Top five Hybrid Cars in North America
What can we do to immediately improve our environment, increase our country's independence and lower our gas expenses?
Buy a hybrid car!
Hybrids combine the benefits of powerful gasoline engines and economic, clean electric motors. Compared to gasoline technologies, they have better mileage, lower emissions, lower fuel cost and regenerative power. And they don't need any new infrastructure to support them! Hybrid cars are the wave of the future.
Hybrid car suppliers seem to be paying attention to our needs and our economic power - we want fuel efficiency over performance. Even the government got around to making a thoughtful gesture with their CAFE standards. These mandates require auto manufacturers to improve their mileage averages (a.k.a. make some new-and-hot hybrids while still pushing the same old-and-busted gas hogs).
What is the best choice for a hybrid car?
Per edmunds.com, Toyota Prius, Toyota Highlander and Honda Civic topped the 2006 sales chart. Well, that's what we've been buying.
But why? About.com for Hybrids has some additional ratings:SIZE: 1. Ford Escape, Mariner, or Saturn VUE (all SUVs), 2. Honda Civic, 3. Honda Insight (a two-seater); and,PRICE and GAS MILEAGE: 1. Honda Insight, 2. Toyota Prius, 3. Honda Civic.
Consumersearch.com, a meta-review website, had their own category winners:Toyota Prius (overall best), Honda Civic (sedan), Ford Escape (SUV) and Honda Insight (fuel economy).
There seems to be some agreement. We seem to go with Toyota for reputation, Honda for gas mileage and price, and other companies for size.
What about the future? Over time, hybrids will trend to green' technologies such as ethanol, biodiesels and hydrogen. New lithium battery technologies show promise for providing improved performance with their high energy, low weight and long life capabilities. Ironically, improvements to the battery's range and life have been elusive up until now, even though the first vehicle to be produced in the U.S. was a battery electric vehicle. Meanwhile, ongoing improvements in plug-in hybrid technologies will continue to promote the public's love affair with the hybrid car.
We can make a difference. Go hybrid!
