While many have differing opinions. It really varies too on where you drive and how. Stuck in traffic, driving long distances, etc. while it might not seem worth it now, if gas increases, like it has been in the last 40 years ( lol, saw a pic on Montreal in the late 50's and it showed gas at 0.08 a liter, it's 1.40 now) then in the long run it might.

But for the cost savings of getting a regular gdi, personally I didn't feel like it was worth it

 

... Putting in the numbers it looks like it would take 5 years for it to pay off...

I tend to drive less than 10,000 miles/year so hybrids never make sense for me. When you factor in the compromised handling (and crappy tires for serious hybrids), odd brake feel, and added complexity, it's not surprising that 65% of hybrid buyers eventually go back to non-hybrid vehicles.

 

For our household a Hybrid doesn't make sense, but Diesel does. Our other is a VW TDI getting low 40+ mpg.

If you tend to drive mainly in the city vs. long highways then the Hybrids can pay off as this is "their" environment ... but it take a while to recoup the additional purchase $$$.

 

Thanks for all the help. My wife would only drive 12-15000 miles a year. Her commute is only the next town, city driving.

 

I'm a Hybrid owner and we are very happy with our purchase. Coming from a gas sucking SUV - it was the clear choice for my family. We have gone from 17mpg (on a good tank) to 36mpg (avg thus far), lowered our monthly payment, lowered our monthly insurance cost and 10x our driving experience. I believe each situation will determine which route you take and both sides have valid arguments. Could we have picked up the non-hybrid and achieved a similar goal - yes. Would we have been as satisfied with the purchase - maybe. In our eyes the key to a good car purchase is how satisfied YOU are with the outcome and not so much $$$$ spent.

Whether it's the EX or Hybrid - it's a good choice.

 

Comparing the LX to the Hybrid, it does NOT make sense to buy the hybrid, it takes over 10 years to recover the advantage in MPG over the additional upfront costs ( not counting the interests), this is simply an accounting decision.

 

My son just purchased the EX with UNAVI aftermarket sytem. We love the car and plan on getting one in a couple of months. We plan on getting the tech package, my wife loves the sunroof. I love the rims and the little spoiler on the trunk of the hybrid. If we go with the loaded hybrid it's around 32,500, around 4,000 more than a loaded EX. We thought that we would go with the hybrid to save on gas. After doing some research it looks like there isn't a great savings on gas. I found this hybid calculator online and was wondering what you all think. Putting in the numbers it looks like it would take 5 years for it to pay off.

CALCULATOR: How Long Until a Hybrid Vehicle Pays for Itself? - OrlandoSentinel.com

You can add the wing to an EX for $100, and you might be able to find someone selling the hybrid rims for cheap, or put on the SX rims, which you can definitely find for sale cheap. So I wouldn't based the decision to get those 2 features when you can add them easily and cheaply to an EX.

 

I have a hybrid with the premium pkg, and if you're doing the math against an LX or EX it probably won't make sense. I'd like to point out though, that the premium version of the hybrid is actually more like the SX than the LX or EX as it has most of all the same body work and options - the only real difference is turbo motor vs hybrid system and 17" rims vs 18" rims. So if you look at that $32,500 as comparable to the SX $31,850, there isn't much difference. Keep in mind that no one would pay those prices, but I think that those two models are a better equivalence than comparing the hybrid to the LX or EX.

 

I've driven all versions of the Optima, and the only thing I found lacking was freeway performance in the non turbo versions. Initial acceleration in all versions is brisk, and the hybrids shift between electric to gas is seamless.
Performance isn't why I specifically bought the SX, it was the entire package, and where and how I drive.
As stated above, if you drive mostly city, or low speed, then the hybrid may be your best choice for mileage, however if you do a lot of highway driving, and like a bit of power, then the turbo may be your better choice.

 

Under the "for what it's worth" category, the GSM at a local Kia dealership told me that you would recoup the premium price for the hybrid motor after 80,000 miles or so.

 

wow, the hybrid doesn't seem the right choice for me. thanks

 

Note that the hybrid has less trunk space since the battery is back there, and doesn't have fold-down back seats. It does have a "ski pass-through".

 

I will NEVER buy a non-hybrid car again (hopefully my next KIA Optima will be a plug-in electric/hybrid). For me, it was about a deliberate decision to consume less and reduce the amount of pollutants into the air we breath. Regardless if you're a city or hwy driver a regular internal combustion engine runs constantly - consuming gas and producing C2O emissions. A hybrid shuts the engine down when you don't need it (stop & go, and cruising at 70mph). I'm not talking about going tree-hugging on your family and riding a burro to work, rather making an easy choice to consume less. I replaced a 2007 Saab 9-5 turbo (4 cyl) which took premium gas and returned about 22mpg combined city/hwy. A gallon of gas produces about 19 pounds of Co2 - the Optima consistently returns 38mpg or a 42% improvement. Do the numbers, they are staggering...

There's about some 200,000,000 cars in the US... if 10% drove hybrids instead, saved 5,000lbs of pollution each/year without sacrificing much (buy the standard hybrid if you can't afford a fully loaded one)... see where I'm going with this. That's why I drive a Hybrid - and one more thing - there is NOTHING like the quietness of a hybrid/electric car. At a stop light it's a bliss! Hope I sway you towards one... you'll be thanking me when gas goes over $5.00/gallon.

 

If you're all about pollution and using less petroleum products, you really should get a plug in hybrid. I was doing 108mpg on my Volt over 1 year of driving all over this sprawling city and only charging at home. I was on the low end of the average Volt owner because of that unpredictable daily driving, so if you think 38mpg is great, you could being doing a lot more toward your cause today with a plug in.

I will NEVER buy a non-hybrid car again (hopefully my next KIA Optima will be a plug-in electric/hybrid). For me, it was about a deliberate decision to consume less and reduce the amount of pollutants into the air we breath. Regardless if you're a city or hwy driver a regular internal combustion engine runs constantly - consuming gas and producing C2O emissions. A hybrid shuts the engine down when you don't need it (stop & go, and cruising at 70mph). I'm not talking about going tree-hugging on your family and riding a burro to work, rather making an easy choice to consume less. I replaced a 2007 Saab 9-5 turbo (4 cyl) which took premium gas and returned about 22mpg combined city/hwy. A gallon of gas produces about 19 pounds of Co2 - the Optima consistently returns 38mpg or a 42% improvement. Do the numbers, they are staggering...

View attachment 7049

There's about some 200,000,000 cars in the US... if 10% drove hybrids instead, saved 5,000lbs of pollution each/year without sacrificing much (buy the standard hybrid if you can't afford a fully loaded one)... see where I'm going with this. That's why I drive a Hybrid - and one more thing - there is NOTHING like the quietness of a hybrid/electric car. At a stop light it's a bliss! Hope I sway you towards one... you'll be thanking me when gas goes over $5.00/gallon.

 

If the electricity is generated by coal, an electric car does not save the environment. Battery production is not exactly Green either (mining, bad chemicals, a lot of energy, battery recycling). If the politicians were serious about reduciing oil dependence, they would be pushing for a nuclear power grid, a battery technology Manhattan project, and allow golf cart sized vehicles. They would have outlawed ethanol gas when it became obvious that it takes more oil to produce it. Oil companies (and farming conglomerates) have a lot of money to lobby (bribe) congress.

 

My car runs on asparagus and harsh language!eace:

 

I've had my Optima Hybrid (w/ Premium pkg) since August and have almost 11k miles on it. I have to say I really feel like its the way of the future. I actually consider the hybrid part almost a luxury. I really don't feel like I am giving anything up (except maybe a sports car) and I get a super quiet ride, tons of gadgets, a cool looking car and great mpgs. There is nothing like sitting at a stop light with no noise or coasting at 75mph. I describe it a bit like having a sailboat as compared to a motorboat. Driving the hybrid is involving just like driving a manual sports car, but in a different way. And it really comes across as a great luxury car to boot.

 

personally I am not a big Hybrid person and really hate getting behind a hyper-miler driving one.... but yesterday i was cracking up... Prius, doing 75+, windows down ... while the driver was smoking. WTF?

 

Stolen?

 

I disagree completely.

I priced out ( on Kia's website ) a SX fully loaded with the same equipment as my Hybrid.

SX Turbo 31865
Hybrid 32420 555

My Hybrid listed only $555 dollars more than the Turbo SX.

It does NOT take 10 years to recover that difference.

Now if you calculate against a base LX stripped down with no toys -- then you might come closer but I doubt it would take 10 years even then.

 

I can see your point but for us I see no need for the SX or the EX turbo. My wife is more concerned about tech package, heated seats, etc. Which I believe is at least 4,000 less then hybrid. We probably won't even put more than 12,000 a year. Now if I can get a lease on a hybrid, no money down below 400 a month then I might go for that.
I am waiting for some numbers from a dealer now.

 

We did look at the Optima Hybrid before buying the ex turbo and concluded that apart from the Toyota Prius, most manufacturers hybrids are way off target. The Chevy Volt is nearly 50k so it's cheaper the buy an ex turbo Optima and spend the 20k plus difference on fuel whilst having a proper size car that I can use without being cramped. Hybrids intentions are admirable but they have some way to go.

 

Browse Fuelly for real world stats on fuel economy (hybrid, turbo, non-turbo):

2012 Kia Optima MPG Reports | Fuelly

 

At some point, aging battery packs may affect hybrid resale value. Has anyone been tracking the prices of used hybrids?

 

That's strange. I followed your Fuelly link and my Hybrid didn't show up!!!

It shows in my sig but not in that link. Wonder why.

 

The Hybrid is somewhere between the Optima EX-T and SX in my opinion. It is difficult to put a definite price tag on the difference but I estimate it to be only 1.5-2.5k more than an EX-T with an equivalent upgrade package. I drive about 250 mi/week for work (12,500/yr) plus say another 2500 of other driving, plus another 3000 of my wife and I driving this car instead of the MDX (18mpg). For 18000 miles I would save about 170 gallons/yr at 36mpg vs 27mpg. Note that is below the rating for the hybrid (38/40) and smack in the middle of the rating for the SX/EX-T (22-24/32). 170 gallons/yr at $4 saves $680. Gas prices arent going down anytime soon so that difference will just get larger each year. If you put the hybrid at 39mpg (middle of the EPA rating) then the difference is $840. Either way the cost difference will be made up in 3-5 years vs the EX-T.

I have had my hybrid for about 3 weeks now. The first tank averaged 31mpg. Im on the second tank and currently averaging 34mpg. Part of that is learning HOW to drive the hybrid as it actually does take some changes in the way you drive if you really want to increase gas mileage, another part of that is the general consensus that the mileage goes up slowly for the first 5000 or so miles. Most people I have seen reporting on the forums etc are averaging 35-42 mpg with the hybrid.

Things I have noticed:
1) MPG is far better on flat roads, far worse on roads with lots of hills. People reporting 40-42 mpg I am guessing live in relatively flat areas.
2) MPG is worse when the engine is warming up.
3) Most people seem to report better mileage on highway with the Optima Hybrid but in my experience so far I have had much better mileage in city driving.

Pros:
1) Super quiet. It really is amazing sitting at a light or cruising at 75mpg and not feeling or hearing anything coming from the engine.
2) The mpg is definitely much better than the EX-T or SX. Some people are reporting 30-32 mpg combined city/hwy with those cars but my guess is those same people would be reporting 40-42 mpg with a hybrid. Either they have unique driving conditions, super flat roads, they do not drive remotely aggressively, or they are stretching the truth.
3) You get a lot of 'THATs a hybrid?!' comments in addition to 'Wow nice car.'

Cons:
1) Make sure you drive the hybrid enough before buying. With ECO on (which if you are buying a hybrid really should be the case) there is definitely a lack of acceleration and pickup from a stop. This is particularly noticeable and a little frustrating in the morning when the engine is cold and you feel like even the slightest touch of the gas drops you to the lowest instant MPG, and even trying to floor it causes the car to fidget a bit trying to maintain the ECO while you are trying to make it just accelerate. I notice this in particular because the first 1/4 mile from my driveway is uphill.
2) Sometimes I focus more on watching my mpg than actually driving which is probably not a good thing. Hopefully this will decrease as the novelty of the new car goes away.


Overall the drive is so different between the hybrid and the regular that I think the main decision is whether or not you like the way the hybrid drives in ECO mode. If you plan on driving without ECO then the mileage difference is likely lower compared to the EX, although there is a separate thread here about if ECO mode is worth it. In my experience it is... when I have ECO mode off my MPG drops by 2-3 mpg relatively quickly.

If you are okay with the drive of the hybrid then will you be keeping the car for at least 5 years? If so the price difference shouldnt be an issue.

 

Thanks for the info. We have never driven one. When we do then that will also help us decide.