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Here's what I don't get about the hybrid rage: my in-laws have a Mazda 3. Pretty basic car, smaller engine (2.0?) and an automatic. Nice, quality car, and pretty decent to drive for a commuter appliance. They paid about $15k for it new. Mixed it gets about 30 MPG, up to about 34 MPG on the highway. Prius *starts* at a bit over $22k, and real world results put it at about 40 MPG for normal mixed driving.
30 MPG for $15k, or 40 MPG for $22k? Beyond that though, this is what passes for revolutionary technology? Using a very complicated system to get 25% better MPG than an average car, at a pretty large premium? Even better, using complicated technology to get the same MPG as a relatively simple diesel? I just don't get it.
Sink the money into improving gas engine efficiency, as well as reducing diesel emissions. I'm all for new technology, but hybrids are not the answer. The research dollars should go into hydrogen and fuel cells, because that is where the most potential lies.
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‘07 Mazda RX8
Past: 911T, 911SC, Carrera, 951s, 955, 996s, 987s, 986s, 997s, BMW 5x, C36, C63, XJR, S8, Maserati Coupe, GT500, etc
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