Hybrid is a term used to describe a combination of two or more distinctive things, aiming to accomplish a common objective. By this definition, a hybrid car is a fuel-efficient vehicle with two motors – a gasoline-powered motor and an electric motor.
The purpose behind combining two kinds of motors is to use their combined strengths and reduce inefficiencies, both in the vehicle as well as in the environment. Hybrid cars are considered better than conventional cars since they are fuel-efficient, require oil changes less frequently and are environment friendly.
With fuel prices at an all-time high, most car owners have major concerns over their fuel consumption and mileage, and hence, many buyers are shifting their attention towards hybrid cars.
While there has been a major shift towards hybrid cars internationally, they have also gained popularity in Pakistan in recent years.
Due to the increase in local demand, the government reduced duties and taxes on the import of hybrid cars, compelling the local auto manufacturers to introduce their own hybrid cars in order to compete with grey market imports.
With this change in market strategy, the Indus Motor Company (IMC) launched its Hybrid Toyota Prius on December 3, 2013 and soon after Honda Atlas launched their Honda CR-Z on December 19, 2013.
Do you want to know which hybrid car might be better for you?
Here is a closer look at the features of each.
Honda CR-Z
Likes
- Stunning shape and sporty features
- A sports car with fuel efficiency
- Superb gauge graphics and a better driving experience
- Has the magic 'hybrid' label
- Higher fuel economy than virtually any other coupe
- Six-speed gearbox adds sportiness to hybrid format
- Lower priced at Rs2.5 million than the Toyota Prius
Dislikes:
- Uses more fuel as compared to the Toyota Prius
- Suspension crashes over rough patches
- The driving experience is not as enjoyable due to the continuously variable transmission (CVT)
- Very little cargo room
- Only a two-seater
- Poor re-sale
Toyota Prius
Likes
- Best gas mileage compared to any car
- One of the best family cars available in the market
- Capacious cabin
- Useful hatchback utility
- Available high-level features
- Good resale value
Dislikes:
- Lifeless driving experience
- Flying-buttress console limits knee room
- The hard plastic interior is hardly luxurious
- Very expensive in the local market at Rs4.49 million
Of course, car owners need to take into account that hybrid technology relies on battery and while other countries have battery-refueling stations and plug-in chargers, these facilities are not yet available in Pakistan. Hence, buying a hybrid car will not be a one-time cost.
The battery of a Toyota Prius is said to have a life of five years or 0.5 million kilometers, whichever comes first. According to the management, the replacement cost of the battery is approximately Rs0.6 million.
In spite of this additional cost, it is important to note that Pakistan is already going through a fuel crisis and the era of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) also seems to be at an end. Car owners are or eventually will have to shift back to regular gasoline cars, and the main thing that they will be looking at is good fuel mileage.
This is precisely what makes these two cars the next hot items in our automobile market.
The bottom line is that the Honda CR-Z is fast and less costly than the Toyota Prius. So, if you are keen on economy and speed, the Honda CR-Z is the car for you. However, if you need to accommodate more than two people in your car, then the Toyota Prius would be the obvious choice.
At the end of the day, only you can determine what your criteria is and what your needs are – a sports car with a stunning shape or a spacious car with fuel efficiency.
But a hybrid is definitely the way to go for me.
Good luck with your decision!
Source: Ashar Jamil @ Tribute
