Are Hybrids Worth Buying?

While hybrids have plenty of advantages, there are a few things that some people might consider enough of a drawback to steer them away. So, it's always good to learn both sides so your decision is balanced.

The main dissent you will find in the consumer press and the blogosphere involves two basic issues: price and gas mileage. The first makes sense. Just browsing sticker prices of the hybrid sedans and SUVs will reveal that they cost more than many other vehicles. But, the gas mileage issue might throw people for a loop.

After all, hybrids are designed to reduce gasoline intake and to be exceptionally fuel efficient. They are―if compared to a mass of vehicles manufactured each year, especially the likes of the Hummer, Chevy Suburban, or Cadillac Escalade.

But up against other models, the mileage difference is not, these critics say, worth the price difference. For example, the Honda Civic is about $4,000 less the Honda Civic Hybrid. Yet, the mileage difference is separated by only one mile per every eight gallons. The critics conclude that it would take around four years for savings at the pump to make up the cost variable between these models.

Is there truth to this? Definitely. If you look at highway miles, the hybrid acts much like other vehicles. Hybrids burn gas. The electric motor is busy pumping energy back into the battery at that point. Where hybrids really save gas is in the city. That's when the electric motor really goes to work and when idling in traffic causes the engine to power down.

But there other things to look at, and ultimately the debate is a bit like the organic food debate. Is there really a difference? Yes and no. But, the consumer needs to measure whether the pluses outweigh the minuses. Much of this comes down to personal choice and lifestyle.

What we know is that hybrids do burn less gas. They cost more, but there are other financial incentives such as tax cuts offered from the IRS. Perhaps the biggest plus is the emissions factor. Hybrids release much less pollution into the air than a car that runs solely on gasoline.

But, is it better than, say, biodiesel or hydrogen? Well, probably not. However, while the former is really starting to hit the market; the latter appears years away. The best bet is simply to do plenty of research on all types of vehicles until you have a firm enough grasp of the pluses and minuses to make your own choice.

http://www.dmv.org/how-to-guides/hybrid-cars.php