Do Any of You Have Hybrid Autos and Do You Like Them?

I have a hybrid. It's awesome. The emissions are about the lowest in the business and the gas mileage is about 40 mpg or so for me. The engine actually turns off when I'm at a light. I think the hybrid battery has an 8 year full warranty, via state law, so it shouldn't be much of an issue. The cost of replacing that battery was my main concern in buying one.

 

I have a Hybrid Toyota Highlander. Great miles per gallon considering its a 3 row car.

 

My GF drives a Toyota Prius and she seems pretty happy with it. I've driven it a few times and it seems OK. I don't like how it feels and the layout of the controls but that could be that I am very used to driving a Honda. I once rented and drove a Camry hybrid for a weekend and it was very nice. Very decent power and also very smooth drive.

 

My son has the fusion and really likes it.

 

I had a Civic Hybrid. I loved the car, but the hybrid battery didn't really hold up. I was getting 40-50mpg in the first couple of years, but then it started to really taper off. There was a class action lawsuit for it, which gave me $2K rebates towards a new car and a $200 cash payout. I used the rebate towards buying a regular Civic.

 

This is a question where I need some background on you.

What have you driven in the past? What did you like or dislike about your past cars? What are you looking for in a new car?

I went from an SUV, to a performance luxury sedan, to a compact hybrid... and I can tell you, I regretted it.

The Fusion looks nice and is probably the best hybrid-but-not-a-toy-car compromise you can get, but unless you drive a lot (12K+ miles a year) and/or live somewhere gas is prohibitively expensive... I might reconsider.

I currently drive a 2014 Mazda3 and I love it. The "fun to drive" factor is something I sorely missed, and a higher end compact is a nice balance between practical and exciting.

I can't speak for the Fusion, Sonata, Camry, or other mid-size hybrids... You may find 600 mile drive ranges and 40 dollar fill-ups to be quite the thrill. Just don't make the same mistake I did and take too large of a step down in performance/quality or you may be disappointed.

 

This is what my wife drives, and she loves hers as well!

I totally agree with you on this, I once went from an Escalade to a Honda Accord. I hated driving that vehicle, not because of anything wrong with the vehicle itself, I just never got used to that smaller interior, and I always felt like I was stepping down (Escalade is higher off the ground) every time I got in to it.
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This looks "fun to drive":grin:

Spoiler

 

I heard the Mclaren P1 is a decently fun hybrid to drive. Any one own or try it out?

 

Top Gear tested it and the Porsche 918 recently.

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It's going to be a nice three way race when the La Ferrari comes out. I'm thinking the 918 is the best daily driver of those three while the P1 and La Ferrari are the better track cars.

 

I own a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and I love the car. I'm kind of a tech guy so I like the green leaves that show how efficient I'm driving. 4 years later I still average 36 mpg and I don't press the gas pedal lightly. The Fusion Hybrid has sports suspension steering and even though its a v4 it drives comparably well to a v6. It's the first truly "nice" car I've ever owned and I don't regret it a single bit. Besides the usual standard maintenance I haven't had any problems with the car yet. 86,000 miles in so far and the battery seems
to be holding up strong and is still helping with fuel efficiency. I personally like the Fusion Hybrid better than the Prius since it doesn't look like a hybrid. It looks like a regular Fusion. Only con I have with my hybrid is lack of storage in the trunk and the inability to move the backseats forward to make more trunk space because of where the battery is stored.

 

Not trying to sell you on a 3, but it sounds like you're coming from a good place. It should be a subtle change to your driving habits/style, but a major change on your wallet. That's the perfect kind of switch to make.

 

I have a Nissan Altima hybrid and a Lexus 400RX hybrid SUV.

I will never go back to gas guzzlers love both these vehicles.

 

They seem like a catch 22 for me- would love to HAVE one as a 2nd vehicle to save on gas with obviously, but the only times I'd be willing to drive it is on short runs, which I guess still add up over time. But long freeway trips where it'd really make a difference, I'd still want to drive something bigger, unless those things have a lot more space inside & safety than meets the eye.

I will admit their owners seem to be operating on a higher level- I saw a prius at the rodeo this weekend with a "Is that what they told you to think?" bumper sticker. Really makes you think.

 

I have a scooter and it has great mileage per gallon. Will buy a car soon.