Auto writers David Welch and Matt Vella recently discussed the pros and cons on in a recent article on Businessweek.com. Both men covered the usual: how the premium price doesn’t justify the higher mileage, there are other, better technologies, etc.

As usual, they missed the point.

Auto writers David Welch and Matt Vella recently discussed the pros and cons on in a recent article on Businessweek.com. Both men covered the usual: how the premium price doesn’t justify the higher mileage, there are other, better technologies, etc.

As usual, they missed the point.

First, I own a hybrid: a 2005 Honda Accord. Like many other buyers, we primarily bought it for the mileage. Note that word though, ‘primary’. One of the assumptions I’ve discovered when reading about hybrids is that the writers automatically assume that the buyer only bought it for the mileage or only bought it to make a statement or only bought it because their some sort of “flag-burning, tree-hugging liberal”. Some of these assumptions are correct about our reasons; most are not.

One assumption that many reviewers rarely cover is power. Yes, we also bought our hybrid because we liked the extra “umph” that the Accord’s hybrid engine provided. And why shouldn’t we? We’re both American citizens and heartily embrace the notion that more horsepower is better. And 15 extra ponies compared to the regular Accord is a lot of power.

Even better, I get horsepower and better mileage, having the proverbial cake and eating it, too. Show me another vehicle does the same. Yeah, the Accord 4-cylinder gets equivalent gas-mileage but at a loss of over 90 horsepower. Enthusiasts love power: when’s the last time you heard one reject a V-8 for a v-6 or, especially, an I-4? with the exception of lighter cars with over-the-top engines (i.e., MINIs, Mitsubishi Evo, Subaru WRX, etc.), I rarely hear enthusiasts downgrading to less expensive vehicles for the sake of sheer power.

And they won’t, arguing the need for that extra power. Need? More like want: even enthusiasts agree there’s little ‘need’ to have the ability to go from 0 to 60 in less than 8-9 seconds on American roads. Yet they will happily pay an extra $2-$5 grand more for such an ability while turning a blind eye to the lower gas mileage.

‘But it’s only a few miles reduction!’ they’ll argue. The 2005 Accord DX 4-cylinder with 160 hp was priced $16,195 and gets 24 mpg city/34 mpg highway according to the EPA. The entry level LX V-6 Accord at 240 hp starts at $23,800 and gets 21/30. That’s over a $7600 difference for an extra 80 horsepower, or nearly a $100 per horsepower.

Sounds justified, right? But that cost is just that, cost. For the pleasure of that extra power, a V-6 owner loses the difference in gas mileage, which is 3 mpg city and 4 mpg highway, which is constant each time they take out the car. How come enthusiasts never compare how much they lose every time they drive their V-6 when compared to having a V-4? Probably because they’re thinking it’s all “justified” when they zoom past that truck or weave through traffic. Well, our hybrid Accord can not only beat them in the horsepower race (or even 0-60 time), but it can even beat the Accord V-4 in terms of fuel economy at 30/37. And the price difference? $6200 where, each time we take out the car, we take a chunk out in gas as we zoom even faster on the road.