Hybrids Are Now Half of New SUV Sales in SL — Has Petrol Lost the War?

FT.lk reported that hybrid vehicles made up about 49% of new SUV registrations in August 2026, overtaking straight petrol for the first time in that segment. With the 50% import surcharge still running till end-December and fuel prices where they are, buyers seem to be choosing total running cost over brand or badge. The case for hybrid: lower fuel bills, less exposure to the next fuel price jump, and resale buyers are actively asking for it now. The case against: hybrid battery replacement cost down the line, and outside Colombo and a few main towns, finding a garage that actually knows hybrid systems is still hit or miss. If you bought a hybrid SUV in the last year, has it actually worked out cheaper once you count fuel, servicing, and insurance together? And if you stuck with petrol, was it the price, the service network, or just not trusting the hybrid system long-term? Hybrid SUV එකක් ගත්තු කෙනෙක් නම්, ඇත්තටම ඉතුරු වුණාද කියලා කියන්න.