It sucks that the increased cost of Hybrid ownership and the diminished resale value on hybrids (due to issues with batteries) means you have to drive the thing for ~200,000 miles assuming no major mechanical failures to even break even. Buying a hybrid is not a way to save you any money.. nor is buying an SUV unless you need the utility frequently. The only good reason to buy a hybrid is the reduced emissions, and even that is only displacing the environmental impact. The production of the hybrid drivetrain equipment and the disposal of the batteries is a very bad thing for the environment.
Granted, non-hybrids share some of those same issues. We install catalytic converters to reduce emissions, yet most don't stop to consider the useful lifespan of the catalyst. When it wears out, you have a nice fun toxic unit to dispose of. Is it even worth trying? I think so. As long as the waste can be kept away from our water supplies, I'd much rather have landfill waste than air pollution.
Pretty much to sum it all up, humans suck. I love driving, and love driving for pleasure and sport. To make me better able to sleep at night, I chose to retain a catalytic converter in my car and employ tools such as an engine block heater to reduce cold start emissions. Yet another reason that I like Mazda even though it wasn't something I thought of before I bought my car.. I solely bought my car based on the styling and practicality, nothing more. Mazda makes some nice clean and efficient four cylinder engines. There isn't a single model in the lineup for 2007 that comes standard with a V6 engine (now that the MPV is out of the picture). Yeah sure, when you hit boost on a turbo 4 the emissions may easily meet those of operating a V6 of similar performance, but at idle or just lightly crusing around town staying out of boost, it's still just a wee little four cylinder. While many enthusiasts drive around in their big musclecars with their V8s pissing through imported petroleum, my little engine gets me around just fine and provides a lot of fun and enjoyment along witih that.
Good luck with your Toyota
. I like the styling of the RX myself, even though I do see it on the conservative side. I guess the only thing I don't understand is the need for a luxo-barge
. I like economy cars a lot, because well they're economical. I don't need to skin dead cows to have nice plush seats, I'd much rather have the year-round comfort and durability of cloth. Excessive sound insulation to completely isolate you from the world is just that --excessive. Luxury cars sure are posh and comfortable, but to me and to Mazdas brand Identity (though you have already chosen to avoid Mazda with this car purchase, please check out the link in my signature to Mazda's brand identity video) it isn't a necessary part of the driving experience. To us, it is a feeling of
shinba ittai or "horse and rider as one", which Mazda builds at the heart of every one of their cars. Sure other car companies may build faster cars, or may even build cars with better numbers than a Mazda that to the casual observer seem similar (Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky <--> Mazda MX-5), but what they lack is that connected to the road feeling that slaps a silly grin on my face every time I get behind the wheel.
In all honesty, the zoom-zoom soul of my car has become enough of a part of me that even if my car were as reliable as a Pontiac I would probably still keep it. With that in mind.. i do say this car at over 75k miles (60k of those already in my two years of ownership) has been 100% reliable for me. Sure, I've taken on maintenance work that I didn't at the time have any experience with that caused me to ride my bicycle the 52 miles to and from work before, but I can't blame that on the car. Had I chosen to allow a mechanic to do the work, it probably would have been done in a couple hours, but I love my car too much to let someone else touch it.
I'm sure even with the complicated hybrid drivetrain, your Lexus will still have Toyota-like reliability down the road. While Mazda was building their brand image on driving experience, experimental new technologies (rotary engines) and fun, Toyota built their reputation on a smooth ride and long-term reliability.
No car company is perfect for everyone, but Toyota has managed to come as close as possible to universal appeal. If people in the U.S. weren't so die-hard about the false sense of "supporting the american people" that they get when buying an American automobile, I'm sure Toyota would be even more widespread than it is today. They continue to make great cars, but I would only consider recommending them to someone who really just cares about a car as a basic means of transportation.
Pardon my long-windedness with this post, my brain isn't working well at all this morning so I jumped around from subject to subject, hopefully covering everything possible.
Pics of the new ride? I've only seen a couple of the hybrid models on the road. love the wheels they come with too.
