I was planning on selling the Vette and the pick up to align my finances for a home purchase - higher gas prices drove me from a gasoline engine vehicle to a hybrid vehicle. Still wanted an SUV - decided on the Mazda Tribute Hybrid.



Sure, it's no Prius, but I'm getting a pretty solid 32MPG (12 more than the Vette on the work commute), and I don't pay the extra money for premium unleaded. Plus I get to drive something more comfortable than the Prius (physically and mentally).

Anyone else made a switch yet?

PINKO!

The GMC in the background, now thats a ride.

Pete, I have a truck with a HEMI that gets 11mpg, and two BMW's that get 22 and 25. The Beemers are small, and when I drive them, they become two seaters. Literally.

For the last two weeks, I have really been thinking about the Prius. I have been to the dealer, test drove one, almost ordered it. Went to a Honda dealer, drove the Civic Hybrid, was not too impressed. The Prius, especially with it's electronic's suite, really impressed me.

Within the next couple of weeks, I just might buy it.

But man... I really love stomping on the throttel in my Jeep Commander and hearing that mildly modified HEMI roar (and scare the bejeezus out of ricers).

If I get the Prius, my truck will be relegated to family road trips, hauling my boat around, trips to the local Costco or BJ's, and weekend use. To be honest, I think I would like that, it is a customized truck, and the less miles on it the better.

I'm with you Pete... Hybrid is the way to go.


-Skater

WTG Pete. As you know, the Tribute Hybrid is the same as a Ford Escape Hybrid - very practical and great quality. Mazda always has great bang for the buck.

I picked up a non-hybrid, but well ranked SUV-mpg, Jeep Patriot 4-banger as my Winter ride, but am using it more these days to offset my guzzling RX-8.

I have a friend who bought a Prius when he graduated from Virginia Tech last year. He knew he was going to be commuting into DC every day and decided to go ahead and save on gas. Given the fact that people now are having to wait a couple of months to get a Prius (so I have heard) and that dealers are raising the prices on them since they are in such demand, not to mention gas prices, I am pretty sure my buddy is happy with his purchase. My impression of it from the couple of times I have ridden in it: it is weird to sit in a car and have someone turn the key, and tell me it is on but not hear anything. Also, he has a touchscreen in the center of the dash...most of the time it is showing how power is being distributed, either using the electric motor to run the wheels, the engine to move while also charging the battery, or the brakes to charge the battery, which is just kind of fun to watch...it also is where he controls his stereo, and bluetooth phone connection, but that is the extent of what I have seen. Oh yeah, it has a backup camera too that plays on the screen which is kind of cool.

I had a Prius for a week while getting work on the Vette last month. It's a nice little vehicle, more space than you'd think. My biggest gripe was the steering wheel, which didn't telescope, and I felt that I was hunched over to grab it. It was not a comfortable driving position, and I couldn't seem to find one (which is brutal on my cervical spine problems). Mileage was extraordinary - 54MPG on the same commute to work that produced 32MPG in the Tribute and 20MPH in the Vette.

The other gripe is that it's a bubble car. At least I have the somewhat illusion of driving something a bit more "manly" now

My excuse is that I can pass it off as the wife's car. She likes it, she wants it, and she wants it in red. I hat the steering wheel too. Very roomy inside, and the electronics package (the full up poption packaghe #6) is outstanding. Mileage is fantastically remarkable... A couple of friends that have one each average 55mpg. I need something like that. I am spending $60 on gas every two days now. To use a "green" term, that is simply not "sustainable".

I'd rather burn the gas in my boat!

-Skater

The prius - did they purposely design it to look like a future car from some cheesy sci-fi B movie? it's got nothing on those "smart" golf carts cars though.

Despite my not being thrilled with Marisa buying the Ford Escape Hybrid..I have to admit the gas mileage is good. And as gas prices rise..the more value I see in it. Although I still think she would have been better off monetarily speaking with accepting the higher cost of gas and still driving her XTerra. The factor that pushed her over the edge into buying a new hybrid though was that the XTerra was getting to be a high mileage vehicle (80K) and for reliability for her, I'm glad she's driving a new car. That said...I'm still very happy that I've held onto my Honda CRX for all these years. 40+ mpg and 286,000 miles on it..and it still beats most of the new technology cars. Go figure. All for $3800 amortized over the past 19 years. Not a bad deal.

pmarone - I assume the Tribute has that regenerative braking stuff right - where the braking captures the energy to charge the batteries? I'm still getting used to the feel of that on Marisa's Escape..it feels kinda funky. It is fun coasting around the parking lots with the engine off though...sort of humming along..lol...

BeachAV8R

Hiya Beach. You do have a point with the premium cost for the Hybrid as compared to a base model. I was already planning on a new vehicle around this price point anyway, so it worked out for me.

The Tribute is the same vehicle as the Escape, so the braking is kinda horky in feel, plus the engine shutting down reduces any additional driveline drag/braking you might get. I'm coming from the Vette which stopped on a dime and returned change. Supposedly this has been addressed in the 2009 models, given a better feel and much better braking performance.

PV - saw one of those Smart Four-Twos in San Diego this weekend. Checked out the website and was suprised that it requires premium octane fuel. Plus I read where the tranny is poorly implemented on the four-twos. They certainly rank high on the Fugly chart!

If you use it for anything other than commuting in inner-city traffic it's basically a metrosexual Trabant, but at least they're terrible in a sort-of endearing way (and safer than people think).

I think it's the right idea in general though, and it's cool that we'll be seeing more European-style crapboxes on the North American market.

Nice SUV Pete. Yea, the gas prices here in SD are just under $5 a gallon. Yikes! We drive a 2006 Toyota 4-Runner and a 2008 Toyota 4-Door 4x4 Truck. Both get about 20MPG in the city, but it's nowhere near what the Hybrids get. I really wanted to get a motorcycle to commute to work and school, but the wife has vetoed that idea. Says their too dangerous, but I suppose she has a point. I would love to ride ride a motorcycle again.

We have started cutting back on groceries and other luxuries(Eating fast food, movies, gym, etc..) just to stay afloat. We even started shopping at a local 99-Cents store before we go to the grocery store. Our last trip to the 99-Cent store we spent $30, and for what we purchased, we would have easily spent $100 at Vons or Albertsons.

Anyhow, enjoy your new toy!

Heh there's one down my street which is Brabus tuned and has a 'Ring sticker on the back

Lots of sexual references in here... Well, just one thing: a real man shouldn't need a gasguzzling muscle-car to feel manly. Nuff' said.

I actually nearly rented one the first time I went on the 'ring because I couldn't afford much else, and it almost would've been worth it for the sheer absurdity. Incidentally I just spent two weeks with a rental Suzuki Swift and I can definitely see it being more successful with Americans when they bring it over in a couple of years- it's a much better car, barely thirstier and probably less expensive outright (and don't tell it to Avis, but it's pretty good at annoying 325i drivers through the slower parts of the Nordschleife)

Read somewhere that Honda is thinking of releasing a new CRX based on the Fit platform. Concept art looked pretty much just like an old CRX.

The Suzuki Swift has a lot of fans in the UK, performance, handling, price and looks - ticks many of the right boxes on the hot hatch checklist.

Oh man..I need to be in their print ad campaign! They could give me a new one..and I could have it sitting next to my old one..with a picture of my odometer at 300,000 miles. With the note that the CRX makes a great SUV too!





C'mon Honda...hook me up!!

BeachAV8R

Someone should seriously send Beach's two posts in this thread to Honda Inc.'s marketing department.