With either of these vehicles, you'll need four to six years to save as much in fuel expenses as the system costs. That's about the same as for other popular hybrid vehicles like the Camry Hybrid, Civic Hybrid or Ford Escape Hybrid.
Here's the breakdown:
After taking a $1,300 tax credit, the Malibu Hybrid will cost about $500 more than a non-hybrid Malibu LT. But you'll save about $134 a year in fuel. That's a relatively quick pay-off
For the Tahoe, everything is bigger including the time to pay-off. The hybrid cost premium is roughly $5,000, but it will save you about $700 a year in gas.
Tahoe hybrid buyers will get the most benefit if they drive a lot on surface roads and not so much on highways, where the fuel economy benefit is much smaller.
But the most important thing about these vehicles is that neither one sacrifices driving pleasure or functionality. The Tahoe can still tow and haul, and the Malibu can still fit a family's weekend luggage in the trunk. That might be enough to make these vehicles work for those who otherwise wouldn't consider a hybrid.
