Are hybrid SUVs woth the extra money ?

Are hybrid SUVs woth the extra price? Later this year my parents will buy me either an Escape or a V6 mustang when they sell an 4 family appartment they own. I really think I will get the escape because it is more comfortable and practical. I am not really a huge mustang fan anyway. As I am looking on the Ford site now and I am sorta shocked to see that the hybrid model is 7 thousand $ more expensive than the regular Escape. On yahoo autos it shows that a regular 06 Escape costs 20K$ and gets around 20 MPG. The Escape hybrid goes for 28K$ and gets from 33 to 29 MPG. I will also want a 4WD Escape. Thank you very much for your help.

 

So the difference is $8000, but you gain 10 mpg.

If we assume gas comes back down $2.50 eventually, and the hybrid gets 30 mpg, it means the hybrid will cost $.08 a mile in gasoline usage.

The regular engine gets 20 mpg, so it has a fuel cost of $.125 per mile.

So the hybrid saves you 4.5 cents per mile.

8000/.045 so your break even point would be 177,777 miles

So it takes a long time to recoup that $8000 outlay at 4.5 cents per mile.

Now if gas stays at $3.00+ it may reduce this number to 100,000 miles, but still that is a long way off. Also it is an non-mature science so there is risk there as well. I love the idea of hybrids, but they have not become economically feasible yet.

 

You have not factored in the cost of replacing parts on the hybrid. No one seems to know what that nut is going to be in, say, 5-7 yrs.

I think it might bring a new meaning to tune-up.

 

Most sources would agree--you can't recoup the initial hybrid cost with fuel savings alone. Some states and the feds offer tax breaks or credits with the purchase of a hybrid--this can help. The hybrid drive system and batteries are often warrantied to 100K miles--so this eliminates that worry.

But in the end, you either gotta pay to make the environmental statement or you just dig how they drive.

 

Do you do a lot of freeway? If so, definitely don't bother with hybrid. Hybrid do well in city driving due to auto engine shut down. I'm not sure if Escape does that though. On freeway, the savings is less.

If I were you, I'd get a Civic hybrid or a regular Escape. One for low cost, and the Escape for utility.

Hybrid makes sense only on Civic, Prius or Insight where you get 45-55 mpg. Today's gas prices makes these cars economical.

There is a new wave of hybrid buyers gearing to boost performance and get a little extra efficiency in return. It's really absurd IMO since hybrid is hardly a good way to achieve that. If your goal is efficiency, get a real hybrid or a VW diesel. If you goal is performance, get a supercharger. Hybrid adds weight and complexity.

 

And that's only because of the $ tax breaks given to the manufacturer and the consumer (so I can understand it on the short-term $ basis for the consumer) -- it's actually an overall energy loser (but why let reality get in the way). If you want to waste a little more fossil fuel to further prove your "greenness" -- go buy some wind-power electricity .

 

Another advantage to Hybrid:

I understand you can use the HOV lane. So if your a commuter that has a lot of traffic on your commute and you have an HOV lane, this might be a solution.