![]() ![]() “When shopping for a used car, we say the sweet spot is a well-maintained five-year-old vehicle,” Knizak said. If a new hybrid isn’t in your budget, used may be an option. It’s quicker in our acceleration tests, too,” Knizak said.Ĭonsumer Reports also found that hybrids often have higher owner satisfaction scores than their conventional counterparts. ![]() “For example, the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid rides better, is quieter, and shifts more smoothly than the gas-only Santa Fe. And if gas prices go up to $5 per gallon, the payback period for the Santa Fe Hybrid could drop to just one year.īeyond fuel economy, some hybrids even performed better in their tests than the gas-only version of the same model. Using a gas price of $4 per gallon and driving 12,000 miles a year, Consumer Reports found that the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid would pay off its higher cost in four years the Honda Accord Hybrid would pay it off in three years and, the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, only two. ![]() “We compared hybrid and non-hybrid versions of some popular vehicles and found that fuel savings could make up for many hybrids’ additional up-front purchase price.” “Hybrids have a gasoline-powered engine and a battery-powered electric motor that work together to optimize efficiency,” said Alex Knizak, Consumer Reports’ auto expert. But do they make sense given that many come with a higher up-front cost? As gas prices remain pumped up, interest in hybrid vehicles may be revved up.
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