Hybrids are really starting to look interesting now; it'll definitely be something to consider for my next car, but seeing as this is pretty much a Gen 1 for VW and sporty hybrids I think I'd rather see the Mk8 version:
The cutting edge of technology is bathed in the blood stained cash of early adopters...
It has probably more to do with getting the whole Golf 7 range average fuel consumption and CO2 emissions down for EU regulations than anything really environmental.
Looks tempting on paper, but the hybrid problems remains:
- the non-environmental manufacture, weight and disposing of batteries
- the life of the batteries - 8 years max? VW don't say, but when they are dead the replacement cost is scary
- 20% more than the standard petrol/diesel model, but with a steeper depreciation as the hybrid and battery guarantee run out
- real-world economy figures are more likely to match a diesel, than those quoted...
There is something that really annoys me about the focus on hybrid card, like it's the future. I feel we're focusing on the wrong 'innovation' here - they're hardly sustainable. The same thing goes for purely electric cars. Emissions might be less, but people forget about how the electricity is generated that you put in your car (mostly coal plants here in Australia).