The problem with Hybrids is that they cost THOUSANDS more and and it takes a lot of miles to justify the extra cost -breakeven- though the recent increase to $3 Gallon gas is helping. Also the unknown of a 150,000 mile battery replacement. Think of it if that you owned a car and at 150,000 miles you new you would need to BUY a new engine and transmission, would you keep the car? Many people would junk it cause at 150,000 everything else usually starts wearing out. What is the resale value of a used/higher mileage Hybrid. No one quite knows.
If Toyota wants to sell more Hybrids they need to do two things - make them get even better mpg AND bring down the cost closer to a gas version.

 

your dead on with that statement.....
there is no value other then lower emissions with a hybrid, the money you spend at the pump value wise is paid for in advance for the cost of the upgrade to a hybrid, there have been alot of thought tests regarding the topic, a hybrid to me right now is really a status thing, a Tc, or yaris or most other cars that get 30plus MPG are fine with me, and the wierder they make hybrids the more it will turn people away that dont currently own one or want a traditional looking car. I read somewhere the cost to replace the prius battreries is about 4,000? so add that to the up front cost of 34,000? well your really playing a zero sum game, but you do one thing, you help save the enviornment, but that too is not a proven factor.

 

For many people, buying hybrids is not about the $$$ savings. It's about using less imported oil which is more important to them than the $$$ savings. It's worth it to them because they are doing their part in helping curb our oil addiction.

Kinda like when you donate money to a charity. Are you getting anything directly out of it? No, you do it because you are helping make the world a better place.

And really, you shouldn't bash hybrids, you should encourage others to buy them. Why? The less demand for gas, the lower gas prices get.

 

We are not bashing hybrids - rather stating some reasons as to why they are not selling as well as they could be.
History has proven time after time most people (not all) vote with their pocket book and if hybrids were less dollars my guess is a lot more people would consider them.