Hybrid SUV experiences?
November 7, 2009 in Alternative Fuel Vehicles
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eponine1028 questioned:
I need an suv-type vehicle that can deal with snow/ice and mountains. In its “day after day” life, it will in the end be a shuttle for kids and groceries in a temperate climate.
I’m compelling into account the Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid (in the end the same vehicle?). I thorough the Toyota Highlander but I don’t really need a 3rd row. I also thorough non-hybrids like the crv and rav4.
My concerns/priorities are:
1. Protection
2. Reliability
3. Ability to soubriquet ice and mountains
4. Not dreadful for the background
5. Charming/cool down ride/comfort
This is more about life somewhat environmentally responsible than about reduction cash on gas, if that helps focus your answers. I’m looking to buy in mid-Dec. or ahead of schedule Jan.
Delight only pledge if you have encounter with hybrids or have done investigate. It doesn’t help me to read “all Fords/Mercurys/Saturns suck”
Thankfulness for your help!
My current car is 11 being ancient. My husband will keep it as his transportation to/from set alight rail and to handbook in to his office once a week. The hybrid suv (or gas small suv) will exchange his 10-year-ancient Expedition which gets dreadful mileage. Any small SUV will be an enhancement in fuel state and treatment. We plot to continue our plot of maintenance vehicles for 10 being or more, and opportunely in CA the battery of a hybrid will be roofed by warranty for that part of time. Even if the vehicle had to be messy at that top, it (including the battery) can be recycled.
A bicycle is not realistic transportation when you have children and must handbook to hold groceries and household bits and pieces.
I really am just asking for partaking about the specific suvs I mentioned–I have researched hybrid vs. gas extensively and I know how to handbook an SUV safely in the snow.
Also, the hybrids I bring up here emit roughly 1/2 the emissions of gas-powered vehicles of similar size (the CRV and RAV4). I judge that helps the background, and I judge that we as a public must be decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels (including gasoline). I also judge that hybrids are not the pledge, but that if customers want more environmentally friendly vehicles, we must support the efforts of auto-makers to encourage more advancements in this field.
Did you know that you can save fuel and run your car on water
Well the safest, most reliable, most capable, and most luxurious hybrid suvs would be the new 900 Hybrids from GM (Yukon and Tahoe). The only business is they are VERY generous and will liable cost ~$40,000. But they do have a lot inane for them and at the same time deal with ~21 MPG real life. Very accurate to a Toyota Camry.
The Escape Hybrid is the only additional SUV I can reflect of with 4WD unfilled. The Saturn Vue is sweet low-priced, and the imminent 08 model seems very nice, but I reflect 4WD isn’t unfilled with the Hybrid translation.
In view of the fact that you don’t need the 3rd seat, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid and the sister Lexus RX450h are out, as are the imminent GM Tahoe and Yukon hybrids.
For SUVs, that leaves you with the Ford Escape Hybrid, and its sisters the Mercury Mariner Hybrid and the soon to be released Mazda Tribute Hybrid, along with the Saturn Vue Green Line.
You may do better to question some owners:
The Escape and Mariner hybrids are both excellent choices. They get the same mileage, have the same Yahoo green rating, and nearly the same cost. The Mariner is about $700 more.
I’d recommend test driving both and seeing which you prefer, but both have 4 veer handbook models which are moderately environmentally friendly for SUVs.
Here are complicated protection issues with SUVs. Life more top-heavy, they are more prone to roll over than passenger sedans. And in view of the fact that they are massive, they will do more hurt to the additional car. Also, they have more inertia and don’t do as well in urgent circumstances drills. But their mass tends to protect the public surrounded by. More vital than your extent of vehicle is to be an alert, sober driver, and to keep up your tires sensibly.
Both of these vehicles are unfilled in four-veer handbook models which can help in slippery conditions (ice). But four-veer handbook only helps you go (and to some boundary turn). It does not help you stop – dredge up that and be very precise!
Hybrids do not help the background, and passenger automobiles are not “dreadful for the background” — except you want very much for the mud tracks that our forebears were only delighted to give up!
Much of the superfluous cost of a hybrid is for the fuel required to make the gripping motors, smelt the nickel and additional metals for the batteries, and so on. You may never get back this fuel consumption in run of the mill use. Also with 8-10 being you’ll have to exchange the battery pack, a $3000 repair which may mean junking the car.
A gallon of gas burned in a hybrid produces precisely as much CO2 as a gallon of gas in a conventional vehicle, so if you’re apprehensive about CO2 emissions, reflect in stipulations of gallons of gasoline per month, not miles per gallon. Typically public who buy hybrids handbook them more, and so don’t use any less fuel… They may make environmental matters of poorer quality by contributing to congestion.
If you want to minimize your environmental impression, keep your ancient car and keep up it sensibly. If you must buy a new vehicle, deliberate something smaller, like a Yaris or Ford Edge – you’ll haul around less steel. Or a bicycle.
Anyway, both the Escape and the Highlander are splendid vehicles. I’ve been in both – the Highlander is better and roomier. Both soubriquet like cars, are perfectly appointed, and handbook sweet much like the passenger cars they’re based on.