This nifty table from Edmunds.com shows you a comparison of the hybrid price premiums for all 2008 models, along with the number of years it would take to recoup your investment. One thing I think is worth mentioning - there is no non-hybrid Prius, so I think in terms of ROI the Prius should be an even smarter investment compared to say, a Toyota Camry hybrid, which gets you an extra 7 or 8 MPG for $3k more than the non-hybrid Camry.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
If you are buying a hybrid - the Prius is the smartest bet
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
I'm not sure if it's because I have a manual (stick shift) civic hybrid, but I average 50/57 mpg! This surpasses my expectations for the car and I am satisfied with my purchase. Only problem is, everyone wants to drive my car when we're going long distances because of the mileage advantage...
That is better than the Prius! Do you drive mainly in the city?
Nope, I'm in rural Vermont! And I've been shocked to see that both my snow tires (on dry roads) and using A/C occasionally in the summer barely affects the mpg's. The most useful tip I have gotten from my carbon calculating co-worker is that 55 mph is the most efficient speed to travel at. I try to take his advice as much as possible when on the highway and I do think it makes a huge difference.
Check fueleconomy.gov for real people's self-reported mileage. Some people have gotten truely amazing mileage with the Insight. The only problem is that since it is self reported, you don't know whether that is one tankfull or an average of 20 tankfulls.
I read somewhere that part fo the city's "green" plan is to replace Cavaliers with hybrid Malibu's. As I remember, they actually get about the same mileage (the Malibu being a "mild" hybrid). If American it must be, couldn't it be an Aveo?
I had thought that 60 mph might be the most efficient speed on the highway, at least for smaller cars, but not I am leaning towards 55 mph myself.
Post a Comment