NEW YORK -

Automakers are making strides in building confidence among American consumers when it comes to hybrid vehicles, according to a new Harris Poll. That interest is strongest among younger drivers and favors imports over domestic vehicles.

Interest in hybrid vehicles over traditional combustion engine vehicles is up from last year, with 32 percent of car owners surveyed indicating they have an interest in purchasing a hybrid vehicle. Of those people, 23 percent reported their interest in hybrids has increased from a year ago.

Among the alternative fuel choices for new car purchases, 26 percent of those taking part in the Harris poll said they are most likely to consider gas/electric vehicles for their next purchase.

Eleven percent of respondents said they will consider diesel, while 9 percent will examine all-electric autos.

However, 63 percent reported they are not likely to consider diesel or all-electric options at all.

A related Harris study, the 2012 Harris Poll AutoTECHCAST, indicates return on investment could be the reason for consumer reluctance. In that report, 32 percent of consumers expect flexible fuel vehicles will see a return on investment in under a year, compared to 14 percent for pure electric engines and 7 percent for clean diesel.

Meanwhile, the reasons for increased growth in hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles, the report shows, were cited by respondents as saving money on fuel purchase (55 percent), concern for the environment (26 percent) and reduction in U.S. dependency on foreign oil (18 percent).

Concern for fuel costs varied by age in the study, with cost concerns higher among the age 18-to-35 set (at 59 percent) than among those older than age 67, at 45 percent.

Also impacted by age, Harris noted, was the adoption curve for hybrid vehicles. While 32 percent of those under 35 years of age reported more interest in alternative vehicle choices than a year ago, only 15 percent of those above age 67 said the same, and 11 percent of those 67 and older reported less interest compared to one year ago.

“This survey shows that automakers are starting to win over consumer confidence in hybrid vehicles, especially with younger drivers,” said Mike Chadsey, vice president, Automotive Solutions Consultant, Harris Interactive. “While this appears to be driven in large part by personal economic needs to reduce fuel expenses, automakers seem to be making a strong case for the performance and reliability of hybrid vehicles compared to traditional options.

“However, the work has only begun,” added Chadsey. “A majority of consumers will still consider traditional gas-powered vehicles for their next car and as automakers continue to improve gas mileage for these vehicles, the adoption rate for hybrid vehicles may see an impact. American automakers in particular need to continue their focus on building consumer trust while improving some consumer perceptions around car quality, regardless of its fuel type, to continue to attract new consumers in every demographic.”

Indeed, the poll results show a divide in opinion on the quality of American-brand versus import vehicles.

Thirty-five percent of car owners surveyed by Harris said they find the vehicle quality of American brands to be lower than imports. Twenty-four percent of car owners believe American-brand vehicle quality is better than imports, while 42 percent find them to be the same.

Women cited higher quality among American brands over imports, at 27 percent, compared to men at 18 percent.

The Harris Poll was conducted with 2,634 U.S. adults ages 18 and over, of whom 1,991 own or lease a car, truck, minivan or SUV; respondents were surveyed online between May 7–15, 2012 by Harris Interactive.

Hybrid Surge Noted

Across the industry, a surge in hybrid interest has been noted of late. A July Kelley Blue Book Market Report showed a jump in sales of dedicated hybrid and alternative-energy vehicles of 164 percent in June of this year. Though down from a March 2012 high, KBB said hybrid sales remain stronger than in previous years.

The Toyota Prius, Kelley Blue Book noted, saw a gain in sales of more than 300 percent from June 2011, while in other by-brand examples, sales of the Lexus CT200h improved nearly 500 percent year-over-year, and Chevrolet Volt sales improved more than 200 percent year-over-year.

Pike Research, meanwhile, said last month that the worldwide market for natural gas vehicles is forecasted to grow steadily over the next seven years, with renewed interest from both consumers and fleets in natural gas vehicles, and some governments looking to meet emission-reducing objectives.

According to Pike Research, the worldwide market for light duty NGVs will grow steadily to reach 3.2 million vehicles sold in 2019.

In other recent rankings, Total Car Score’s Top 10 Most-Researched Vehicles list, released earlier this month, ranked the 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid at No. 5 on the list.

Also this month, the Nissan Leaf and the 2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid earned the Autobytel and AutoPacific 2012 Ideal Vehicle Awards, based on surveys of more than 75,000 vehicle owners across all major manufacturers.