
Due To The High Cost of Gasoline, Beta Research Asks A Series of Questions
Pertaining To Fuel-Efficient Hybrid Cars

New York, July 28, 2004:
Recently there has been an increasing amount of discussion concerning the high cost of gasoline. Prompted by an
article in Time Magazine, Beta Research Corp. asked a series of questions pertaining to fuel-efficient hybrid cars.
On a prior basis it was decided to interview at least 300 respondents across the 48 contiguous states. These
interviews were spread out fairly equally across the period of July 19–25 with three call-backs per household if
there was no one 18 years of age or older to respond.
1. Based on everything you have seen, read, or heard about hybrid cars, is your overall impression…?
|
|
Total
|
18-34
|
35-49
|
50+
|
|
|
#
|
%
|
#
|
%
|
#
|
%
|
#
|
%
|
|
Very favorable
|
112
|
33.0
|
27
|
31.8
|
41
|
30.6
|
44
|
36.7
|
|
Somewhat favorable
|
154
|
45.4
|
45
|
52.9
|
65
|
48.5
|
44
|
36.7
|
|
Not too favorable
|
31
|
9.1
|
5
|
5.9
|
18
|
13.4
|
8
|
6.7
|
|
Not at all favorable
|
7
|
2.1
|
2
|
2.4
|
2
|
14.9
|
3
|
2.5
|
|
Don't know enough about them
|
35
|
10.3
|
6
|
7.1
|
8
|
6.0
|
21
|
17.5
|
Base
|
339
|
100.0
|
85
|
100.0
|
134
|
100.0
|
120
|
100.0
|
|
Total Males |
Males
18-34 |
Males
35-49 |
Males
50+ |
|
# |
% |
# |
% |
# |
% |
# |
% |
Very favorable |
62 |
37.1 |
13 |
31.7 |
26 |
38.8 |
23 |
39.0 |
Somewhat favorable |
75 |
44.9 |
23 |
56.1 |
37 |
55.2 |
15 |
25.4 |
Not too favorable |
10 |
6.0 |
3 |
7.3 |
2 |
3.0 |
5 |
8.5 |
Not at all favorable |
6 |
3.6 |
2 |
4.9 |
1 |
1.5 |
3 |
5.1 |
Don't know enough about them |
14 |
8.4 |
- |
- |
1 |
1.5 |
13 |
22.0 |
Base |
167 |
100.0 |
41 |
100.0 |
67 |
100.0 |
59 |
100.0 |
|
Total Females |
Females
18-34 |
Females
35-49 |
Females
50+ |
|
# |
% |
# |
% |
# |
% |
# |
% |
Very favorable |
50 |
29.1 |
14 |
31.8 |
15 |
22.4 |
21 |
34.4 |
Somewhat favorable |
79 |
45.9 |
22 |
50.0 |
28 |
41.8 |
29 |
47.5 |
Not too favorable |
21 |
12.2 |
2 |
4.5 |
16 |
23.9 |
3 |
4.9 |
Not at all favorable |
1 |
0.6 |
- |
- |
1 |
1.5 |
- |
- |
Don't know enough about them |
21 |
12.2 |
6 |
13.6 |
7 |
10.4 |
8 |
13.1 |
Base |
172 |
100.0 |
44 |
100.0 |
67 |
100.0 |
61 |
100.0 |
1a. The primary reasons offered for overall impression are:
Favorable
• Fuel efficient
• Cleaner air / less pollution
• Less dependent on
(foreign) oil
• Improves environment
(specifically)
• Good for local (city) driving
|
Not Favorable
• Not enough horsepower
• Still too new
• Don't know longevity
• Cars too small
|
2. Which manufacturer do you think is most likely to have the greatest success in manufacturing and selling hybrid cars?
|
Total |
18-34 |
35-49 |
50+ |
|
# |
% |
# |
% |
# |
% |
# |
% |
Toyota |
81 |
23.9 |
19 |
22.4 |
30 |
22.4 |
32 |
26.7 |
Honda |
110 |
32.4 |
32 |
37.6 |
44 |
32.8 |
34 |
28.3 |
Nissan |
2 |
0.6 |
1 |
1.2 |
- |
- |
1 |
0.8 |
Lexus |
5 |
1.5 |
3 |
3.5 |
1 |
0.7 |
1 |
0.8 |
VW |
1 |
0.3 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
0.8 |
Mitsubishi |
1 |
0.3 |
- |
- |
1 |
0.7 |
- |
0.8 |
Foreign Car |
1 |
0.3 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
0.8 |
Japanese Manufacturer |
3 |
0.9 |
2 |
2.4 |
- |
- |
1 |
0.8 |
GM |
44 |
13.0 |
8 |
9.4 |
14 |
10.4 |
22 |
18.3 |
Ford |
42 |
12.4 |
11 |
12.9 |
19 |
14.2 |
12 |
10.0 |
Chrysler |
4 |
1.2 |
- |
- |
1 |
0.7 |
3 |
2.5 |
Chevrolet |
2 |
0.6 |
- |
- |
2 |
1.5 |
- |
- |
Saturn |
1 |
0.3 |
- |
- |
1 |
0.7 |
- |
- |
American Manufacturer |
1 |
0.3 |
- |
- |
1 |
0.7 |
- |
- |
None |
1 |
0.3 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
0.8 |
Don't know |
40 |
11.8 |
9 |
10.6 |
20 |
14.9 |
11 |
9.2 |
Base |
339 |
100.0 |
85 |
100.0 |
134 |
100.0 |
120 |
100.0 |
|
Total Males |
Males 18-34 |
Males 35-49 |
Males 50+ |
|
# |
% |
# |
% |
# |
% |
# |
% |
Toyota |
38 |
22.8 |
8 |
19.5 |
17 |
25.4 |
13 |
22.0 |
Honda |
55 |
32.9 |
17 |
41.5 |
26 |
38.8 |
12 |
20.3 |
Nissan |
1 |
0.6 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
1.7 |
Lexus |
5 |
3.0 |
3 |
7.3 |
1 |
1.5 |
1 |
1.7 |
VW |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Mitsubishi |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Foreign Car |
1 |
0.6 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
1.7 |
Japanese Manufacturer |
2 |
1.2 |
1 |
2.4 |
- |
- |
1 |
1.7 |
GM |
27 |
16.2 |
4 |
9.8 |
6 |
9.0 |
17 |
28.8 |
Ford |
10 |
6.0 |
1 |
2.4 |
2 |
3.0 |
7 |
11.9 |
Chrysler |
2 |
1.2 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
2 |
3.4 |
Chevrolet |
3 |
1.8 |
- |
- |
3 |
4.5 |
- |
- |
Saturn |
1 |
0.6 |
- |
- |
1 |
1.5 |
- |
- |
American Manufacturer |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
None |
1 |
0.6 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
1.7 |
Don't know |
21 |
12.6 |
7 |
17.1 |
11 |
16.4 |
3 |
5.1 |
Base |
167 |
100.0 |
41 |
100.0 |
67 |
100.0 |
59 |
100.0 |
|
Total Females |
Females 18-34 |
Females 35-49 |
Females 50+ |
|
# |
% |
# |
% |
# |
% |
# |
% |
Toyota |
43 |
25.0 |
11 |
25.0 |
13 |
19.4 |
19 |
31.1 |
Honda |
55 |
32.0 |
15 |
34.1 |
18 |
26.9 |
22 |
36.1 |
Nissan |
1 |
0.6 |
1 |
2.3 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Lexus |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
VW |
1 |
0.6 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
1.6 |
Mitsubishi |
1 |
0.6 |
- |
- |
1 |
1.5 |
- |
- |
Foreign Car |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Japanese Manufacturer |
1 |
0.6 |
1 |
2.3 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
GM |
17 |
10.0 |
4 |
9.1 |
8 |
11.9 |
5 |
8.2 |
Ford |
31 |
18.0 |
10 |
22.7 |
17 |
25.4 |
4 |
6.6 |
Chrysler |
2 |
1.2 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
2 |
3.3 |
Chevrolet |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Saturn |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
American Manufacturer |
1 |
0.6 |
- |
- |
1 |
1.5 |
- |
- |
None |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Don't know |
19 |
11.0 |
2 |
4.5 |
9 |
13.4 |
8 |
13.1 |
Base |
172 |
100.0 |
44 |
100.0 |
67 |
100.0 |
61 |
100.0 |
3. The next time you are in the market for a new car, would you…?
|
Total |
18-34 |
35-49 |
50+ |
|
# |
% |
# |
% |
# |
% |
# |
% |
Consider purchasing a hybrid |
206 |
60.8 |
51 |
60.0 |
77 |
57.4 |
78 |
65.0 |
Not consider purchasing a hybrid |
133 |
39.2 |
34 |
40.0 |
57 |
42.5 |
42 |
35.0 |
Base |
339 |
100.0 |
85 |
100.0 |
134 |
100.0 |
120 |
100.0 |
|
Total Males |
Males 18-34 |
Males 35-49 |
Males 50+ |
|
# |
% |
# |
% |
# |
% |
# |
% |
Consider purchasing a hybrid |
104 |
62.3 |
26 |
63.4 |
41 |
61.2 |
37 |
62.7 |
Not consider purchasing a hybrid |
63 |
37.7 |
15 |
36.6 |
26 |
38.8 |
22 |
37.3 |
Base |
167 |
100.0 |
41 |
100.0 |
67 |
100.0 |
59 |
100.0 |
|
Total Females |
Females 18-34 |
Females 35-49 |
Females 50+ |
|
# |
% |
# |
% |
# |
% |
# |
% |
Consider purchasing a hybrid |
102 |
59.3 |
25 |
56.8 |
36 |
53.7 |
41 |
67.2 |
Not consider purchasing a hybrid |
70 |
40.7 |
19 |
43.2 |
31 |
46.3 |
20 |
32.8 |
Base |
172 |
100.0 |
44 |
100.0 |
67 |
100.0 |
61 |
100.0 |
3a. The primary reasons cited across all demographic groups are as follows:
Would Consider
• Save on fuel
• Environmental reasons
• Less pollution
• Reduce dependence on oil
• If price is right
• Less expensive to operate
|
Would Not Consider
• Not enough horsepower
• Not certain of longevity
• Prefer SUV / truck |

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