Monsey attorney Shragi Kahana was one of those who bought the early second generation Prius. Ten years and over 300,000 miles later, that Prius is still on the road, with Kahana calling it “one of the greatest cars ever made.”
“It still has both the original transmission and engine and has required no major repairs,” Kahana told the Jewish Press. “I love that car and would buy it again in a second.”
Kahana, who drives 90 miles round trip each day to work, reported that he has saved thousands of dollars annually at the gas pump. While he finds that the vehicle does require more gas since the battery started losing potency after 250,000 miles, Kahana’s Prius is still averaging 42 to 45 mpg depending on the season.
“When I first got the car I was getting about 52 mpg in the summer and approximately 50 mpg in the winter,” said Kahana. “My previous vehicle got about 23 mpg, which means on average, I saved about 500 gallons of gas per year on the 25,000 miles that I drive. Over ten years, I bought 5000 fewer gallons of gas with my Prius.”
Today Kahana drives a leased 2014 Honda Fit, an all-electric vehicle that gets plugged into the side of his house every night when he comes home. It typically takes approximately 12 to 13 hours for the car to get a full charge on a conventional outlet, but the Fit also comes with a rapid 220-volt charger that gets the battery fully juiced in just three hours.
The Fit’s range varies based on which of three modes it is in: normal, economy and sport, although the cold weather can take a substantial bite out of the vehicle’s range as all systems draw power from the same battery.
Kahana estimates that, in economy mode, the vehicle is good for over 100 miles in warm weather and about 60 miles when temps drop below freezing. While he finds the car slightly sluggish in economy mode, flip it into normal and is a pleasure to drive.
“Put it in sport mode and it drives almost like a sports car,” said Kahana. “The pickup and handling are astonishing and I have never actually timed how quickly it goes from zero to fifty, but I would guess it is probably about six seconds.”
Edmunds.com estimates that there are close to 50 hybrid vehicles offered in the United States today, with these efficient, environmentally friendly cars appealing to those looking for great fuel economy, low emissions and the latest in technology. Obviously there are tradeoffs, the most obvious being the cost of hybrids, which can vary dramatically. While in some cases, 2013 hybrids such as the Lincoln MKZ and the Buick Skylark were priced the same as their traditional counterparts, the 2013 Mercedes Benz S400 hybrid was priced at $2,650 less than the S550. But these vehicles are the exception, not the rule and at the other extreme, both 2013 hybrid SUVs, the Volkswagen Touareg and the Audi Q5 cost over $13,000 more than the gas-only models. Certain vehicles, however, do qualify for federal tax credits, as listed on the Department of Energy’s website.
Thinking of an alternative car for your next vehicle? Start doing your homework now. While laughing at your friends as they wait on line to buy gas may be very appealing, the costs and choices vary widely, so do your research so you can figure out which option best suits your needs.