Steve,
Even more so than why do they have to be boxes with wheels, is why they don't get better mileage than they advertise. I was just looking at a list of the top 10 hybrids on my home page Reuters News Feed and I believe the top mileage given was around 38 MPG and that figured out to almost 16 years for a person to gain any savings on that car. Now keep in mind this is a news source reporting on this, so it may or may not be accurate. But the mileage they gave on those over priced shoe boxes wasn't any more than some of the cars in the late 50s and early 60s got with bigger engines. I think it must be a conspiracy, ( Isn't everything any more ) to keep people from buying them. Over priced, low Mileage, and look like boxes with wheels.
Here is the chart they gave.
The Big Question
So, is going green worth it? The answer, as you may have learned by now, is that it all depends on what car you're buying. The key is to choose wisely, consider your options carefully, and always take time to do the math.
Check out this chart for specifics on how hybrids compare to their conventional versions.
Hybrid Average MPG Price Premium for Hybrid Version Annual Gas Savings Years to Pay Off
Mercury Mariner 32.2 $1,770.00 $801 2.2
Ford Escape 32.2 $2,740.00 $581 4.7
Lexus RX 400h 25.65 $4,180.00 $641 6.5
Saturn VUE 28.15 $4,120.00 $593 6.9
Nissan Altima 34.1 $6,860.00 $926 7.4
Toyota Highlander 26.1 $6,700.00 $616 10.8
Toyota Camry 33.45 $6,630.00 $575 11.5
Honda Civic 42.25 $7,590.00 $920 15.9
GMC Yukon 21.45 $14,700.00 $920 15.9
Chevrolet Tahoe 21.45 $14,960.00 $920 16.2
Saturn Aura 27.6 $3,495.00 $175 20
Chevrolet Malibu 27.6 $3,995.00 $175 22.8
Ron
