Hybrid cars and reliability

Can you trust hybrid technology?

I regularly receive e-mails that ask, "Are hybrid cars reliable?"

Well, according to Consumer Reports, they are. In fact, both the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic hybrid were found to be the most reliable vehicles by CR, with just 4% of owners reporting problems.

Additionally, the CR study also picked the Toyota Highlander hybrid as one of its Top 10 vehicles of 2006, a ranking which also includes reliability. Two other hybrids, the Lexus RX400h and the Honda Accord hybrid also received high marks.

Sure it is possible that the smaller production lines of these hybrid vehicles eases the ability to ensure their reliability. Moreover, the long term reliability of hybrids is still somewhat of question, since hybrids simply haven't been around long enough. Yet, first generation Prii and Honda Insight hybrids have proven to be reliable after several years.

While the long term reliability of the hybrid battery pack will remain a question for another decade, based upon current evidence hybrids appear extremely reliable. If the hybrid battery pack lasts the life of the vehicle, as many Toyota hybrid engineers believe, the long term value of hybrids has been significantly underestimated.