Hybrid Car Review

Mazda vice president Jay Amestoy let it be known they would not be making a Mazda 6 Hybrid. Which I find very interesting.

Why not make a hybrid Mazda 6? They have the technology through Ford. Ford is making a Fusion hybrid. Ford said they would finally be making money on their hybrids this year because they have had the technology for long enough.

So why not spread out the technology even more? The Mazda 6 could use the extra fuel economy and, although I don't think the hybrid version would compete in sales with the Prius, today's high gas prices aren't going away anytime soon. When every add you make you need to talk about fuel economy, no matter the car type, doesn't it make sense to make your cars into more fuel efficient machines?

Of course, Ford is turning into a conservative corporation. Even though they were the first car company to bring an SUV hybrid, they seem very risk averse right now. Ever since they backed off ramping the number of hybrids up, they have refused to take any risks in the hybrid field.

It's hard to blame them when you look at their sales and profit figures, but still. They won't even enter into the plug-in field the way Toyota and GM are going to. By stating it will be five years before the plug-in market will 'ramp up,' they are letting it be known that, despite having some test vehicles out there, they aren't going to play for real.  At least, not yet.


But back to the Mazda 6.  I find it interesting that they need to justify not making a hybrid out of it.  Doesn't that seem to indicate to Mazda (Ford) that maybe they should really be considering it?