Please briefly explain why a hybrid Yukon is better than a regular Yukon. My hubby did the math and fuel economy didn't really justify the extra expense. So I need a little lesson in emmissions and impact on the environment that I can share about this specific purchase. (Even the salesman at the dealership said "I'd steer away from hybrid, you just don't know.") I need support. Thanks!

 

We went for a compact hybrid, figuring if your intention is to reduce gas consumption, it's best done in a small car. That said, I appreciate people do need a larger vehicle, need tow capability, etc.

I did the math on our Honda Civic Hybrid, and similarly, it didn't look that good. We did have a tax break, which helped tip the balance. Still, it looked to be a few years before we would break even.

Having taken the plunge, we're happy. One thing: the hybrid vehicles typically involve you in improving mileage, with in-dash feedback. This can help you change your driving behaviour, something more difficult to do with a regular vehicle, without third party items like ScanGauge, for example. And there's a degree of fun and satisfaction in this involvement.

I think hybrid drivers as a group tend to be safer, more likely to abide by speed limits, avoiding sudden acceleration, and generally choosing the more cautious options. The value of this is hard to measure.

Bottom line: hybrid owners are still early adapters, and may very well pay a slight premium for that. For us, that's ok, and I think we may actually come out slightly ahead.

 

thats true but it also has to do with carbon footprint. In my Yukon at a stoplight i am producing ZERO emmisions as compaired to the regular Yukon, and when traffic starts moving and i'm below 30 mph I am still producing ZERO emmisions. as an added bonus I just returned from a road trip in nevada, hauling a lot of flight gear and clothes I managed 19.5 MPG at an average speed of 90 MPH. I doubt that a regular yukon could do that.

 

"more likely to abide by speed limits"

"I managed 19.5 MPG at an average speed of 90 MPH"

Well, so much for that theory

 

ever driven across nevada?...you need to speed to keep from falling asleep

 

At 15,000 miles a year, gas at $2.44, with both vehicles at EPA:

Yukon 1500 2WD VS Yukon 1500 2WD Hybrid

Cost to drive 25 Miles: $4.07 vs $2.90
Fuel to Drive 25 Miles: 1.67 gal vs 1.19 gal
Cost of a Fill-up: $57.10 vs $57.10
Miles on a Tank: 351 miles vs 491 miles
Annual Fuel Cost: $2441 vs $1742

Annual Petroleum Consumption
(1 barrel=42 gallons)
22.8 Barrels vs 16.3 Barrels

Annual Tons of CO2 Emitted
12.2 Tons vs 8.7 Tons

Your husband is a smart man. After all, who wants to save $700 every year in fuel, go an extra 191 miles on every tank, save America 6.5 Barrels of Oil a year, and reduce his carbon footprint by 3.5 tonnes a year with this one change? Oh, and those fuel savings go radically up as gas prices rise; at $3 a gallon, that's about $900 a year less with the hybrid.

 

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-1...d-SUV-worth-it