bheinen74 Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 http://www.hybridcars.com/news/subaru-plans-hybrid-car-2012-25822.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWDfreak Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 If it still has a boxer engine, Symmetrical AWD, and a manual shift-mode (or even better, a manual transmission ), then I'll be happy. Although I'm not particularly happy that Subaru is entering the market, perhaps they can make a more exciting gasoline-electric hybrid to the market than the other boring gasoline-electric hybrids. The only gasoline-electric hybrid right now that has any intent of driving fun is the Honda CR-Z (which has a manual tranny available ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tallwelder81 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 two point i wanna make. 1: they seem to keep applying this hybrid technology to cars that, small, light, and compact as they are, wouldve gotten 35-40mpg ANYHOW. does it seem a bit pointless to market better gas mileage to a market segment in search of a tiny, 3,000lb geo metro style car? much less when a prius costs about twice as much as a ford focus? if you really look at the gas mileage of a prius, its not THAT much better than a VW jetta TDI. my ex gf had one, it was a very nice car. it was 12 years old, and still in awesome shape, and its not likeshe had it locked away in a garage. she drove it a lot. ten minutes to work, ten minutes home, from seattle area to portland every month, long road trips from like seattle to denver. and it was comfortable. and roomy. not roomy like a mid 90s lincoln towncar. but definately comfortable. i sat in the vackseat just to see what it was like, and i can wear 36inch leg jeans, that justreach my angles. i had plenty of room. it got up to 42mpg going on latenight cross state freeway runs. and no, i dont mean it hit 42, it averaged about 42. even in serious downtown city driving going up tacomas seriously steep sanfrancisco style hills, it got at least 24mpg. and it was decently fast. point #2: the market is already saturated with little 2 seater mini cars with weird looking designs. why not another BRAT style rig, with some rugged "abusability" and hair on its "undercarriage, if ya know what i mean"? a brat is small, fairly efficient back in early-mid80s. now you come along, almost 30yrs later. they could put a simple, efficient, somewhat powerful 1.8 NA engine in it. it could be very cheap, cuz they could throw in their soon-to-be retired EJ technology in it. duel range 4wd would be nice, but an AWD would work, too. basically a base model impreza, with a different body, kinda butch/masculine, more of the 1st gen forester look, than the wrx look. built to take bangs and dings and scratches on the trail. nothing too fancy in the cab. just 2 airbags, and a simple stereo, vinyl upholstery to handle the dirt. subarubrat.com has a nice photoshop along the right lines of what would work. and NO, im not just riding his imagination. he is not the first person to think america needs a small, tough, take-a-beating, simple, unibody suv/pickup in the 18-22,000 dollar range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 (edited) From what I have heard and read, you have to drive about 100K miles to break even cost wise: hybrid extra cost vs. saving money on gas. So, I guess anything driving over 100K miles becomes a dollar savings. My concern, is how long in time, and or, in miles do the rechargeable hybrid batteries last before they wear out? Then, what is the cost for replacement battery(s)? Plenty I bet, maybe like $1,000-$2,000, maybe more. Yes, it is cool to "go green" with a hybrid, just too bad it is at the expense of the "green" from your wallet. Had a conversation with a friend last night. He says a total replacement of battery pack on a hybrid car is about $7,000-8,000. However, some hybrids have a battery pack that just an individual bad cell can be replaced, instead of the entire battery pack. This saves lots of money, but still requires "green" from your wallet Edited September 3, 2011 by Rooster2 added info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tallwelder81 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 i am a huge believer in conservation and minimal living. not just for the environment, but for myself and my own independence. but what electric car promoters dont mention about their environmental advantages, is this: how healthy is mercury, or lead, or cadmium, etc for the earth, and for the ocean. my take on environment, in regards to personal vehicles is that we dont need some magic alternative to gasoline. millions of acres of corn, fed on labor, fertilizer, plowing up topsoil, and taking vast amounts of good land, isnt the answer. america just needs an entirely diffrent lifestyle and attitude towards driving everywhere. hopping in your suburban to go grab a pack of cigs a mile away, every single day. dropping off, and picking up your kids from school every day, 5 minutes from the house. the only answer that will ever really solve any problems is to CHANGE the way we look at cars and how we use them. commuting an hour every day is stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carfreak85 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Published May 22, 2009 This is ooooooooold!~!~~!~ Interesting to see what approach Fuji will take, IF they make it to market by next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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