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Hybrid or diesel?

I AM thinking of buying a Toyota hybrid or a diesel such as a Volkswagen to save fuel. I drive to work in traffic every day and I thought the hybrid would work for me, but people tell me that diesel is the way of the future. What should I buy?

Both will give you good fuel savings in the sort of driving you're doing. The hybrid would likely be better in stop-start driving, the diesel better for open-road motoring. The diesel would be cheaper to buy and have a better resale value in the medium term. People are still sceptical about the life of the batteries in the hybrid -- though there is no evidence to suggest they are a problem -- but it has a negative effect on used values. You would also be tied to a Toyota dealer for servicing. The broader trade has yet to develop the expertise to look after the complex electrics of the hybrid.

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