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This was very interesting--thanks for providing it. I plan to replace my current car in about five years, and will be willing to consider a hybrid. Performance, reliability, and cost are the important factors to me, though I'd also love it if we could tell the world "No thanks, we don't need your oil any more." I realize we're nowhere near that point now.

You'll pay about 10 grand more for a vehicle with specialized mechanical needs and phony MPG ratings.

Save the Whales!

This was very interesting--thanks for providing it. I plan to replace my current car in about five years...

Wow, you plan that far in advance on a new car purchase? Astonishing.

"Should have been 11 myths. They left out the myth that Hybrids' actually get 50-60 miles per gallon as it says on the sticker."

"This was very interesting--thanks for providing it. I plan to replace my current car in about five years, and will be willing to consider a hybrid. Performance, reliability, and cost are the important factors to me, though I'd also love it if we could tell the world "No thanks, we don't need your oil any more." I realize we're nowhere near that point now."

Don't waste your money yet.

Eagles Talon is right. Not only is the mileage overrated, the Toyota Prius gets worse mileage than my Nissan Sentra did back in 1982. Yes, in 1982 my first new car got 41 mpg in the city and 49-50 mpg on the highway, with a peppy 1.6 liter engine.

I don't know if it's the engineering, or another factor, but paying an extra $5,000 for something that does no better than 1982 non-hybrid engines is a waste of money.

If you want to get "free" of imported oil, and not sacrifice performance, purchase a natural gas-powered car. The world is not short of CH4 and the changes to traditional internal combustion engines are virtually nil.

These trends in vehicles are compelling but that's what they are -- just trends. [Remember the words of George Santayana -- those who do not remember history are condemned to repeat it.] Back in the early 1980s, diesel engines were all the rage . The fuel was much cheaper, and the mileage seemed to be better. [The VW Rabbit got over 50 mpg with diesel fuel.] Everyone started wanting diesel engines. Even Chrysler, for gosh sakes, started developing diesel luxury cars.

Well, that fad ended. Who builds luxury Lincolns or Chryslers with diesel engines anymore? And most of the diesels were dogs, too -- I remember Chrysler having to recall most of their models multiple times.

So, AG, don't fall for the hype. Do your homework. Let others -- the crunchy granola types from Seattle or San Francisco -- be the gineau pigs buying the hybrids.