Should You Swap Your SUV for a Hybrid?

Wall Street Journal ^ | 04 June 2008 | Brett Arends

[Myrddin]

I upgraded a 2003 Ford Escape 4x4 w/3.0 V6 to the 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid. Same basic vehicle with the hybrid electric drive and fancy leather seats, moon roof, satellite radio, in-dash navigation. The $3,000 promised rebate turned into $1200 when I actually filed my taxes. The promised 32 MPG is more like 26 MPG...in mild weather. Cold weather drops the MPG to around 21. Hot weather drops to around 24 MPG. Both due to the need to run the engine for heating/cooling and inefficiencies introduced by temperature extremes.

Having taken the hybrid route, I would put the money into a regular V6 as before plus the "nice" leather seats, satellite radio and nav system. The hybrid is incapable of towing, has much less ability to accelerate for passing on the freeway. You also lose the ability to add a wide range of electrical accessories.

The real question everyone cares about is do you save money on gas? Not much. Perhaps an extra 5-7 miles per gallon vs the 3.0L V6. The $4,000 difference in purchase price PLUS the interest you will likely pay will not be offset by the gasoline savings vs the V6 version.

[irishtenor]

Only if I crashed into it :>)

[RoadKingSE]

It's a perfect time to run down to the IH dealer and order one of these. Barbara Boxer can kiss my @$$.

[LostInBayport]

Gas guzzling? My SUV, with a 6 cylinder engine, gets a consistent 26-28 mpg in mixed use. I’ve measured it at over 30 on the highway (on occasion). So, they can keep their hybrids.

Similar story here. On the highways (especially state roads where I can do a steady 40-50 m.p.h.) my medium SUV averages 25 and better. Mixed use in traffic conditions brings it down but I still manage 23-24. The fuel economy indicator has made me a better driver.

I'll cut down my driving before I squeeze into a Toyota Pious...I mean, Prius. I enjoy driving my car...it's a crossover and a quality product. Also, having been in crashes with both cars and an SUV, I prefer to be in an SUV.

Not that I wouldn't consider a hybrid version of my SUV someday...but first I want to see these hybrids start hitting 200,000+ miles so I know there's no durability problem.

[pnz1]

Well on the bright side, I think some of the newer ones may have a “backup warning” so that if anything is in your (her) path it will warn the driver.

[Rebelbase]

300 miles per week in my 20 year old SUV at 15 mpg=$80 or $320/mo.

300 miles per week in a 45mpg hybrid=$26.60 or $106/mo.

Difference= $214/mo.

SUV no payments

New hybrid=$24,000, $400/mo payment zero interest for 4 years.

County Taxes $250/yr on hybrid, $80/yr on SUV

Insurance on Hybrid=$150/mo. Insurance on SUV=$80/mo.

Total Cost for 4 years with Hybrid+fuel=$35,808
Total Cost for SUV/w fuel= $16,640

I’d have to drive a Hybrid for 9+ years to break even @$4/gallon.

This excludes maintenance. I could buy 6 good running, older SUV’s for the total cost difference.

[Comparative Advantage]

It seems pretty pointless to trade in a car that is, let’s say 5-7 years old that books out at $10K, that you probably wouldn’t be able to get the book value in trade to spend about $25K (not including loan interest). Even if you got the book value, you are still $15K in the hole. What is the break even point? Maybe 6-8 years if gas prices remain in the $4-$6 range? In the meantime, you are driving a wuss mobile that isn’t confortable nor does it have any value as far as hauling space. I think I’ll pass.

[Rebelbase]

Plus, safety of being surrounded by 2 tons of steel in SUV is priceless.

[CodeToad]

“A Toyota Prius sedan, the best-selling hybrid, will get an average of 45 miles per gallon. “

Only at sea level and on the best days of city driving. For highway driving they get a lot less as that battery doesn’t kick in.

Oh, and they pollute more than a Hummer overall because of the materials they use.

Not to mention, spending $22,000 on one means needing 10 years to pay it off with gas savings.

Do liberals ever think?

[Nowhere Man]

I’m keeping my 1994 Ford Explorer. One I like to haul things, sometimes my grade school buddy needs me to haul things, his F-150 is not drivable but he’s working on it piece by piece. I lugged his 52 inch HDTV to his home in it. Trouble is, it needs work for inspection but it is drivable, Thank God. We will do the repair work ourselves. In my case, my credit rating has already decided for me that I have to keep the old truck. B-P So no matter how high gas goes, I have to keep it. One thing though, my Explorer consumes gas like a Prius when it is compared to his F-150. B-)

[gracie1]

I rented a hybrid SUV (Ford Escape I think) for a week last year. We were not all that impressed with the gas mileage. It was in the Midwest in a heat wave. I think you are correct regarding the temperature effects, as well as the weak passing ability. My S10 Blazer gets good enough gas mileage, is 4 wheel drive and I can tow moderate loads (towed a Harley in a U-haul trailer from Montana to California).

[freekitty]

If my airbag goes off because I am not tall; my head will go off if you know what I mean.

[brushcop]

It is so good to read your cost analysis, I don't know how many times I've tried talking some sense into younger people wrapped up in the hysteria of gas prices. Good grief folks, get a grip!

Similar to you, I have a 10 yr. old F150 V6, decent mpg and it hauls things and it tows my tiny Travel Trailer (old sytle--retro--I built it, I love it, I use it). We have fun, perhaps we don't drive around as much for pleasure now so we are more choosy about when and where to go. Fine, that's life. That's how we paid for our house and property, we planned, saved and paid through the tough times, made do with older stuff, paid for stuff.

Meanwhile, worthless Congress, DRILL HERE, DRILL NOW!

[bboop]

Not in a million years. I would never drive a hybrid. I also ask for plastic bags at the market.

[monkeycard]

Should You Swap Your SUV for a Hybrid?

No.

[Damifino]

What is the towing capacity of a Prius?

[FrankR]

"Maybe they should all take a trip to Europe and check out the gasoline prices there."

I see this idea tossed around a lot...I'm trying to decide if you - and others - who make a point to remind us of the plight in Europe do so to try and make us appreciate the prices we have, or is it just another lefty guilt trip.

I spent two years in Germany, from 1966-1968...gas was around a buck a liter then, which would be something like $4 per gallon. We were doing the 50-75 cents a gallon here in the states at that time...if my memory serves me right.

The point is, we have always run our country, and they have always run their country, and if they haven't figured out the free market and how to drive down prices by now, they never will. It happens when you pick socialism over capitalism. If the powers-that-be don't want the population driving, then they put every obstacle in the way until everyone had soon take the bus.

Also, back then, for a German to even get a drivers, it would cost him hundreds of dollars and many, many hours of formal drivers training. We had to answer 20 multiple choice questions and parallel park.

There is some evil and twisted drive in this country to try and make us all like the Europeans. Well, I'm going to say it...our forefathers LEFT Europe for a reason...they didn't like the way things were done there.

I was married to a German girl for over 10 years, and believe me, I have no desire to be "like the Europeans".

Georgia Senator Herman Talmadge used to say that the U.S. plays Santa Claus and Policeman for the whole world...and we always have, always that is until the rest of the world finally got up to speed on the sophistication rail...now all of the asses we saved, and the quadrillion dollars in foreign aid, are suddenly forgotten.

They have become like typical liberals, they're miserable and they want us to be miserable too. If they've got problems - whether it's gasoline or muslims - we're supposed to share it. If we don't then Nancy Pelosi will talk bad about us.

It's just the same old "hate the rich guy, tax him to hell", on a Global level. Hell, everything else has gone "Global", so why not guilt and jealousy?

Personally, I don't give a damn how much gas is in Europe, I live in America. But the press is not going to let anyone live in peace and harmony, as there is no news "payoff" in that, so they continue to plant the seeds of discourse the world over, makeing them globally important.

Did every spoiled brat kid in America with a bruised ego and low self-esteem grow up to be a journalist?

[redstateconfidential]

Nuhh, don’t say that to loudly around here, some smarter than everybody types will smuggly tell you their girlie kar stood up to the same kind of impact that would total your evil SUV. Then they put on their Tinkerbell outfits and go downtown to an Obama rally.

[Rebelbase]

That hybrid car payment assumed you had a $5000+ - trade in. Add $5000 to the total if one pays full price and gets zero financing on the total purchase price. Forgot tax and tags also.

That would increase it to about 11 years break even point.

Cool on the homebuilt trailer!

[irishtenor]

When they ask me “paper or plastic” I say “Both, I’m bi-sacksual.”