Civic Hybrid v. Lincoln Navigator on the Today Show

My Mother-In-Law is a Katie Couric groupie, so she’ll be thrilled that I’m plugging the Today Show’s Great American Gas Challenge.  They have 3 families headed across the country in a Lincoln Navigator, Ford 500, and Honda Civic Hybrid.  The idea stems from a stat they cited that 6 of every 10 families are changing their vacation plans due to high gas prices.  They started in LA and are headed to NYC, all getting the same daily budget to spend.  So far, here are the stats:

Days 1 - 5: Los Angeles to Chicago
Total amount spent on gas
Rileys (SUV): $388.80
Fowlers (Midsize): $211.98
Pletchers (Hybrid): $135.28

Gas Mileage
Riley Family (SUV): 17 mpg  (estimate was 15 mpg)
Fowler Family (Midsize):  26 mpg  (estimate was 25 mpg)
Pletcher Family (Hybrid): 39 mpg  (estimate was 40 mpg)

Pretty staggering difference in 5 days.  Guess the Riley kids aren’t getting those happy meals super-sized...  Indeed, Matt Lauer noted that when they got to the Grand Canyon, the Pletchers got to take the helicopter tour, while the Rileys only got the jeeps because of the gas expense.   Should be interesting to see how this one plays out with Katie and the gang, as this is quite the high-profile challenge for the Civic Hybrid. 

Anyway, should be fun to watch.  Set those TIVOs for you working stiffs out there.  Tomorrow they'll be in Cleveland, and then finishing up at the Today Show studios on Friday.

UPDATE: For those who didn't TIVO, here are the final stats:

Total amount spent on gas
Rileys (SUV): $459.27
Fowlers (Midsize): $277.98
Pletchers (Hybrid): $172.67

Gas Mileage
Riley Family (SUV): 17 mpg  (estimate was 15 mpg)
Fowler Family (Midsize):  26 mpg  (estimate was 25 mpg)
Pletcher Family (Hybrid): 42 mpg  (estimate was 40 mpg)

Don't know about you, but $300.00 is a pretty big deal to me on a vacation, and even that extra hundred goes a long way when you're doing a family trip.  Also interresting to see that the Civic also ended up over the estimated MPG at the end.

Posted by: ScottN

Comments

[MGR]

Hi,

I don't know if your trackback feature is defective or if I did something wrong, but I want to point out that I wrote about this post here:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/05/wip_civic_hybri.php

[Andy Pletcher]

Hi...Andy here. Mom of the family that drove the Honda Civic Hybrid from LA to New York for the Great American Gas Challenge on the Today Show.
I just wanted to comment on why we only got around 39 mpg. We had the trunk loaded with all the stuff that we could jam into it. We also had the petal to the metal all the way.
I don't know if any of you have ever tried to drive a Honda Civic coast to coast in six days with two kids (ages 6 & 12), but it's not for the weak of heart.
The hybrid was very cool, and we went to test drive the natural gas Honda today. My husband really needs a new car, but we haven't made up our minds on what it will be yet.
Glad you were watching.

~Andy Pletcher

[Dave H]

If you can afford a Lincoln Navigator, then $300 should not be an issue.

Dave

[E. Forchetto]

Some staggering facts...
Largest container ships that can carry over 8000 20ft containers at up to 25 knots with a fuel consumption equivalent to 0.25 litres per 100 km, or 1000 Miles per UK gallon. These huge engines achieve a fuel conversion efficiency of 50% compared with automotive diesels at 25 to 30 %.

[Renee Riley]

Hi...Renee Riley here. The Lincoln Navigator was incredible to drive. Of course, they are not for the light-of-pocketbook. The gas in California, in our city, is around $3.20 per gallon right now. Back when we did the drive,last year, the gas prices were way lower. I would have to draw the line about buying a new SUV right now. Not only for the price of gas but because of the smog we encountered crossing the USA. The hybrid was an awesome little vehicle and everytime we saw the Pletchers, they were smiling.:)
Thanks,
Renee