I am considering buying a hybrid this year. Question: My commute is approximately 30 miles each way. About 20 of those miles are highway driving at approx 80 mph. The other 10 miles are city streets with numerous traffic lights. Is this type of commute ideal for a hybrid, or will my gas bill still be about the same at the end of the month?
A hybrid wouldn’t be a bad move if you’re only looking to save a few bucks on your monthly gas bill. For saving money overall, though, a fuel-efficient, gasoline-only car can cost much less than a hybrid and still return decent mileage.
If you’re still interested in a hybrid, based on your particular commute we suggest looking at the Honda Civic Hybrid. The Civic Hybrid is a mild hybrid that’s rated for better highway mileage than city mileage: 40/45 mpg city/highway. Booking along at 80 mph, though, isn’t going to extract the best mileage from any car, not even a hybrid. The best spot for mileage is around 50-60 mph, depending on the car.
For a fuel-efficient, gasoline-only car, the base Civic sedan — rated at 25/36 mpg — starts at $15,010, while the hybrid starts at $22,600, so right there that’s $7,000 you don’t have to spend. Making up that $7,000 by getting an extra 13 mpg (combined mileage) in the hybrid isn’t going to happen overnight, either.
Take a look at our Best and Worst Gas Mileage section to see vehicles — both hybrid and gasoline-only — that have the best mileage ratings. Also check out our Top Picks for Commuters, where we list our favorite commuter cars.
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Have you though about the Toyota Prius? I personally like the look and feel of it better than the Honda hybrid. Also, I am pretty sure it gets a little better gas mileage.