Doug and Russell Want a Hybrid, What Do They Choose?

Car buying can be a nightmare for couples, whether straight, gay, or any other letter of the alphabet.

Hawaiian born Russell met British native Doug, and the rest is history. They married in a steamy Hawaiian ceremony at a time when Australia’s government still considered the LGBTQ community to be second class dross. Later, the boys left the colder climes of moody Melbourne, migrating north like all sensible birds do, making sunny Cairns their forever home.

Living in paradise offers the best and worst nature has to offer, and the region has endured climate change first hand. Cairns’ moody weather turned their garage into an Olympic swimming pool, flooding several metres deep, ruling it out as a place for an EV charger.

That segue brings us neatly to the buying of a new car.

The couple has decided to upgrade their aging X-Trail.

They don’t want to be schlepping around the shops to tether up at possibly-unavailable public chargers. EVs are out, ‘nuff said.

The X-Trail is 7 years old, and according to Doug, is looking a little tatty. That’s Doug-speak for, “bring me a new car darlinks”.

Like all couples, Doug and Russell bring their strengths, and weaknesses, to the process. Russell was an accountant and big boss in his corporate life, prudently planning a plethora of picks for retirement resilience. A new car is a series of pros and cons, each with a value attached. Doug, slightly more arty-farty, flooded the airwaves with gay abandon on JOY FM, and brings that flair to obtaining automobiles?

The boys have suggested this might be the last car they buy, and want it to be a good one. Russell saves for a rainy day, and Cairns has thrown plenty of those their way. He wants the numbers to add up, and set the budget at $80,000 or less, leaning heavily towards the “less”. Doug is a gadget queen and wants gizmos galore, and fancies himself in a hybrid.

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What was considered?

Gay men have good taste, so we are told.

Russell has a touch of arthritis, and when Mr. Pain comes to visit, Russell doesn’t fancy his chances climbing downwards into a sporty 2-door. Another SUV fits the bill.

Doug is slightly easier, but even he borked at the price VS Value of the Lexus NX. It was scratched from the race while the field was still in the stable.

Doug asked about a “mild Hybrid”, and it is here that we went through the different kinds of hybrid. Volvo has mild hybrid standard in most models. It drops fuel usage a little, but not enough to warrant further consideration. RAV4 also got a sniff, and although it is a full hybrid and can drive in EV mode for short distances, was ruled for lack of interest.

“We have reached a sort of compromise,” said Doug. “He has agreed he need not be quite so ‘value oriented’ now that we’re comfortably retired (thanks to his earlier financial prudence and frugality, I said, laying it on with a trowel), and can afford to splash out a bit – but not too much!! So, I guess it’s still no to the Maserati, says I?”

“What? Of course it is,” Russell replied.

Undeterred, Doug persevered.

“But I do want a new SUV. So, you’re thinking maybe the Lexus”

“No, no, still too expensive!”

“So… So I want a new X Trail. Ah. Well, bearing in mind what you said earlier about not having to be so frugal, we can get the hybrid, yes?”

Things were looking up.

“Well, OK, but… …top of the range?” Quick as a flash, Russell returned served with, “Well, OK, but… …but what? Just not another red one, or it won’t look as if we bought a new car, will it?”

Victorious, after a fashion, Doug finished with one final flourish, “Shall I book a test drive then?”

A new Nissan X-Trail was left frame, and after a visit to a showroom, the X-Trail made it across the line, by a nose.

X-trail Ti can be on their drive in a month, but the range-topping Ti-L is 6 months away. Gay men don’t have ankle biters as a rule, so the it is the front seats that will see most use. Ti misses a couple of the tasty tid-bits like driver seat memory, seat heating, and a steering wheel warmer, but this is Cairns. Winter isn’t much cooler than summer, just a bit dryer. Seat heating would be as useful as a chocolate teapot.

Doug still feels Ti’s Head Up Display, driver aids, and safety equipment met his “gadget” brief. Russell agrees, so Nissan X-Trail Ti it is.

What they like:

The EV-like drive of Nissan’s e-Power hybrid system.

The Comfort and cosiness of the cabin.

Gadgets, gadgets, gadgets.

Not so much

Slightly dull exterior design

Doesn’t really stand out in the crowd.

Not as economical as hoped for.

Nissan X-Trail E-Power E-4ORCE