Revisting the Hybrid Car Debate

Dahcredyns left a comment on emily2's post about hybrid cars. it turns out that judging whether a hybrid is 'worth' it is more complicated than it first appears. the prius averages 45 mpg in stop and go traffic, which is unheard of for a conventional car. so, if one is looking to buy a new car and one lives in a city where stop and go traffic is the norm, the prius is a much better buy. i have noticed that my saturn's fuel efficiency drops dramatically when i drive in the city (or in rush hour traffic). it still gets about 30-33 mpg and that's very good compared to the average american auto. on the highway, it gets nearly 40 mpg.

if the cost of fuel is a concern for you, then the kind of car that would be best depends on what kind of driving you do most often. the other option is to buy a diesel powered car. a diesel engine is much more efficient than a gasoline engine, and it lasts much longer. the original article emily2 linked grossly exaggerated how long it would take for a prius owner to recoup the extra cost of the prius in lower fuel costs. it also didn't address the fact that some people might be attracted to a prius because they want to minimize their personal contribution to air pollution.