Problems with Hybrid Cars

You know that all cars have problems, even the hybrid you’ve been eyeing on the car lot at your local dealer. But are the problems worth the potential benefits of owning a hybrid car? Here are the top 5 problems with hybrid cars that you should consider before your next purchase:

Software issues- Although most hybrid manufacturers have most of the bugs figured out and taken care of, hybrid cars are still run by computers and ancillary systems that have software. As we all know, software can malfunction. In the case of hybrids, software malfunctions could leave you stalled or stranded on the highway, the freeway, or the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night. Software malfunctions could also lead to problems with your transmission, your generator, your engine and your indicators for service, not to mention your safety mechanisms and your battery pack, none of which you want to go out.

Lightweight body materials- Most conventional cars are reinforced with steel but hybrid cars are made with lightweight body parts to offset the weight of the battery packs that would otherwise overload the car with body weight, making it impossible to drive. In the event of a relatively small car accident, hybrid owners should expect more damage to their vehicle than they would in a conventional car.

Storage space- Hybrid cars are traditionally much smaller than their conventional counterparts, many of them being two-seaters with little cargo space. So don’t count on taking your four best friends for a day at the beach in any sort of comfort. And if you’re driving a compact hybrid, don’t count on doing anything that requires a lot of packing, like road trips and camping trips or even trips to the grocery store in some cases.

Quiet as a mouse- Hybrids are much quieter than conventional cars in terms of engine noise and overall vehicle noise due to the much smaller engines under the hood. Why is that a bad thing? Isn’t it a benefit? Of course it is, in many ways. But for the generally inattentive driver, who plays the radio a little too loudly and talks on her headset while she’s driving, this could spell disaster. Quieter vehicles are harder for pedestrians to hear coming. This is an especially prevalent problem with the Deaf, the Hard of Hearing and children. So drivers beware. If you are going to be shopping for a hybrid, it will become increasingly important for you to be all eyes, all ears and all attention to the road.

Too Slow, Joe- Hybrids have smaller engines and cannot accelerate as quickly as other vehicles. This has been seen as a safety issue with many drivers, who are uncomfortable at not being able to keep up with the other cars on the road.

Hybrid cars do come with many incredible benefits to drivers; however, they still have problems and kinks that are being worked out. Until hybrids have reached a viable level of reliability it is important to weigh the positives against the negatives before making your purchase.