[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by aigel

They make perfect sense for people who love 1 hour each way stop and go commutes. This type of commuting is very common in L.A. and the Bay Area. Of course living like that makes no sense to me to start with, but it is a reality and does not appear to affect these individuals.

Other metro areas may involve long commutes also, i.e. from satellite suburban areas to the centers, but here the traffic still flows considerably well and a regular gas saver car will be sufficient. Also, gas will be 20% less in these areas, so many may care less abut fuel mileage.

I really think the average person nowadays buys a hybrid in CA. It isn't at all about smugness, the environment etc. It is a decent mid size commuter car with the best mileage. Just an appliance like any other Japanese mid size car.

G

The area you live makes a big impact. Stop and go traffic is very rare here, and we have a good highway system that makes getting across town at 65 MPH easy. The ROI on hybrids rarely adds up, but even less so if you don't live in a highly urban area.