Brits Indicate They Will Be Replace Aging Diesels With Hybrids

We'll see what actually happens, as compared to what people say in a survey. Admittedly, Europe is more conducive to owning an EV than in North America, with their shorter drives (many european countries are smaller than some States) and considerably higher liquid fossil fuel costs.

I do not believe this study - I would like to see more people involved.

While it is true that some Europeans are accustomed to underpowered cars - many of the standard engines in gas cars in Europe are much smaller than ever offered here - with a lot of three cylinders available - GAS is still more than TWICE the price of Diesel - will not go away because of trucks - and even the cheapest hybrids cannot be justified economically over a diesel. I believe that this may be a case of people not wanting to admit that they really cannot afford to buy a gas car over a diesel.

Personally, I would as well, depending on the available models. I replaced my Passat TDI with a Subaru, but looked seriously at the RAV4 hybrid, as well as the potential CX-5 diesel and the Equinox diesel. If the Mazda had been available (it still isn't, despite Mazda promises) I probably would have gotten that.

My issue with the RAV4 hybrid was mostly the CVT, as well as the less than stellar performance of the adaptive cruise. Yes, my Subaru has a CVT, but I almost never notice it because with the 3.6 engine it just doesn't act like a CVT. If Subaru, Mazda or VW had a hybrid to offer, I would have most likely taken that.

Europeans are waking up to the fact that diesel in passenger vehicles is not (and has never been) a good solution in terms of pollution, and the increasing amounts of pollution control systems are now making them not economically viable. European conutries incentivized diesel vehicles as a way to give their automakers an edge over asian automakers, and looked the other way when it became obvious that Diesel vehicles couldn't meet emissions standards without gaming emission testing or outright cheating them.

Hybrids are simply better than diesels.

For some people, definitely yes. For others, definitely no. It depends very much on one's driving patterns, whether it's a PHEV, distance driven, and fuel costs. Each situation is unique, so there isn't a clear "X is always better" answer.

In most cases, a hybrid owner will save money by getting a conventional gasoline powered drivetrain (i.e., they'll never recover the additional hybrid price at purchase as fuel savings over the life of the vehicle).

Unless money is not an issue - nor is driving experience- Matt.
However - YOU would be complaining constantly about it if you were forced to drive a Prius or even a better Malibu or Accord Hybrid.
Current "affordable" Hybrids simply do not measure up.Yes - they MAY get better gas mileage - but it can take a dozen years or more to recover the additional cost - and most do not keep a car that long. In addition - anyone who has ever driven a Hybrid in this price range knows that they are completely unexciting to drive - most have CVTs that should be banned from the Universe - acceleration is a dubious term - and as long as they have those - handling has also been left out of the equations too.

I drove a Fusion Hybrid and a Malibu Hybrid as company cars - and frankly I think driving a Chevy full size van with a 6 cylinder engine is more exciting.

Praise Jesus! The triggered Alt-Left dimwits have spoken.

@MDarringer: Your suffering comes from facts, especially those that don't make you feel good. When someone presents facts to you (e.g., Tom and me), and they show how your opinion is factually incorrect, you get triggered, go non-linear, and accuse others of being politically motivated (e.g., your "Alt-Left" reference). This thread serves as an audit trail and proof of this pattern (as do many other AutoSpies pages).

For reader's interest, and amply demonstrated in this thread and others, see the following quote that explains Matt's characteristics and tendencies...

_____
"Donald Trump, champion and avatar of the shallow state, has won power because his supporters are threatened by what they don't understand, and what they don't understand is almost everything. Indeed, from evolution to data about our economy to the science of vaccines to the threats we face in the world, they reject vast subjects rooted in fact in order to have reality conform to their worldviews. They don't dig for truth; they skim the media for anything that makes them feel better about themselves. To many of them, knowledge is not a useful tool but a cunning barrier elites have created to keep power from the average man and woman."

- David Rothkopf
Professor of International Relations and Political Science
_____


Note: Matt is NOT the only one here on AutoSpies to follow this suit. There are a handful of similar members here :-(