Dear Tom and Ray:

Being the crunchy granola, bicycle-riding, tree-hugging kind of person I am, I'm considering one of the new gasoline/electric hybrid cars that are coming out. Do you have an opinion on these hybrids and on the idea of purchasing a vehicle so new that regular mechanics won't know how to work on it? I think Honda has come out with one that gets something like 70 miles per gallon. Sounds enticing to me. What do you think? -- Anne

Tom: We think it's a great idea, Anne. Both Honda and Toyota are coming out with gasoline/electric hybrids this year, and we absolutely encourage you to buy one. After all, someone's got to be the guinea pig, right?

Ray: Honda's making one called the Insight, which is a futuristic (read: suppository-shaped) two-seater. Toyota is getting ready to roll out the Prius, which is a more traditional-looking, four-passenger compact car. And they'll both sell for about $20,000.

Tom: The idea behind the technology is brilliant. Both the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius have both small gasoline-powered engines and batteries. And with the Prius, in stop-and-go traffic, the car is powered by the battery. Then, at higher speeds, the gasoline engine kicks in. And when you need extra power for passing or accelerating, they both join together. The Insight uses a similar system.

Ray: And switching between the gas engine and battery is controlled by computer, so the driving experience is seamless -- or so they say. Plus, the battery is charged by the gasoline engine while you're driving and by something called regenerative braking when you're slowing down. So you never need to plug the thing in.

Tom: The result is a car that gets 60 to 70 mpg and has an enormous cruising range. But it has none of the inconvenience of an all-electric vehicle -- like looking for a 220-volt outlet on Interstate 90 between Cleveland and Buffalo, N.Y.

Ray: But you're right about regular mechanics not being able to work on these things for a long time. So you'll be wedded to the dealer when it comes to maintenance and repairs. But both of these companies have excellent repair histories, so it's not a bad bet.

Tom: And as we said, somebody's got to be the laboratory mouse. So you're elected, Anne. Write us again and let us know which one you picked and how it's going.

Auto repairs can be costly! Save money by ordering Tom and Ray's pamphlet "Ten Ways You May Be Ruining Your Car Without Even Knowing It!" To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 2000 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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