The Hybrid Solution - Solving the car puzzle
As a family of four, we recently discovered the benefits of having a car with a third row of seats. I am a big believer in carpooling, and living in Los Angeles with two small children at different schools, it just makes sense. Not only is carpooling better for the environment, it is a more efficient use of time, and it builds community.So our quest to find a new family car began, and we really only had one car in mind: The Toyota Highlander Hybrid. It was well made, in our price range, had great mileage and a third row. Apparently, everyone else in Los Angeles looking for a bigger car had the same idea, because we couldn’t find one. I also need to add that my husband and I decided that we weren’t going to buy a brand new car. We wanted a car with a little mileage on it, just a year or two old, to avoid paying top dealer prices. We had bought a Volvo right off the lot before, and in terms of the car’s depreciation and what happened to its resale value, we wished we hadn’t.
We scoured the city for a pre-owned Highlander Hybrid and came up short. We even had car brokers working on the search. We then started to think about our other options. My husband, who was also thinking of switching cars, said he had heard great things about the Toyota Prius. The Prius was too small for me, if I was going to shuttle around three or four kids - some in car seats or boosters, but the Prius would suit his needs going back and forth to his office. Yet, we wondered how it would hold the four of us, say, on a weekend beach outing or similar mini road trip where we’d really want to benefit from the improved mileage. We decided instead of test-driving a Prius at a dealership, where they basically let you drive around the block, that we’d rent one, and try it out for a week. Hertz had a Prius we could rent, and we gave it a try. My husband loved it. It was roomy, peppy and after a trip to the beach with the four of us, we realized it would do fine carting the whole family around on the weekends. We began our search for two cars: a pre-owned Prius, and a pre-owned car with three rows of seats, (which didn’t need to be a hybrid.)
We looked at several Prius’ and wound up finding a 2007 model on Craig’s list for a good price, which only had three thousand miles on it. It was fully loaded with blue tooth, which if you have never seen it, is truly amazing. The phone and car are completely synched up, and with a cell phone in your pocket, you press a screen on the dashboard, and voila! you can call anyone in your address book, hands free! The Prius was a great move for us, and we couldn’t be happier with it. My husband averages about 50 miles per gallon.
The Highlander Hybrids reportedly get about 28 miles a gallon, much better than your average SUV, but compared with a Prius, not too impressive. I found a pre-owned 2003 Acura MDX, with a third row - a great car, although not a fuel-efficient car. Some would argue that our solution is a little like trying to lose weight by having a diet coke with an ice cream sundae. We still have a gas guzzling SUV. But averaging out our gas mileage as a family, we get about 33 miles to the gallon. And when I carpool often, we conserve as a community, as many of my fellow carpoolers have big cars as well which they can leave at home. Do I sound like I am rationalizing? I probably am. I would like to have two Hybrids in the family, that’s our goal. But for now, we found cars that suit our family, overall we are consuming less fuel than before, and carpooling more than ever.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Lee Rose Emery - Ecoist
Lee Rose Emery is a freelance writer and mom who lives in Los Angeles, with her husband and two kids. Her writing has appeared on stage, in print, and online. She is currently working on a children’s book with her daughter, Averill.
Tags: car buying, carpooling, fuel efficient, Prius