Know Your Hybrid MPG

Make sure your hybrid is going to reward you at the pump. Just because a automobile is slapped with a hybrid label it does not necessarily mean it is fuel efficient. Numerous hybrid cars only obtain 26 mpg or much less in the city. That is considerably much less than the most fuel efficient hybrids which get much better than 40 mpg. If you factor in the rising cost of gas, over time the difference could add up to thousands of dollars.

Most Fuel Efficient Hybrid Cars:

2010 Toyota Prius – 51/48 2010 Ford Fusion – 41/36 2010 Mercury Milan – 41/36 2009 Honda Civic – 40/45 2010 Honda Insight – 40/43

*city/highway

Decide on a Hybrid with Low Emissions

Other than helping the environment choosing a lower emissions hybrid is an essential consideration because it determines how significantly of a Federal and State tax credit you can claim. Normally the lower the emission regular the greater the credit will be. But buyer’s be aware, the Federal government discontinues the tax credit for hybrids who’s manufacturer has surpassed 60,000 in total hybrid sales. The Prius is a prime example of this phase out. Since Toyota has surpassed the 60,000 mark the Prius no longer qualifies for the Federal credit.

Make certain to ask the dealer which emission regular the hybrid vehicle you are thinking about buying qualifies as and whether or not it is still eligible for the Federal incentive. While you are at it ask them how a lot of an incentive the State is offering as each and every State’s hybrid tax credit varies.

List of hybrid cars that qualify for the hybrid tax credit.

Take into account Battery Reliability

Choose a vehicle whose battery is proven dependable and has a long standing warranty period. A hot subject amongst hybrid owners and enthusiasts alike is the reliability and replacement price of the battery utilised to power hybrid vehicles. Replacing a hybrid battery is extremely pricey, around ,000 depending on the vehicle, nevertheless they are produced to last the lifetime of the vehicle and most manufacturers supply an 8 to 10 year warranty.

Alert: Unlike conventional car batteries a hybrid battery can not be jumped. So if the battery dies you are forced to replace it.

Test Drive for Performance

Frequent complaints associated with popular hybrid cars is they lack in performance. A hybrid that gets fantastic fuel mileage is possibly not going to win any races or feel like they handle corners on rails. These vehicles are built for efficiency not speed and most are equipped with 4 cylinder engines. There are exceptions, like the Lexus GS hybrid, but they get much less than favorable gas mileage and the M.S.R.P.’s are typically fairly-a-bit higher.

Hybrid Car