Hybrids: The Best for City Dwellers

Hybrids

Mercury Mariner gets 34/31 mpg

By Brian Moody

If you’re looking to save a little money on your monthly fuel bill or simply want to consume less, you’ve likely considered a hybrid.

Hybrid vehicles combine gasoline engines with electric motors to save fuel. The extra boost from the electric motors means the gas engine doesn’t have to work as hard, so it simply uses less fuel.

Of course, many affordable non-hybrid cars like the Ford Fiesta, VW Golf TDI, and Kia Forte get great fuel economy without the complexity of a hybrid powerplant, but like most non-hybrid vehicles these cars are most efficient on the highway. That’s great if you commute from the valley, but for most city dwellers hybrids would be a better fit.

Just check out the EPA fuel economy ratings for a typical hybrid. Vehicles like the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Toyota Prius, Lexus HS250h, and Ford Escape Hybrid all get better fuel economy in the city. That’s because these vehicles rely solely on electricity for some low speed driving, and if you live Downtown, almost all your driving is low speed. While you’re wasting gas inching your way through Little Tokyo or endlessly circling the Convention Center’s West Hall parking lot, hybrid drivers are likely using little to no gas in those same circumstances.

The Ford Fusion Hybrid gets an EPA rating of 36 mpg highway but it jumps to 41 mpg in the city. The story gets even better with vehicles like the Chevy Volt. It’s basically a plug-in, all-electric car with a gas-powered generator. That means the Downtown loft crowd could easily drive the Volt for several days before using a single drop of gasoline. Similarly, a few conventional hybrids have an EV mode where the car can run solely on electricity as well.

However, not all hybrids use less gas in the city. The Honda Insight, Chevy Tahoe Hybrid, and Toyota Camry Hybrid do not do better in city driving according to the EPA. It’s also important to note that hybrids are typically more expensive than similarly sized gas-only cars, which may negate some of the financial incentives of owning a hybrid. However, if you live, work, and shop downtown, buying a hybrid may be the best way to use less gas and save a little money along the way.

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