Luxury Hybrids: Are They Worth the Cost? By Scott Conklin At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

In a world where more and more people are driving hybrids to both save on gas and be more environmentally friendly, many people ask why they should have to surrender on the luxury they enjoy in a new car just to be more environmentally friendly. Well, thanks to companies like Lexus, Porsche, Cadillac, and Mercedes you don't have to. But, by keeping the luxury that many desire are they sacrificing what makes the hybrid truly worth it?

Fuel Efficiency vs. Cost of the Vehicle

One of the biggest draws of a hybrid is that with the money you save on gas will quickly off-set the difference between a hybrid and a traditionally powered vehicle. Then after the first few years, you hope to pocket the savings. With a car like the Toyota Prius that sells for less than $30,000, the difference seems easy to see and could justify spending the extra on the car. But what about a $50,000 car? What if you're spending closer to $100,000? At a certain point, the amount of money you'll save on gas might not off-set the amount you're spending on the car.

Granted, anybody who can afford a $100,000 car probably isn't concerned with off-setting the cost of the car by spending less on gas. Whereas a Toyota Prius can get close to 50 miles per gallon, many of these luxury hybrids get less than 40 miles per gallon. The real comparison, obviously, must be to other luxury vehicles of like size. The Cadillac Escalade Hybrid is rated over 5 miles per gallon better than the traditional gas Escalade. So even with large luxury vehicles, the mileage difference can make up the cost difference given enough time and miles.

Reduced Emissions

While many buy hybrids for the money they save on gas, others buy hybrids simply for their environmentally friendly nature. In this area, luxury hybrids can still justify their cost. Regardless of whether they get the same fuel efficiency as some of the more traditional hybrids, luxury hybrids still have fewer emissions than their non-hybrid cousins. Those who are willing to spend the money to purchase a luxury hybrid can still feel good about helping the environment by reducing the amount of emissions being released by their vehicle.

Is It Worth It?

In the end, the only person that can determine whether or not a luxury hybrid is worth the extra cost is the person buying it. While it won't be as fuel efficient as small hybids, and you my not be able to off-set the total cost of the vehicle with your gas savings, the ability to help the environment by reducing emissions is all many people really want. Either way, there's never anything wrong with purchasing any type of hybrid, and if you can afford a luxury hybrid, there's no reason you can't have all the amenities of a luxury car and cut back on gas and emissions at the same time.

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