Hybrid cars have enjoyed a limited but slowly growing popularity since they were first released, but questions persist about how much they actually benefit the environment, to say nothing of the consumer. A lifecycle analysis of the components used in a hybrid vehicle complicates the task of evaluating their contribution to the environment, and their generally higher purchase and maintenance costs make it difficult to sell them to consumers. Are hybrid cars a good idea? Do the benefits, tangible and intangible, justify the costs? Would you buy one