Is it worth it?

I have heard the hybrid vehicles tend to have trouble starting in cold climates... any one know if this is true to the Highlander Hybrid?

If your a hippie type person, the hybrid is not for you anyways.


heres a neat article. Might want to try a scion.


http://clubs.ccsu.edu/recorder/editorial/p....asp?NewsID=188

Interesting article. Shoots hell out of the theory I know a lot of green people use too.
I can't wait to cite it when they criticize my less than an Hummer SUV!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/460.gif)

I'm not a "hippie type person", and i would shoot myself in the foot before i owned a scion!

I can't answer about the Highlander. I can answer for the camry (mine) and the prius (my best friend) and the answer for both of our cars is no, we have never had an issue starting in cold weather. I hope that helps!

Neighbor has a Prius and in Ohio's winter in has started everytime. Been a great car for him

How does the cold weather (I mean really cold weather ...minus zero stuff) effect the hybrid battery? I know those batteries are expensive as hell so they must be good in the cold?

Lets compare


price
scion xb $15 k w/auto 30/34 1.5lt 108hp/103lb tq
prius $23 k 60/51 1.5 76hp/82lb tq 67hp/ 295

Thats an extra $8k to buy gas with. At 2.96 a gallon and an average of 32mpg you would get approximatly 86,000 miles before you hit the price of the prius. They are a joke. Less everything than gasoline cars but gas milage....and thats still TBD on acutal milage.

Thanks for the comparison. The numbers make a lot of sense.

Guess cost efficiency just doesn't factor into the Prius yet lol.

Used the Hihy in below 30°C in cold part of Canada (I live in the 50th parallel up north) last winter. Absolutely no problems to start because as there is not an usual "starter", it is a big motor (MG1) on HV batteries which starts the engine. I did not even have to plug the block heater. Electrical motors (MG2 and MGR) do not act differently in very low temp and keep the torque high. Very good stability/ moderate traction in normal depth snow (4wd-i). This vehicule do not react dangerously when floored going straight on ice. Only the fuel economy is down in winter because heating needs the ICE contrary to the A/C. Heating is quick and powerful though.

I'm impressed that you didn't have to use a block heater. I really am. That says a lot for the battery right there.

Nothing to do with Hybrids, but when I went to Minnesota the first time I noticed that all the motel rooms had electrical plugs on the outside. When I asked what they were for the guy said "block heaters, without them your can't wont start in the morning".

He was right.....

My friend with a Prius was in North Dakota during a particuraly cold snap. She nad no problems she said...without the block heater!

Yes. In ohio we do the same thing wit diesel cars they won't start either

I honestly had no idea that it was such a problem in those locations. I can't say that I would like to live in a place where my car needed a heating pad!

Guess it just shows that the technology that's gone into those expensive hybrid batteries is paying off!
But at about 5000 each, they should start lol.

I have an hybrid... it's one of the best cars I've purchased. I simply love it. It's worth it! The gas mileage is amazing and so far I think it does ok in cold climate. Everyone should buy one! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/57.gif)

My best friend just bought her 2nd Prius and loved them both. She gave the older one to her daughter and she loves it. So far, all the Prius owners I know are happy with the car.

Few bits of information. First, it is the second to latest of the technology that Toyota has been using in its hybrids since it's first Prius in 1996, so it's not new technology, actually the 4th generation. Also the technology is 2 generations beyond the technology that was licensed to Ford and Lincoln for their hybrids that's why with a much larger vehicle, the efficiency is about the same.