Wheel Deal: January

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Hybrids: Fad or Function?

By Art Garcia

While some observers call it “ugly,” many owners of Toyota’s popular hybrid-engine Prius call it “a statement.” The unique design tells the world that owners are environmentally conscious and get super-high mileage per gallon. “People are proud to have a Prius in their driveway,” says Mike Hudson, consumer advice editor at Edmunds.com, an online source for automotive information.
     As gas prices crept up earlier last year to around $3 a gallon, coupled with the impact of hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the energy industry, more drivers took to Prius and other hybrids, creating a spike in sales. The cars are popular in Hollywood, too. Larry David, star and creator of HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” drives a Toyota hybrid in the weekly series and several of the cars drove up to the red carpet at the Academy Awards ceremony.
     Hudson says the Prius has become a “cultural icon.” Adds Jack Nerad, editorial director and market analyst at Kelley Blue Book in Irvine, Calif., “When you have a Prius, you have a hybrid, and everybody knows it.”
     Hybrids, most owners believe, are worth the $3,000-$6,000 premium purchase cost versus a conventional-engine vehicle. But are they? There’s no established resale value for the cars and engine life and maintenance costs are yet to be determined.

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