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The envelope is in, and the winner is…? The judges are getting their fees’ worth with the type of decision they have to make to arrive at their pick of the best hybrid out there. But it looks like they’ll really have a hard time deciding, with the variety of hybrid cars now on offer vying to be the best car in terms of safety, fuel efficiency, emissions, comfort and technological innovations.
The critery
When choosing a hybrid car, what considerations will you take into account? Of course, one would not go for a hybrid if not for fuel efficiency, otherwise any other fancy sedan, no matter how many gallons of fuel it consumes, will be a candidate for your choice. Therefore, the type of fuel economy and efficiency will definitely be a prime consideration. Related to this, the best hybrid car should have the lowest, if not zero, emission of toxic waste gases. So this criteria is inside.
But how will we then choose the best hybrid car? We can probably start by segregating these hybrids, let’s say separating the coupes and sedans from the SUVs and trucks. Then separate them further by dividing the cars into compacts, midsize sedans, etc. Separate pickup trucks from mid-size to full-size trucks. Separate vans from minivans. The lists go on and on as the list of available hybrid cars keeps getting longer.
Then you can probably go down to the level of body styles, transmissions, engine power, transmission size and handling, and a host of performance criteria to look for.
Pricing may be lower on the list, as hybrid cars are sure to make up for the higher up-front cost through fuel economy and other economical features.
The semifinalists
Some say the Toyota Prius really started the race and all, and as such a trailblazer deserves a place in the hybrid hall of fame. The Prius starts at $22,175 and comes with a savings bonus as an ECO-nomic car of around $2,000. Then there are also tax benefits for choosing a green car. EPA estimates are 55 miles per gallon for combined city/highway driving and AT-PZEV (Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle) classification.
What about midsize sedans, with more room than the Prius? There’s the 2007 hybrid version of the Toyota Camry, which starts at around $26,000. Although the Honda Accord Hybrid and Honda Civic Hybrid are also in the running, the Toyota Camry consistently ranks in surveys of satisfied hybrid users. The Camry Hybrid gets 34 miles per gallon as far as EPA ratings go.
Now let’s move on to sport utility vehicles. The Ford Escape Hybrid is great, but price considerations and its full-SUV features make it less popular than the more compact contemporary 2007 Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid, which is reasonably priced at around $23,000, not to mention the perks. tax you get for being a “green” SUV. Surveys show that this hybrid is comparable to other SUVs of the same size in terms of fuel efficiency and emission levels.
Compare the Ford Escape Hybrid now to another Toyota SUV, and you’ll find the 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid winning by a hand, if car reviews are to be believed. Reviewers say the Highlander’s performance and efficiency make it the number one contender for the best full-size SUV of the hybrid class. At an estimated price of $32,500, the EPA ratings of 25 or 26 miles per gallon for city and highway driving are manageable, when you look at long-term fuel savings.
The verdict?
The title of best hybrid car it will always be relative, relative as to the kind of considerations the buyer and driver will look for in their hybrid. But with the sheer number of hybrids out there, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem to find the best one for you.