Living in Phoenix AZ, one of my big concerns is the air conditioning. I understand that mpg will go down when in use which is expected, but we have a Ford that unless its on MAX AC, the air flow (especially at low RPM) feels warm.

it will start to give out warm air when the cooling liquid runs out. Make sure you take your car every year to the shop to re-fill the cooling liquid.

Thank you for your prompt responce, but it was not what I am looking for. I am familiar with having to recharge the AC unit, but I am talking about how well the compressor is working on a new vehicle. I dont care if I have to run full fan to circulate the air, but I want to know there is some air to circulate.

I live in the land of 110-115 degree heat, and some vehicles just dont have compressors that keep up at low RPMs, and the air will feel warm when the car is at a red light, or worse, waiting on a train. It wont matter if I have my fan on the highest setting if the compressor isnt moving the coolant enough. I am originally from Michigan and know that this problem isnt noticed there, like it is by people here in Phoenix.

A really good example of suffering the lack of AC at low RPM is the Hybrid cars. When in Electric only, like when at a low speeds or a stop, the compressor just does not keep up. I have only noticed it in extreme heat (which is daily here in the summer). The solution for the hybrid I was told was to put on MAX AC which basicly makes it so the gas engine never shuts off, and the car fuel economy drops big time, which for me, the fuel economy is the reason for having a hybrid.

Living in Oklahoma where the heat has been averaging around 100-105 over the last 5 weeks, haven't really had a problem with cooling down the Versa. Usually set it at 3 for about 15 min then down to 2 and it provides a comfortable ride. Average right around 30mpg with combined city/highway. As far as having to recharge a A/C system every year, if you do it means you probably have a leak as A/C is a closed loop system and the only time you would lose freon is if you have a leak. One reason I stayed away from the Hybrids is for the exact reason you mentioned. Have heard from different people with different hybrids that they have the same problem with the A/C when running on electric.

scottiem wrote:Living in Oklahoma where the heat has been averaging around 100-105 over the last 5 weeks, haven't really had a problem with cooling down the Versa. Usually set it at 3 for about 15 min then down to 2 and it provides a comfortable ride. Average right around 30mpg with combined city/highway. As far as having to recharge a A/C system every year, if you do it means you probably have a leak as A/C is a closed loop system and the only time you would lose freon is if you have a leak. One reason I stayed away from the Hybrids is for the exact reason you mentioned. Have heard from different people with different hybrids that they have the same problem with the A/C when running on electric.

Thanks, thats exactly what I was wanting to hear. My wife was dead set on the Hybrid and would have gotten it anyway but she grew up in the desert, but being we carpool, I just about die.

As for recharging, I have a Blazer that had a slow leak that by the end of the summer the freon would be depleted and finally just broke down and replaced the entire system last year because thats my workhorse. Its been everywhere from 8 inch deep water, to 4 wheeling in the desert and keeps ticking, so it dont go until it cant go.