Hybrids Still Waiting For Sales To Justify Lowering Costs

he biggest complaint enthusiasts harp against hybrids is their so-called "extra costs" don’t justify the mileage. (Said enthusiasts fall silent when trying to justify extra horsepower.)

Enthusiasts may soon have to look for other reasons to rail against hybrids. Hybrid component manufacturers such as battery makers are seeing sales skyrocketing. Toyota, which is currently in the lead, predicts it will sell 1 million of its hybrid vehicles by 2010 while Honda, the second leader, sees its hybrid sales of 10,000 in Europe to at least triple this year....


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david999 - 3/27/2007 2:07:32 PM

+2 Boost

Other manufacturers better jump on the bandwagon now. I hope the German
car guys can make a reliable hybrid too.

kpaxx - 3/27/2007 2:15:57 PM

-1 Boost

My biggest complaint is that they are heavy and handle like crap. There is so much plow in the front end of any hybrid that I driven that it induces a vomit reflex when I drive one. Hybrids are not for enthusiast period. I'd rather drive a diesel if I wanted a car with good fuel economy.

Threepoint1415926 - 3/27/2007 2:34:02 PM

+2 Boost

Tell me again, what's the connection between battery sales and sporting driving style? Of course batteries are selling better with the production of a greater number of hybrids. This blog (like most blogs that are posted as news) was pretty worthless...

Will_ - 3/27/2007 4:00:45 PM

+2 Boost

This article makes no sense to me at all. Enthusiasts are complaining about hybrids not being sporty enough for them? What else is new? Also, the costs of hybrid argument has been argued already. In Europe, diesel is more expensive than gasoline. Guaranteed if the European automakers start pushing North American diesel initiatives, the cost of diesel will go up her too.

Rupert - 3/27/2007 4:42:54 PM

+3 Boost

In Britain it's more expensive, for no reason at all.

Rupert - 3/28/2007 3:10:08 AM

+2 Boost

no, diesel is taxed more, that's why its higher.
And enoguh with the "diesel takes mroe oil to be produced". We know that isn't true.

1970toyotamarc - 3/27/2007 6:32:34 PM

+1 Boost

Leather does not justify its cost. Nav does not justify its cost. Chrome wheels do not justify their cost. A high mileage, virtually emissions free vehicle justifies its cost. If that's not enough, just wait for gen 3, when the cost will be lowered. And then thank all of us who were willing to purchase gens 1 and 2 so that the cost could be lowered by gen 3.

XYZZ - 3/28/2007 7:57:59 AM

+1 Boost

the "premium not justified" argument never held much water.

CR did an analysis a coupla years ago. the prius and civic hybrids both recovered the premium after the first 3 years.

savings over the rest of the ownership period was all gravy!

XYZZ - 4/1/2007 4:57:26 AM

0 Boost

people who buy hondas and toyotas can easily keep their cars 10 - 15+ years.

there are at least enuff owners of 10 year old models, to provide a population for CR's surveys.

wherein they find, that 10 year old models of both, are still in as good shape and equivalent reliability to other brands a mere 3 - 5 years old.