Scythe

i wouldnt throw down the extra couple thousand for what, 3 more mpgs? i think having a lighter foot could accomplish that, i've raised my mpgs from 19 to 24 on my 250 simply by not using power etc and driving more gas consciensiously

tex2670

So the GS, LS and RX are all ugly? The hybrid versions don't have major styling differences from the base versions.

What trunk space would an IS hybrid have? The LS loses 1/3 of its trunk. That would be a big problem.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

Not really. I get 20.5 in winter and 22.5 in summer with city driving. I get anywhere from 26 to 32 on the highway - yes, IS350, not IS250.

Hybrids are a shell and pea game. If you don't use the brakes a lot, you're not going to see any significant savings. You guys wearing out your brakes in 15k miles would probably get a lot out of a hybrid. I would definitely not get much if any improvement.

Who said the IS350 doesn't get good mileage?

MLIAISON

I hear that Hybrids are the biggest scam going in the car industry.

The reason for this is that the hybrid version of the car is by far more expensive than the gasoline version. (number 1).

Number 2 (when the battery dies on the hybrid, its extremely expensive to replace, even more than a normal batter).

Number 3, The amount of savings in gas that you actually do save are very slim, so it will take years to gain back the cost of the additional money you dumped into the car over getting a gasoline version from the start. (back to number ). By the time you do recoupe the money, it will have almost been time to get a new car.

this is just hear say, from what I understand. I heard there have been studies to prove this. i dont know how true this is

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

I don't think so.

I have an IS350, and I get about 22.5 mpg combined. And that's great considering that I drive in a lot of L.A. traffic!

My driving style: I like to coast a lot. I don't accelerate too aggressively, and I don't use the brake unless if I really have to.

Also, I always use premium gas. And I rarely use the "Sport" mode.

I don't know if my air intake or exhaust helps at all, but it may aid mpg in general...

pisaykotik

I'd probably keep my IS350. That said, I'm enjoying the RX 400h loaner I'm driving today.

passnu2

iTrader: (33)

I agree the mileage on the IS350 is great!

Lucien911

somehow cram the GS450h drivetrain into the IS ftw? that would be stewie.

i'd take a hybrid IS as long as it was as fast as the current 350. faster would be better, of course...

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

Well, here's the deal:

Reason 1:

Yeah, hybrids do cost more money. However, you're not just paying for gas efficiency. You also get a smoother ride, quieter cabin, and (usually) extra amenities.

For example, a similarly optioned Camry (non-base Camry LE) is $4k less, but with less power (158 hp vs. 187 hp), and it does NOT have the Push-Start Smart Access Key, Vehicle Stability Control, VDIM, nor body kit that the Camry Hybrid has.

Reason 2:

Of the tens of thousands of Toyota hybrids out on the road, many are pushing over 150-200k miles WITHOUT the need of changing the batteries.

The estimates for replacement are very conservative, and it seems that the car will live a long life prior to needing battery replacement. Perhaps the battery will last longer than the car/engine itself.

Reason 3:

A couple of years ago, I read an article about saving money with the Prius. When gas was $2.50/gallon, it would take 80k miles of driving to recoup the premium cost before you start saving money compared to a Corolla. The Camry Hybrid was estimated at 50k miles to recoup the premium cost compared to a regular Camry LE.

However, now that gas is $4.00/gallon, it would take about 50k miles of driving to recoup the premium cost of a Prius compared to the Corolla, and only 30k miles to recoupe the premium cost of a Camry Hybrid to a regular Camry LE.

If gas prices escalates further, it may take less than two years to recoup the difference!!!

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

They both share the same engine already...

You would just need to find space for the batteries, which would be the magic trick.

ExTrEmE99

iTrader: (6)

You could also say your Hybrid is a little bit better on the environment,

Sure it wont change much but at least you know your trying to do something about it

MLIAISON

Phil!! its so funny that we're having this talk because I just was watching the news....and Triple AAA just stated that the cost of operating a hybrid far outweighs the cost of a gasoline powered car.

This was just Air'd on the news 2 minutes ago....Channel 12 Local News (Long Island, New York).

This part of the news is due to the rising cost of gasoline, which sparked this heated debate!!!

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

Oh well...

I guess there are people/research that proves one thing, and there are people/research that proves the complete opposite. I guess we'll never get it right.

kickin8

iTrader: (1)

no vdo clips from the news?

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

You're making a basic assumption that the cost of producing the hybrid compared to the cost of producing the conventional remains the same. It can't. The energy required to produce the semiconductors that control the power in the hybrid and the price of the battery in the hybrid will increase along with the price increases in raw materials due to higher fuel costs being passed on for mining, smelting, and using oil for polymer feedstocks. Yes, the price of producing the conventional vehicle will go up, but not nearly as fast as the hybrid's cost because of the electronic control systems and the batteries.

In all likelihood, gasoline price changes don't affect the time to ROI unless the margins on the hybrid are smaller and the manufacturers shrink their margins to absorb the increased cost of production with higher crude oil prices.