There are countless choices when it comes to cars these days, so it might be quite overwhelming to choose which one to buy, especially if you are buying a car for the first time.
If you’re someone who just wants a ride that can drive well and is easy to maintain, a petrol car should be right up your alley. But if you are in favor of cleaner tech and would like to incorporate renewable energy into your daily life then hybrid cars are for you.
No matter which car type you have in mind, each has its own benefits and disadvantages that you take into account before making your choice. Here are some key factors that you can consider when choosing between both types of cars.
Benefits of Petrol Cars
Wide Price Range
To start things off, one of the major benefits of petrol cars is that they are available in various price ranges. This makes them easily accessible to anyone who is looking to buy a car.
Plus, you don’t have to worry about a high initial price when buying a petrol car because no matter what kind of car you are looking for, there will always be a model or make that is priced within your budget.
Fast & Furious
Another reason why petrol cars are more popular is that they are faster and have more power. It is a fact that petrol cars are more responsive and they also have a generally better feel for performance when driving.
Not to mention, there is an abundance of aftermarket parts available for petrol engines if you are looking to soup up your car for more power, and you can easily find proper mechanics or technicians to help with that.
Refuel Anywhere
You can find petrol stations anywhere. This makes petrol cars a great choice for long-range traveling as you can definitely find a place to refuel, no matter where you are in the world.
Also, with some modern and efficient petrol engines, you are now able to get even more mileage than what we used to be able to get before. This further cements the benefit of owning a petrol car in this day and age.
Disadvantages of Petrol Cars
Unstable Fuel Price
One major disadvantage for petrol cars is that fuel price is very unpredictable these days. In Malaysia, petrol prices are updated weekly so you always have to be on the lookout especially if you want to get the most out of your car without having to pay too much for petrol.
Needs Regular Maintenance
Making sure your petrol car runs without issues requires constant maintenance. This is quite typical for internal combustion engines (ICE) as they have a lot of moving parts that undergo a lot of stress when the car is moving.
Without regular maintenance, the parts in the engine will deteriorate faster due to wear and tear, thus leading to a costly breakdown or even an accident.
Benefits of Hybrid Cars
Fuel Efficiency
When talking about hybrid cars, they are usually preferred by many due to their fuel efficiency. There are three types of hybrid cars – a Micro Hybrid that uses a “start-stop system” that is purely driven by the internal combustion engine (petrol engine), a Mild Hybrid (MHEV) that has an electric motor in its drive system to help the internal combustion engine boost the vehicle during acceleration, and a Full Hybrid (PHEV) that has an electric motor and an internal combustion engine that work together.
A full hybrid car is said to be able to save more than 20 percent fuel usage when compared to a conventional petrol car since it runs on a combination of a petrol engine and an electric motor with a large battery pack. This means you are able to drive on pure electric power for a specified range before the combustion engine kicks in to share the load.
This makes them a very attractive option for car buyers especially when you live in city areas and when fuel prices are unstable.
Great for City Driving
Hybrid cars run on their electric motors first when moving from a standstill or at a lower speed. If you’re stuck in stop-start traffic, you will take advantage of the electric engine until a specified range before the petrol engine takes over when the battery pack is out of power, or when you’re driving at a higher speed.
Their electric motor also provides better acceleration compared to traditional combustion engines. Hence, they are highly suitable for “stop and go” city driving conditions with frequent traffic jams.
It also has a smooth driving experience since less energy is lost because when you are braking as well as accelerating, the energy produced is captured and reused to recharge the battery pack in a process called regenerative braking.
No Range Anxiety
Compared to an electric vehicle which solely depends on electricity to keep the engine running, hybrid cars have an electric motor that works together with the petrol engine to power up the car.
When the battery is low on power, the petrol engine takes over to keep the car running. As long as you can reach a charging station or gas station when the fuel tank gets too low, you don’t have to worry about being stranded alone.
Not to mention, the refueling cost of a hybrid car is also much lower compared to a conventional petrol car. Take the new Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid for example. With a petrol tank capacity of 36 liters, a full tank of RON95 will set you back at around RM73.80.
Compare that to another car in the same segment, the Honda HR-V E which comes with a whopping 50 liter tank that will cost you around RM102.50 for a full tank of RON95.
In this Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid road trip vlog by Autobuzz, they managed to travel from Selangor to Ipoh to Penang on a single full tank! By the time they arrive in Penang, they still had a quarter tank of fuel left. Very economical and impressive for an SUV. You can watch the video here.
If you love going on road trips, you might want to consider a hybrid from now on.
Disadvantages of Hybrid Cars
Expensive to Buy
Getting into the hybrid car scene is quite difficult for a lot of people as they are generally more expensive to buy. They are built to be more complex than your conventional petrol car and also feature more technology than the ones you commonly see in a petrol car.
Battery Replacement is Expensive
To top it off, the bane of every hybrid car owner would be to change the car’s battery pack once it is damaged. A hybrid car’s battery pack replacement could cost you thousands of ringgits, not to mention that you would need to replace the battery at an establishment with the proper expertise or you might risk damaging your car in the process.
For example, a Toyota Prius’s battery is expected to last between eight to ten years, depending on usage. So you don’t have to worry about replacing the battery if your car is fairly new. However, when the time comes to replace the battery pack, you will be expected to fork out around RM7,000 for a new one, and that does not include the labor charge yet, which could bump up the price a few hundred ringgits more.
Looking for Your Dream Car? Make It Carsome
So, based on these pros and cons that are listed above, choosing your preferred car boils down to what you are looking for in your dream ride.
Whatever your choice is, you can find hybrid cars at Carsome too. Our Carsome Certified cars are pre-owned cars that are as good as new and have been carefully selected to offer the best in quality, confidence, convenience, and selection.
A Nissan Serena S-Hybrid priced at RM122,900 at Carsome.
Carsome Certified for Peace of Mind
Whether it’s a hybrid car or a petrol car, with more than 1,000 Carsome Certified cars listed on our website, you can definitely find one that will suit your needs. Each Carsome Certified car has undergone a thorough 175-point inspection to ensure the car is free from major accidents, as well as frame, fire, and flood damage – making Carsome Certified cars like one in a hundred.
To provide you with further peace of mind, every Carsome Certified car comes with our Carsome Promise which includes:
- Professional inspection: All Carsome Certified cars have passed a stringent 175-point inspection to ensure it is free from major accidents, as well as frame, fire, and flood damage.
- Five-day money-back guarantee: If you buy a pre-owned car from us and you happen to change your mind about your purchase, just return it to us within five days to get a full refund. No questions asked!
- One-year warranty: Your journey with us does not stop after purchasing a car. We will provide you with a one-year extended warranty to ensure your peace of mind.
- Fixed price: The price we display is the price you will pay, without any hidden fees. We practice full transparency in our transactions so you know exactly what you are getting.
On top of that, all Carsome Certified cars have undergone a professionally conducted Carsome Certified Refurbishment Process at our Carsome Certified Lab to make sure the car is road-worthy with a like-new look and feel.
Browse for your dream car at carsome.my and Make It Carsome today!
Keyword: Hybrid or Petrol? Make Your Choice with This Quick Guide