With high price of gasoline these days, you might be thinking of renting a hybrid during your summer holidays. But you need to crunch the numbers to know if it is worth the higher rental fees.

On recent trips, Nick Mirto has found trying to rent a hybrid car has been no easy walk in the park.

"It's really hit or miss, and to get one guaranteed is out of a reasonable price range," he says.

More people, like Nick, are looking to rent hybrids. Hertz says it has seen a 40 per cent increase in requests for hybrids so far this year.

"Car rental agencies have been adding hybrids like the Nissan Altima, the Toyota Prius. But when you go to try to rent one of those hybrids, they can be hard to find," notes Tobie Stanger of Consumer Reports.

Consumer Reports did some booking. It tried to reserve a hybrid a few days in advance of a three-day stay in Los Angeles. Checking six agencies, only three - Alamo, Hertz, and National - had a hybrid.

Booking two months in advance was a bit better. The same three agencies plus Avis had a hybrid.

"We found calling the rental companies was a more successful strategy for renting a hybrid than going online. Enterprise wouldn't let us rent a hybrid through its web site. National told us there were no hybrids available online, but when we called, we were able to get one," reveals Stanger.

But Consumer Reports found renting a hybrid won't necessarily save you money. For instance, Avis quoted a rate of $253 for a three-day rental of an Altima hybrid versus $111 for the Chevy Impala.

Agencies charging more for fuel-efficient cars can cancel out any savings on gas.

In Vancouver, a Camry hybrid costs anywhere from $15 to $30 more per day to rent than a regular Camry. Yet, on a highway trip, the government estimated mileage of the hybrid is only about 10 per cent better than a regular Camry. So the savings aren't there.

"So when you're renting a car, look not just at the type of vehicle you're getting but also the rate, so you can get the best deal," recommends Stanger.

If you've been considering buying a hybrid that's where renting one first may make some sense.

You can try it for a few days to see if its still a car you think you should buy. That's true of any vehicle. Try it first before you buy.

With a report by CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen