Hybrid vs. The Almightily SUV + My Car History

(a.k.a. this reads almost like a Toyota Hybrid commercial [you have been warned]) With the price of gas soaring off the charts lately I can't fathom why SUVs are still selling. Even trucks are gulping up $75.00 per tank of the cheap fuel. I will admit that this price increase has also stimulated the increase in Hybrid sales. SUVs are even slowly turning into Hybrids for a pretty penny. So if you have to buy a SUV, why not buy the Hybrid version? Ultimately I am a Toyota fan to the core. For years my family has owned at least one Toyota if not two at a time. They have been dependable and I can attest to the fact that I have lived through three collisions in these finely built automobiles. I hope not to have to test that with my Prius though. Now your probably thinking three collisions! Why are you still driving? Well let me share with you the background and sidetrack my objective for a brief time. My Vehicle History: 1st Vehicle - White 1992 Toyota Privia (yes a mini van) - I drove this vehicle for a while. I drove mainly to my two jobs, band practice, occasionally to school, and on the weekends. While backing out of a parking spot one day after having had my license for a few months (doing everything you are supposed to do while backing up - looking behind you regularly and going slowly) a woman in a smaller vehicle decided to try to go around the woman waiting for my space and rammed into my back bumper. Argh! 2nd Vehicle - Grey 1986 Cadillac Cimmeron (not as big as you might think) - I drove this my senior year of high school through most of my sophomore year of college. It was not the best; the horn didn't work for ages - hence the accident that occurred with this vehicle. A stupid truck stopped in the middle of a two-lane road and then proceeded to back into my vehicle and then instead of getting out to see if my passenger and I were ok, drove off. Argh! 3rd Vehicle - Gold 1996 Toyota Camry - I loved this car! It had a six CD changer and lots of room. I only had it for about a year and a half. I, against the rules my parents had set, allowed someone else to drive the vehicle. I was in the passengers seat at the time of the accident and of the three vehicles involved I was the only one injured. I got a eye injuty from the airbag deploing, overall I was ok. Could have been dead though we were going 50 something when we hit and the car was totaled. The accident was his fault. Argh, for bad judgment! 4th Vehilce - Red 1993 Buick Century (a.k.a. the granny boat) - No AC, lots of issues with this a few summers ago when is was extremely hot and I had to drive it on the beltway every day. I drove this car for two years without any major mishaps. Alas I had had enough with my first car, you see all the others were owned by my parents. So in July 2003 I traded it in. 5th Vehicle - 2004 Silver Toyota Corolla CE - Sadly I was not able to afford exactly what I wanted so I settled for the Corolla CE. I still really liked the car, however sadly this year while driving home from work at the HCC on a snowy Saturday in February I slid into a Chevy Trailblazer at 10 mph and pretty much totaled my car. I struggled in my mind on if I could afford a new car or keep this one. There was not true reason to sell the Corolla because the vehicle was repaired to almost brand new. I had only put about 21,000 miles on it when I traded it in for my current car. 6th Vehicle - Red 2005 Toyota Prius - Fully Loaded! I LOVE THIS CAR! I got it because I saw the trend of gas prices increasing substantially. I really want the Highlander Hybrid, but since I make next to nothing a year I figure I will wait a few years for that vehicle. Mom drives a White 2003 Prius and swears by it, as do I with my Red one. I have had this car since 04/28/05 and have put 4220 miles on it to this date and I have only filled up 9 times so far. It takes about 11 gallons. The most I have had to put into the car is 10.645 gallons. The longest I have gone without filling up was 20 days. And the most miles I have gotten out of one tank were 500. So that is why I scratch my head at people buying SUVs. My car easily seats 5 people. And with the seats folded down I can fit loads of cargo. Most people ask if it has any get-up-and-go and I gladly say yes. It has its trouble spots, like hills - esp. if it is packed with cargo, but overall I get close to 50 miles to the gallon. As you can see I would gladly become a Toyota hybrid sponsor. :) So I will get off my soapbox now. But I just ask you to ponder this for me. Why buy and SUV if you could own a Hybrid? Sorry honey, I know you love your new Jeep Liberty. Side note: On average people will own up to 8 cars in their lifetime.