PHILADELPHIA -- The recent high prices have a lot of people wondering about hybrid cars, which run half on gas and half on electricity.

Are they really worth it? Consumer Alert asked a local man to do a comparison for us between a Toyota Prius hybrid and a Jeep SUV.

"I've always driven an SUV. I just like bigger cars," said Andrew Tomson.

Tomson loves his SUV, but not his commute.

"I drive my Jeep Grand Cherokee and I drive it about 70 miles a day," Tomson said.

That is 350 miles a week just going to and back from work.

"If I can get a car as nice as the Jeep and get better gas for it, I definitely would," Tomson said.

Consumer Alert gave Tomson the keys to a brand new 2005 Toyota Prius and gave him a week to get acquainted with it.

"I knew they were good with gas and stuff, but I really didn't know that much," Tomson said.

Hybrids are a cross between a gasoline-powered car and an electric car. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the Toyota Prius gets 51 miles a gallon on the highway compared to the Jeep's 20 mpg.

"It was (a) great, very economical car (and it) drove great," Tomson said.

Tomson drove a total of 530 miles, which was just under a tank of gas. He got 45 miles per gallon. He spent $26.18 to fill it up.

Tomson went back to the Jeep for a week. He logged 406 miles, which was just a little over a full tank of gas. His Jeep got 17 mpg and it cost him $50 to fill it up.

Tomson saved $23 in a week in the Prius and was able to drive a 120 miles more. Over an entire year, Toyota estimates that he could save about $1,800 at the pump filling up the Prius.

"In a perfect world, I'd love to be able to drive the hybrid during the week and just save money on gas. I've just always liked Jeeps," Tomson said.

The Consumer Alert bottom line is that Tomson is sticking with his SUV. In the past few months, Toyota has already sold more than 34,000 Prius cars. Right now, there is a 2-month waiting period to get behind the wheel.

Toyota is not the only manufacturer of the hybrid. Honda has a hybrid version of its Accord, Civic Insight; Ford has the Ford Escape Hybrid SUV and Lexus is offering a 2006 RX Hybrid.

If you are looking for another incentive, the government is giving hybrid buyers $2,000 back.

For more information on hybrid cars and who makes them, click on the links below.

Related Resources:
National Resources Defense Council
HybridCars.com
Care2MakeADifference
About.com: Which Hybrid Car is Right for You?

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