Best Car for the money, Hybrid?

Question

I am highly interested in purchasing a car in the near future but I would like to make the best purchase on the lower end of the market. What is your take on hybrids, and which would be a better value?

Answer 1

So far, hybrids will likely save you only a few hundred dollars while you own them, and they cost several thousand more. Get a Camry or Avalon (both are toyotas) instead.

Answer 2

Hybrids are not purchased for their "better" value, but done so more for reducing America's dependency on foreign oil and a status of owning a hybrid.

It's true that hybrids typically get better mileage than their gasoline only counter parts and reduce air pollution. They also run very quiet if you get one that can run on the electrical motors for slow speeds like the Toyota Hybrids.

However things you need to remember.
1. Hybrid engines are still relatively new. They have more parts and a have another engine. This means if anything breaks, you'll be stuck with a specialist. Typically not a cheap proposition if you run into problems.
2. The batteries will eventually need to be replaced. Most test show that the batteries are still good after 5 years. Little data goes beyond that. The battery packs are not cheap to replace, and you're really substituting air pollution for battery pack pollution.
3. You obviously still pay a premium for the hybrid engine.

Personally I don't feel they are a better value, just an alternative. So you save gas by not going to the gas station as frequently, but now you've got 2 engines to take care of and more items that could break down too.

Answer 3

Okay, hybrids are tricky. There are only a few worth spending more money on.

First, you need to decide if you want a small car, mid-size, or an SUV.

I advise against anyone buying a Hybrid SUV. The Toyota Highlander for example gets 30 mpg, but costs almost $40,000. (definitely not worth it!)

If you're looking for a small car either get a Honda Civic Hybrid or a Toyota Corolla. The Corolla will get 40mpg and the Civic Hybrid will range around 47-50mpg. The Civic Hybrid is a bit pricier, but with the tax credit you get back and the amount of fuel you save in a year, its worth it.

If you want a mid-size car, look at a Toyota Camry Hybrid or just a plain Camry.

I just purchased myself an '07 Camry XLE V6 for about $30,000. It is averaging me around 27-30 mpg per tank. (60% city and 40% highway) The Hybrid averages 40mpg, but costs a couple thousand more.

The new style is pretty hot too. If you want a 4-banger version, it is cheaper, and will add a few mpg's to the 27-30.


About the person who said the Prius is a good choice, good luck with that one! My Toyota dealer said that they are on 8-month backorder right now.

hsueh, the batteries are covered by a 15-year factory warranty if you took the time to research it. Granted, the Synergy Drive system is fairly new, but Toyota's is by far superior to Honda or anyone else's for that matter. I test drove a hybrid camry and it drove just like a 4-banger version did. I was amazed.

Here's some info to check out in the link below. Happy shopping!

CJ

Answer 4

the honda insight, if you want a tiny commuter. for something a little bigger, try the hybrid civic.

i personally chose the prius, for about 24500 last year.

mileage wise, the insight has a huge advantage because it's so tiny. the civic and prius are about even in the real world, but if you get into it you can squeeze more mpg out of the prius.

whoever's telling you to get an avalon... that's a high end car and much more expensive than a prius! plus the thing gets like 19 mpg.

i'd avoid the power hybrids, as they're the ones that get all hybrids the reputation for not being worth the money. stick with the 3 i listed above, the rest are all power hybrids and not worth your time. the camry hybrid looks good from an efficiency standpoint, but it's full of luxury options that drive the cost way up. eventually they'll build base models with the hybrid system.

you shouldn't have to wait much longer than a week for a prius if you choose one of those.

as far as the battery goes, they're warranted for 8 years/100k in the toyota hybrids and have been reported to last 250k plus with no signs of trouble. maintenance is also actually cheaper in a prius than in the average vehicle because there is less wear on the major parts that fail. also, they cut out common problem parts (alternator, starter) that end up being replaced on a regular basis as well.

Answer 5

Hybrids are expensive and not worth the money. If you take into account the cost differential beyween regular v. hybrid, and look at the saving of gas, you lose money. The Hybrids do not save as much fuel as the manufacturers claim. And you lose trunk space in some of them.

Answer 6

Hybrids are still very hum-drum. I would suggest a VW Jetta 2.5. It is pretty nice.

The new design looks very sporty, and the 5cyl engine has a lot of pep.

I recently took a very long trip and was getting 30+ MPG at speeds of about 80 MPH.

Answer 7

Toyota Prius.

Toyota may not be the cheapest, but they are endlessly reliable and hard wearing.

Answer 8

toyota prius they aren't so cheap because they got over 30mpg