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Print ArticlePALO ALTO, Calif. , Aug. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Unpredictable gas prices and concerns over global warming have drivers and carmakers alike looking to hybrid vehicles. But is a hybrid the right choice for you? Marty Padgett , editor of TheCarConnection.com, says there are many good reasons to buy a hybrid -- and some bad ones, too. "Some people approach hybrids as a silver bullet to their gas bills," Padgett says. "In some cases it's true -- but some hybrids don't show a real-world improvement in fuel economy at all."
Some great reasons to buy a Hybrid, courtesy of TheCarConnection.com:
Your current car's at the end of its life cycle. Lots of drivers are thinking of selling their cars and getting a hybrid -- which means used-car prices for big SUVs are dropping like a rock, while hybrid prices are percolating. If you're planning on buying a new vehicle anyway, it's the perfect chance to downsize into a smaller hybrid vehicle. But according to the editors at TheCarConnection.com, if your vehicle is not on its last legs, you might not recoup the costs of going hybrid.)
The hybrid you want qualifies for a tax break. Some hybrids, like the
Prius, are no longer eligible for tax breaks. But new hybrid models, such as
the Mazda Tribute, have up to a
Your employer offers perks for hybrid drivers. Companies from Bank of America to Timberland give money or parking privileges to employees who own hybrids; ask your human resources manager.
Your hometown lets you drive in high occupancy (HOV) lanes if you drive alone in a hybrid. If traffic is an issue in your community, access to the carpool lane can be a big plus.
You're trading in a big gas-guzzler for a small hybrid. If you're going from 14 mpg to 30 mpg, that's great. But buying a hybrid version of something you already own -- going from a full-size SUV to a compact crossover hybrid -- is not enough, according to the experts at TheCarConnection.com.
Gas doubles in the next two years. If gas hits