Hybridcarblog inspires GM hybrid commercial
Escalade hybrid versus the mini Cooper?Have you seen the latest Cadillac Escalade hybrid commercial? The one comparing the Escalade hybrid to the Mini Cooper in city fuel economy?
I hate to say it, but that was mine.
At the LA Auto Show in 2007, I made the same comparison, except it was the Chevy Tahoe hybrid, which had just claimed the Green Car Award, and the Mini.
As I stumbled around the show floor wondering how some giant SUV could win a green car award, I found myself in the Mini Cooper section. So, I checked them out for a small car Soultek feature. Quickly, I realized that in city driving, a land yacht like the Tahoe hybrid (or the more loaded Cadillac hybrid) is just as efficient as many Minis.
I was seriously shocked. Immediately, I blogged Tahoe hybrid: Cause for Mini celebration?
Following the show, at CES in Las Vegas, GM CEO Rick Wagoner cited Hybridcarblog regarding this story, and now it's a commercial. I guess, ultimately, the comparison to the Camry just didn't offer the same shock value as the Mini.
Obviously, I think it's a pretty good commercial. Yet, I've always been less impressed with the Tahoe hybrid's fuel economy, than I've been disappointed in the crappy city fuel economy of something as small as a Mini.
If the future is congestion, Mini fuel economy is far, far inadequate. I guess that's just why I love hybrid vehicles so much, and why I feel Highway fuel economy is for suckers.
Labels: escalade hybrid, Hybrid Vehicles, tahoe hybrid
posted by Dahcredyns at
11:49 AM
6 Comments:
I'm right there with you - I for the life of me can't understand how something as small as a mini could ever be mentioned in the same breath as any Escalade - hybrid or not.
Mini should do better.
It's not just Mini. Most small cars achieve terrible fuel economy in the city driving. I think the Smart might achieve about 30 - even that isn't enough.
With study after study finding that congestion is increasing quickly and becoming the norm, this is a serious issue that is barely even mentioned in the auto world.
Let's assume for a moment that city MPG was the ONLY thing to compare the two. Ok, so the Escalade Hybrid gets 1 MPG better mileage in the city than the MINI Cooper S Convertible (Supercharged Automatic).
Now calculate the difference in cost.
And calculate how long it would take to break even from that 1 MPG difference.
Now change the MINI to a Cooper S Convertible (Supercharged Standard) and the MINI now has the 1 MPG over the hybrid Escalade.
Oh, and also note that Cadillac compares a 2009 model Escalade Hybrid to a 2008 model MINI Cooper S Convertible. The 2009 MINI Cooper S JCW Convertible (Turbocharged Standard) gets 26 MPG City.
The entire premise is shoddy at best, and intentionally distorted at worst.
William-
The point is that if you were going to end foreign oil dependency today, you'd need average fleet wide fuel economy of 45-50 mpg.
26 mpg isn't going to cut the mustard.
"The entire premise is shoddy at best, and intentionally distorted at worst."
That statement makes NO sense. Something as huge as a Cadillac Escalade is basically - give or take a mile or two - is as fuel efficient as something as small as a mini.
You don't get that?
We're not talking about cost-effectiveness, we're talking about fuel economy, period.
ummm I get 32 combined (mostly city) mileage in the real world in my mini - OK its not an S or a convertible. I also get 42 on the highway. I also don't need a tugboat to nudge me into a parking place at the grocery store and its a ball to drive. This is an ad campaign that makes zero sense to me. By way, my mini is loaded with extras and cost me about $30K which I thought was a good price for the value. Just what product does GM really make that competes with the mini? One that a mini buyer would want to own? cricket cricket? GM can't turn a profit on small cars because it thinks that Daewoo-made crap car aveo is what small car buyers want. sad
i like the mini and i would purchase one over an escalade hybrid, but the comparison demonstrates that the entire auto industry has a lot of work to do.
Post a Comment
<< Home