Three years ago my wife and I decided to replace our 1998 Honda Accord with something that was more family friendly. We vacillated between a hybrid and a small SUV, foregoing the Ford Escape Hybrid and feeling overwhelmed by even the Toyota Highlander Hybrid’s girth. Because we only drove about 8,000 miles annually, it made justifying the extra expense of a hybrid harder. We didn’t plan on owning two cars and lived in a place where four wheel drive was important. Additionally, we wanted to be able to fit gear (including a rugged stroller) in the back for trips to the mountains. We don’t currently live near mountains, but have a second child. The expanded space is nice. What isn’t nice is the poor gas mileage.
Recently, Chris wrote about lamenting his decision to buy a clean diesel instead of a hybrid given his new commute. During a trip out to Washington DC, former guest author Harold Manger, owner of a Prius since 2009, chastised me for not getting a Prius as well. Since the time we bought our car, two major developments that would have provided a viable option have come on the market. The vehicle we bought (a Toyota Rav4) was turned into an electric vehicle in a joint venture with Tesla. While these are only available in California, and at a $10,000+ premium, it would’ve been a consideration given my opposition to hybrids. The more plausible choice would’ve been the expanded Prius line, with the wagon in particular as a potential replacement.
What’s missing in the chastising was the usage issue. Harold drives considerably more than my wife and I do. While he and his wife also share one car, we have one for four people (including our children) and both work. Additionally we live much closer to the city and amenities than they do. Harold calculated that he’s saved some $10,000 by purchasing a hybrid. It takes a lot of driving to save that much money. Imagine how much more he could’ve saved if he had an electric car. Wait, twice as much (though that doesn’t account for electricity costs).
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