O/T Hybrid Vehicles?

[Ellen]

Anyone here have a hybrid energy efficient vehicle you are thrilled to own? I need a vehicle. I'd like to hold out until the 2009 Prius comes out (reported to get 80 mpg) but I'm afraid my old 'burb van won't last that long. I'm trying to be more green. Thanks.

[Pavlos]

Anyone here have a hybrid energy efficient vehicle you are thrilled to own? I need a vehicle. I'd like to hold out until the 2009 Prius comes out (reported to get 80 mpg) but I'm afraid my old 'burb van won't last that long. I'm trying to be more green. Thanks.

Well in my neck of the woods (Greece), Hybrids are available by Honda and Toyota. I have a very auto-and-tech-savvy friend who looked into both, and chose the Toyota which he claims is a more efficient and state-of-the-art hybrid. He is absolutely thrilled with it!

[Kirsten]

I love my Prius. We've had it for 18 months and I average 50 mpg. Right now it's getting 52. I LOVE IT!!!

Kirsten

[coop]

I love my Prius. We've had it for 18 months and I average 50 mpg. Right now it's getting 52. I LOVE IT!!!

Kirsten

I'm so jealous!!:D

[twodoor2]

My friend has a hybrid Toyota Highlander (if you need more space). He loves it. My next car will be a hybrid much to the chagrin of my husband. He doesn't think hybrid engines have stood the test of time yet to make them seem like an good overall value. I disagree.

ETA: He told me he gets 24 mpg with his highlander though, not particularly earth shatterning gas mileage for a hybrid IMO.:(
But he said city gets better mileage than highway, and those are mostly highway miles. Mileage efficiency is reversed in hybrid cars for city vs highway.

[Emma'sDad]

I'd like to get one of those Zenn cars. They are 100% electric and produced in Canada. They run at around $20k and you can get many kms on a "tank". But get this... They aren't allowed to sell them in Canada yet. Go figure.

[Emma'sDad]

Oh, I found the Rick Mercer special where he makes fun of the Canadian goverment for producing these cars that aren't allowed to be sold in Canada. :) I love Rick, if he'd ever run for PM, he'd get my vote!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M88k6Ipp3c Check it out, they also test drive the car and go for some "groceries" Canadian style! :)

[WestinsMom]

I have seen maybe 2 rolling down the streets of Kalamazoo. Very entertaining video.

[Nancy in VA]

We have a Camry Hybrid. Gives more room than the Prius but not as guzzling at the Hylander.

Typically 39mpg - that's what I got on the 5-hour road trip to Fayetteville, NC I took this past weekend. Winter is a little lower - about 34mpg - because the catalytic converter is needed to be turned on more for heat in the winter

[Jensmami]

I love my PRIUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With heavy traffic (stop and go) in Manhattan, we still get an average of 47 miles in spring/summer/fall and a 42 in winter.

[heather]

i've got a honda civic hybrid--averages about 40-42 mpg city, 45 if i drive all highway miles.

i like it a lot. would've bought a prius since it gets about 10 mpg more, but they weren't easily available when i bought my honda a couple years ago.

[Kaylee's Mommy]

I thought about switching from my van to a hybrid, but it won't work well for me.. I need the extra room, and I drive most highways.. I like the prius, it seems very popular right now..suggested my DH get one, but he drives all highway.. and its the breaks that make it so great on milage, so it really needs city driving..

[Kirsten]

I thought about switching from my van to a hybrid, but it won't work well for me.. I need the extra room, and I drive most highways.. I like the prius, it seems very popular right now..suggested my DH get one, but he drives all highway.. and its the breaks that make it so great on milage, so it really needs city driving..

I actually get better mileage on the highway with my Prius. I think it depends on how you drive. I drive 1.5 hours each way to work mostly on the highway and average 50 mpg. We definitely get lower mileage when the whole family is in the car.

Kirsten

[Jensmami]

I thought about switching from my van to a hybrid, but it won't work well for me.. I need the extra room, and I drive most highways.. I like the prius, it seems very popular right now..suggested my DH get one, but he drives all highway.. and its the breaks that make it so great on milage, so it really needs city driving..

I get way better milage on the highway, somewhere in the low to mid 50s! I think it just makes a bigger difference compared to a regular car in the city. But the milage is even better on the highway.

[Momto4]

My husband has to drive 70 miles round trip (all highway) for work each day so I bought a diesel Volkswagon Beetle. He gets about 40-45 mpg in town and 50-52 on the highway. It's small, but sure beats paying for the gas he used to burn (Ford Expedition)! He looked at a hybrid, but were told by the dealer and a friend that drove one that the best mileage is obtained in running around town vs. highway - actually they advertise it that way too. So, since he drives 95% highway miles we went with the volkswagon. Now, if diesel would just drop to a decent price - But don't get me started on that!

[Grace]

We just went through this. My minivan bit the dust in a big way. :(

I have three dc, two are teens. Very tall... play basketball. I needed a vehicle that I can haul very large teenagers around in because I usually drive to most of the games and bring a couple of extras.

We looked at the Highlander, but found it very difficult to actually find one for sale. They were also much more expensive used than the Expedition we bought. The Escape doesn't have a third back seat.

Couldn't find any diesel Suburbans or Excursions. No, we did find ONE diesel Excursion, but the dealer was asking about $5000 over Blue Book. Then we decided to look at another minivan, but I thought they were way overpriced. So, I ended up with the Expedition.

I figure that I'll make due with the Expedition for the next 2 1/2 - 3 years until my teens graduate. They graduate in 2011 and I figure by then there'll be more options in hybrids. Plus, I'll only have one child at home and won't need such a big car.

My sister drives a Ford Escape Hybrid and she absolutely loves it! In fact, she had a traditional Escape prior to this and didn't like it as much as the hybrid.

If I win the l*tt*ry before then, I'll by a Prius for driving into town when I don't have extras. :D

[WestinsMom]

I have seen maybe 2 rolling down the streets of Kalamazoo. Very entertaining video.

Correction, just saw a local news piece on one of the cars and it is not a ZENN. It uses gas...oops.:o

[EmmasPapa]

I'm thinking about getting one of those to use as a lifeboat for my Tahoe!:D

[stony.broken]

The Prius 2009 gets 80 mpg?

I'm waiting, too!

[kjksmom]

I just put a down payment on a 2008 Prius this week, so the comments on 80 mpg for a 2009 caught my eye. I did a Google, and several sites say that Toyota is having problems getting the battery to achieve this, and the release will be delayed into 2009.

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/06/19/2009-prius-not-so-fast/

Since my car needs to be replaced now, I guess I won't cancel my plans, but it is certainly worth considering if you can wait.