Consider a Hybrid
Saturday, September 13th, 2008The stratospheric prices of gas have really left many of us to consider gas mileage as a bigger factor when shopping for cars. In a city like Los Angeles, where one is essentially a non entity without a vehicle, gas prices can significantly affect your monthly budget by hundreds of dollars. For example, on a daily roundtrip commute of 30 miles, a Hummer H2 will drink $150 of gas a month (figuring gas costs roughly $2.50 per gallon). In contrast, the Toyota Prius, with it’s stellar 60/mpg fuel efficiency, will cost only $25 in commuting gas. Of course, there are the numerous environmental benefits of not driving a gas guzzler as well. Be prepared to wait for your vehicle however. The demand for hybrids has been so high that dealers put most customers seeking them on waiting lists. Here are some specs on several of this years most sought after hybrids.
2006 Toyota Prius Compact Sedan
MSRP: $21,725
City Mileage: 60 mpg
Hwy Mileage: 51 mpg
2006 Honda Civic Compact Sedan
MSRP: $14,560 - $23,350
City Mileage: 30-50 mpg
Hwy Mileage: 40-50 mpg
2006 Honda Accord Midsize Sedan
MSRP: $16,295 - $32,140
City Mileage: 21-29 mpg
Hwy Mileage: 30-37 mpg
2006 Ford Escape Hybrid Sport Utility
MSRP: $26,900 - $28,525
City Mileage: 33-36 mpg
Hwy Mileage: 29-31 mp
2006 Lexus RX 400h Hybrid Sport Utility
MSRP: $44,660 - $46,060
City Mileage: 31-33 mpg
Hwy Mileage: 27-28 mpg