[TAG UR IT]

Originally Posted by Power Junkie

The trouble with these HYBRID cars is that they aren't as "enviro-friendly" as they'd like you to believe... Yes they do get better mileage / put out less CO2... but the cost in nasty gases to build them is extreme plus they are fairly heavy.

I think people will want to buy them for the better gas mileage alone. Environment friendly comes second to a vast majority of people. Tell them they can save thousands in gas money and you'll have a sale.

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

Again, the wieght isn't a contestable issue, they're adding equipment to improve fuel economy, it's going to add wieght. I think the fact that it still improves fuel economy that much is a tantamount to how efficient it really is.

I think that the point of Hybrids, initially, was to offer better fuel economy - which, though it does, was distorted into meaning these were eco-friendly angel cars...

The weight issue on these giant SUV's was the main issue...and also probably why the SUV was getting such poor gas mileage in the first place. I don't know, but I want to see proof of how much the hybrid is over the regular. It would only make sense that GM would make the hybrid lighter. But, I agree w/ the point that this was done to offer better fuel economy.

Originally Posted by Silverado

Back to the original topic....those full-size hybrid SUV's by GM will start swaying more people to the Hybrid way of thinking. Why? Because they don't look like the typical hybrid, they don't drive like the typical hybrid, they aren't slow and underpowered like the typical hybrid. People are more than willing to buy hybrids. They just aren't willing to sacrifice style, power, and comfort to save a couple mpg. Tahoes that get 30mpg...damn. Yeah, I know about the driving style, but even if the Tahoe only increases to say 22 or 23 mpg....that's far better than the 13 or 14 they get now....and they will fly off the dealer lots. Are hybrids worse for the environment? Maybe, I don't know. But if I can trade in my '03 that gets 13 for an '08 that gets 23...I'm going to do that.

EXACTLY. And the buying public is going to see this exact point. Why keep a 12mpg Tahoe when I can have one that gets double the gas mileage??? Once again, a money saving factor to get people to but the Tahoe...and the environment is second important next to money savings. But, both reasons are reasons enough to trade in or buy a bit larger SUV than the one you were thinking about because you can now get that HUGE SUV getting better MPG'S!!!