You Know It's Coming - Hybrids

Honestly, did you not expect at least one entry in this to be devoted to hybrid cars? Naturally, it's exactly the kind of car that comes to mind when thinking about fuel efficiency. In the last decade or so the number of hybrid cars on the road has grown exponentially - a fact not lost upon automakers as fuel prices rise and recent bailouts seem to specifically point out. So does this mean the world is coming to an age where everyone drives hybrids and are all smug about what they're doing for the environment? Hardly.

Even as recently as a few years ago, owning a hybrid meant sacrificing a lot in terms of driving performance, and most obviously looks. I mean, tell me how something that looks like this could really honestly have expectations of becoming mainstream:



For reference sake, that is actually a 1999 Honda Insight. Which is worlds apart different than the modern (ha!) Honda Insight, which is a part of the second movement of hybrids that I'll talk about later. This first movement of hybrids is obviously characterized by weird looks, and while the technology was present, the fuel economy was extraordinary, being a respectable 61/66.

However notice how small this car. This image stuck even more in the eyes of consumers especially as competitors like the first generation Toyota Prius arrived on the market. From here, you don't need me to explain what happened. The whole gas crisis pretty much slapped everyone silly, especially people who had bought things like this in recent years.

(Picture from TopSpeed)

(An exaggeration, by the way. That Hummer is beyond ridiculous.) Anyways, here is where the second movement of hybrids really took off. In this time, the 2nd generation Toyota Prius became the industry focus point as it's increased size and still impressive gas mileage numbers arguably set the hybrid industry in motion. Now it's increasingly tough to simply buy a Toyota Prius (which has recently begun its 3rd generation) but there are many other options that one should really consider.

First of all, there are two main types of hybrids. Full hybrids like the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight sport that classic hybrid hatchback look, which hits a good balance between a decently attractive exterior, and not trying to fool anyone into thinking it is anything but a hybrid. Then there are the mild hybrids, which include hybrid versions of the Ford Escape, Honda Civic, Chevrolet Malibu and even (yes!) a hybrid pick-up truck, the Chevrolet Silverado. (To be quite honest, that idea sounds great but who is really going to be worrying a lot about fuel economy when you absolutely need to buy a truck?)

What's the catch you ask? Money. Money. And more money. Obviously, such technology doesn't come free even with today's advances. Depending on the car, you could pay thousands more for a hybrid version, which makes you think - does it make financial sense? Yes and no. What's truly obvious is that once you get a hybrid, you'll pay less at the pump, but a little more on the car payment.

If you're looking to buy a hybrid, weigh your options. Some of the mild hybrids have poor, I mean poor increases in gas mileage. The full hybrids have fuel economy numbers up in the 40's and 50's, but then you have to settle for the hybrid look and feel. So honestly, if it were up to me, I'd buy one of the mild hybrids which give a decent increase in gas mileage, while keeping the look and most of the feel of driving a conventional car.

So knock yourself out - just do your research so that you know for sure that you're not simply buying a label.