They have been on the market now for over 12 years. Have they made much impact?
I guess it depends on where and how you use your vehicle as to whether or not it is the vehicle for you. For example, if you live in the city and use your car to commute to work, run errands and go out in the evening. Then I think a hybrid would be a good choice for you, that is if you don't mind the price of admission. Getting a little more specific, the Toyota Prius. It is a nice car. It drives well, has nice features and is quite fuel efficient on top of the ultra low emissions status. The problem is the Toyota Corolla is also a nice car. It drives well, has nice features and is quite fuel efficient and with the new fuel injection and emission controls on today's modern cars, it also has very low emissions. And if you want a hatch back like the Prius the Toyota Matrix is built on the Corolla platform and delivers almost the same driving experience as the Corolla. The first problem with the Prius (or any of the hybrid cars) is the price for the status of the car. The Prius starts at over $29,000. You can almost get two Corollas for the price of one Prius. That is a lot of extra cash that could go to other things, just to show that you are environmentally conscientious...Now, to be fair the Prius is quite nicely equipped. You would have to check a few of the options boxes on the Corolla to have a comparable car...but a Prius will still be a few thousand dollars more. So, if you live in the urban jungle and rarely leave it, you could make a case to justify the extra cost of a hybrid vehicle.
But, if you live in a suburban neighbourhood where there is more commuting involved, I think it will be a harder sell. Especially if you take into account the new diesel cars coming to market. The commute is where they excel. The hybrids actually don't do as well on the commute as they do in the city. They don't use the electric motor on the freeway, so they are essentially a small 4 cylinder car just like a lot of others on the freeway. The hybrids are no more efficient than a comparably sized conventional vehicle. The new diesel cars (VW Jetta TDI) are pretty good around town and even better on the hi way. The one thing that sticks out from the car reviews that I have read is that the hybrid vehicle advertised fuel consumption is a little on the optimistic side, where the diesel cars seem to be able to meet and exceed their advertised consumption. In addition to this, the diesel car (and the conventional 4 cylinder cars) will be more entertaining to drive than the hybrid. The don't have to carry the weight of the battery pack, so they are lighter and drive more...sporting...the hybrids have some pretty cool techy stuff, but the drive itself is kinda boring.
I didn't mean for this to sound like a hybrid bash...I really don't have anything against them, in fact I think they are quite interesting. But I don't see a need for them. The new compact and subcompact cars are quite efficient and reliable. And on the topic of reliable, I know the taxi cabs in Vancouver are driving the hybrids and not really having any problems with them, but what about the rest of Canada where we get winter? Is there a reason you don't see a Prius Taxi in Edmonton? I haven't seen any negative reports on the hybrids, but I have a feeling they loose their edge in the dead of winter. Lights are on longer, the heater is on constantly...most people like to have a remote car starter so that they can get into a warm vehicle...I know it is better for the car to start it and let it idle for about 30 seconds then let it warm up under light load...but most people (read Mrs. Madjak) use their remote to warm the vehicle and defrost the windows before even entering the vehicle. A hybrid...well, I don't know if that is even possible.
I don't know, maybe I'm just not getting the "save the planet" message, but I think for most people a conventional 4 cylinder is the best all around choice. They will meet your needs and use very little fuel compared to the V6 and V8 vehicles that we have been using.
And yes, I realize that some people need to have bigger vehicles with more available power. Be it for work or play, towing and long miles (hence my diesel truck)or a weekend cruise or 1/4 mile addict. Sometimes it is all peer pressure, "you didn't buy one of those, did you?". It all comes down to the all mighty dollar. How much are you willing to pay for the convenience. And until the price of fuel goes up, some people will go for the most power that they can afford. I am probably one of them. Given the choice of either a Prius, a Matrix, or a Chrysler 300C...if I can afford one, the V8 Hemi will be in my driveway. I love the sound and the torque...
Anyway, that is my two cents.
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