Now more than ever we have a wide choice when it comes to deciding what new car to buy. With improvements in technology and the renewed focus on efficiency, the market has really opened up in recent years.
Although hybrid technology has been around since 2000 in the UK, a large number of people will have either ignored or dismissed hybrid vehicles in favour of the more common diesel builds. However, the hybrid may very well be on its way to catching up, so we’ve taken a look at advantages and disadvantages of diesel and hybrid cars, to see what might be best for you.
Fuel economy
If you’re already thinking about whether a diesel or a hybrid would suit you best, you probably take gas mileage seriously, which you should. The good news is that both diesel and hybrid cars offer much improved fuel economy over petrol.
Diesel engines take advantage of a more robust and efficient engine, offering cleaner combustion than petrol engines, while the advantage of hybrids comes from regenerative braking. This is where the kinetic energy, usually lost in diesel engines when putting on the brake, is converted into electricity which can be stored and used to power the car later.
Because of regenerative braking, hybrids are most fuel efficient in towns, where the brakes are used more often. Diesels are at their most efficient on motorways, which can take advantage of the cleaner combustion at constant speeds.
It’s important to weigh up your driving style and where you are likely to spend the most time driving. If you mainly drive in and around towns, a hybrid will be a good choice, but will see drops in efficiency and performance if you plan on tackling the motorways with any regularity.
Price
Probably the biggest deciding factor in any car purchase, the price of hybrids and diesels are where the two start showing real differences. For initial, outright price, diesels are much cheaper than hybrids. The cost of hybrid technology definitely stands out in the price tag and this could be enough right now to make you decide against them. However, initial price isn’t the only thing to take into account.
Day-to-day running cost should be just as important a factor in your decision, and this is where the hybrid shows its appeal. Hybrids boast substantially lower running costs than diesel cars, which could help offset the price after a couple of years, and they also cost less taxwise. The lower emissions of hybrids start to pay dividends, not only because of the environmental impact, but because the government are constantly looking to the future, aiming one day for zero emissions. This means road tax for hybrids is lower than diesel, and if you live in London, you may be able to avoid paying the annoying congestion charge.
Plug-in hybrids – hybrids that can be charged and ran on battery – also offer ways to ease the burden of cost. The government offers grants to help pay for a percentage of the price of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, meaning you could potentially save a few thousand when forking out for a new car. It’s hard to say, when everything is taken into account, how much a diesel or hybrid will end up costing, so it’s worth looking into beforehand to make sure you are getting the best value for your money.
Performance
Performance is where you feel the improvements hybrid cars have made since their introduction. Early reports of unpleasant driving experiences may have created a stigma around the hybrid, but step into one today and you might be pleasantly surprised. Hybrids today offer a much smoother ride than before, and are much less noisy than diesel powered cars.
Although hybrids have seen vast improvement over the last decade, they can’t really compare to the raw performance of diesels on the long open roads.
Of course, it does depend on your driving habits. If you’re only driving around built up urban areas, you won’t really feel the performance advantage in diesels. In fact, a hybrid will suit that environment better; they are perfect for slower driving and will offer a smooth, comfortable ride in the city.
Future
The gap between hybrids and diesels is narrowing. While hybrid price is still higher, they aren’t as expensive as they once were. Diesels are still a completely viable and, in some cases, prefered option, but the future is certainly looking to electric cars and hybrids to take the reigns. Hybrid sales are expected to catch up with diesels in the coming years, and by the end of the decade we could be looking at hybrid heavy roads. But for now, the choice is there.
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