By Michael Graham Richard
Gatineau, Canada | Tue Aug 12 12:04:00 GMT 2008
The hybrid cars below were carefully selected with a bias toward smaller vehicles, higher fuel economy, affordability, and low smog-forming emissions. Despite the growing number of hybrid models, there are still very few on the market that meet these criteria. We hope that more choices will come to market in the coming years.
Want to learn more about greener driving? See our guides for How to Go Green: Hybrid Cars and How to Go Green: Cars for how-to's and tips for going green behind the wheel.
Where: Toyota
Why: Even four years after the second generation was introduced, the Prius still offers a best-of-class mix of fuel efficiency and low emissions. We expected that it would have more competitors by now, but it hasn't happened yet, which makes this car a perennial favorite.
How much: Starting at $22,000
Nice touch: This best-selling hybrid car has sold more than 1 million units worldwide and was named Green Car of the Year for 2008 by Consumer Reports. According to the U.S. EPA, combined fuel economy for city and highway is 46 miles per gallon.
Read more: PriusChat and TreeHugger
Where: Honda
Why: Probably the closest competitor to the Toyota Prius, some people prefer its aesthetics and the way it drives.
How much: Starting at $22,600
Nice touch: For those who don't like to be noticed, the Honda Civic Hybrid looks almost identical to its non-hybrid cousins. Combined fuel economy for city and highway is 42 miles per gallon, according to the EPA.
Read more: Wikipedia and TreeHugger
Where: Ford
Why: If you really need an SUV, the Ford Escape hybrid is currently the one that gets the best fuel economy. Keep an eye out for the 2009 Saturn VUE 2-Mode hybrid, however. Though it's not yet available everywhere, it may just dethrone the Escape hybrid in its category.
How much: Starting at $26,640
Nice touch: It gets better fuel economy than many non-hybrid cars that are much smaller, especially in city driving where it is rated at 34 miles per gallon. It also meets California's strict emissions standards for SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) and AT-PZEV (Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle).
Read more: Wikipedia and TreeHugger
Where: On the used car market.
Why: If you don't need more than a two-seater, it is almost impossible to beat the Honda Insight, the very first hybrid car to hit the U.S. market. Only drawback: They aren’t being made any more, so finding one could take some searching.
How much: The Insight sold for $20,000 new; today, prices for used ones range from about $3,500 to $13,700.
Nice touch: When it comes to fuel efficiency, many drivers report 70+ real-world miles per gallon. According to the EPA, the Insight was the most fuel-efficient mass-produced automobile ever sold in the United States.
Read more: InsightCentral
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