Hybrid cars -- anyone driving one? Love it? Hate it?

[5wolfcubs]

We've been looking at hybrids for a few years now and dh is thinking that they might be stable enough to get one now. He'd be driving it to work when he doesn't ride his motorcycle. It's about 25 miles one way, half highway and half city.

He was looking at the Toyota Prius and one by Nissan (but the Nissan isn't sold in AZ, yet).

Opinions?

[kRenee]

I have two sisters that have purchased the Prius (one larger, one smaller). I saw them last June when I was home and both sisters loved them. I know they drive 20-30 minutes to work on the highway.

[Dot]

My aunt has a Prius and loves it. Our next car purchase will be a hybrid, too.

[Krista in LA]

I don't have one but am seriously considering the Ford Escape Hybrid. I do lots of city driving, but need something that would work for longer trips too as it would be replacing my minivan. It seems to have enough room without being too big.

[cin]

We have 2 prius' and love them. In fact, we've owned 3. When I totaled the one we bought a mini-van, and 6 mos later traded it in on a prius. They've been out quite awhile. We bought all 3 of ours used and we love them. They've all had at least 30K on them. The newer ones get better mileage, but even the older ones get 30+ mpg. DH is a newer one, maybe 2 yrs old and it gets 40 mpg. I'm not a 'good' prius driver, so I only get about 30-35 mpg (which is still almost double what the van got, so I'm not complaining!). The funny thing about them is that at a red light, the engine shuts off. It goes to electric, so there is NO noise. Don't be alarmed :D. There is no driving difference. It's the same as any other car. IF you accelerate fast, you use more gas. The one thing that is fun, you can coast through a parking lot on the electric and scare the poo out of people who are walking down the middle of the row when they turn around and see you, not that *I* would ever do that (DH likes to though). Toyota's have been around the longest and rank really well by consumer reports, so I would recommend them.

hth

[Karen sn]

Yes. We love ours. 100 thousand mile warranty from the factory. Toyota Higlander.
Great gas milage. We bought it @ exactly 20,000 miles for $23,000. For the money we save in gas (db rides an hour to work and back, five days a week) IT WAS WORTH IT.
Batteries are expensive - in the 2,000 range - but you can always trade in it before that......
I called my little brother (car person) to tell him of our find before we bought it - he knows and said that Toyota actually is the most advanced in the hybrid world and they sell their old technology to other car companies.
Interestingly enough, I recently heard in conversation that a lot of Toyota trucks are actually manufactured and assembled in the good old USofA.
Ours unfortunately was not - it's actually from Japan. But next time I'll pay more attention to that detail and see what we can actually get that IS a Toyota hybrid made HERE.
I would just like to say to anyone reading this - the boards are scarry for me - there's alot to know in the new navigating. I usually post here on my breaks at work when I do my long weekends at hospice. But this weekend I read gossip magazines with my old ladies around the dining room table. It was fun. But I did miss you guys!

[5wolfcubs]

I don't want to need a new car, but you all make them sound good! I'd love to be able to buy one made here in the USA. Glad the feedback is so positive and I hope more & more are on the road!:)

[Sara R]

If you are looking at hybrids for the gas mileage only, know that there are much cheaper cars out there that get mileage almost as good, or better. Old Geo Metros get highway mileage of about 45 mpg. Toyota Yaris gets 36 mpg highway. The hybrids probably give off less emissions.

[nukeswife]

My dh looked long and hard at many of the hybrids out there and decided that he liked the honda civic best. He loves driving it and yes it has that thing where at a stop light the car goes completely quiet because it's not using the gas engine at all. We've never had any issues with it and it tells him on the dashboard display what kind of milage he's getting it's usually in the 40-46 mpg area.

The thing I like about it is that it doesn't look any different from the standard civic. It doesn't have that weird space age look that some of the hybrids have.

We both love it although I don't drive it too much because we have 3 kids all in car seats or boosters so we don't all fit in it.

I sure wish someone would make a hybrid mini-van. Although with the two dogs we're growing out of a mini-van too. We're a military family so we move ALOT and need lots of room in the vehicle for when we move from one state to the other. Maybe I need to hope for a hybrid Ford Expedition instead. :)

[Janet in WA]

My inlaws have a Prius. They couldn't be happier with it.

[ArwenA]

I really want a hybird, but we don't have the money. :( I guess I'll have to stick with my gas guzzling, bad for the environment car.