In today's day and age, hybrid has become a synonym for what is good in the eco-friendly movement. Not all hybrids are created the same, and in actuality many rate quite poorly. Whether it is poor fuel economy or a negative impact on the environment, these hybrids show that bearing the moniker of hybrid, does not necessarily mean that the car will have a positive impact on the planet or your wallet.
When automobile owners hear the word hybrid, their thoughts immediately go to gasoline. Those gallons of gas will be saved in the switch to hybrid vehicles. Take for example the Chevrolet Tahoe 2-Mode hybrid. The 2-mode system gives the Tahoe dynamic control over two or four wheel drives. This imparts a forty percent improvement to mileage, at an MSRP of over fifty thousand. This is the problem with the vehicle as a hybrid. Despite the extent of improvement in fuel economy, the total benefit to the driver will not match the benefits for other hybrids. Worse yet, it will be unlikely that an SUV such as the Tahoe would not come close to meeting or exceeding the benefits from other vehicles. It is for this reason that consumers should investigate all variables when looking into a hybrid to purchase. These include prices, mileage for the hybrid and non-hybrid version, internal space, vehicle weight, and so on.
Another way that hybrids are not the best choice is when they fail tests that should not be failed. Vehicles like the Honda Accord Hybrid were not able to pass their initial emissions test. After Honda pulled the car and worked the internals to address the problem, the hybrid once again failed the test. All of this equates to costs for the owner, because not only will their vehicle fail emissions, but they will have to pay for the fix, and then pay for retesting. Before the retest, the driver can not legally drive the vehicle. This situation shows how vital it is to research not only the specifications provided by the manufacturer, but also news reports regarding the vehicle and issues it may have. The manufacturer can edit their web page, but not online news sources will forever exist in the digital ether. Honda's website shows their non standard hybrid on the webpage, while information on the Accord is hard to come by. A hybrid which fails emissions is not really getting the point.
Most hybrids on the market have passed their emissions, and are true deals for their owners. These hybrids will have passed emissions tests in many states and high mileages. Despite this, there are a few bad apples. These bad apples hurt the environment, with their failing emissions, and hurt the wallets of their owners. These hybrids serve as poor investments, and for those consumers looking for a hybrid that is eco-friendly as well as good for the wallet, then a good deal of research into the best hybrid is necessary. Look at manufacturer specifications as well as news reports into the reliability and any press worthy issues that may arise.
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Originally posted 2009-01-16 05:00:00. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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