The best hybrid cars of 2009 are even better in 2010. The qualities that make a car the best depend on what your specific area of concern is, mostly centering on fuel economy and performance on the road.
If you focus on simply getting the best fuel economy, the Toyota Prius is absolutely the best hybrid car for you. At 48 mpg, it has the best fuel economy of any car available in the United States. Some drivers report that, with very careful driving, a light foot, use of cruise control whenever possible, minimal use of the AC and heat, and in optimal weather conditions, they can get up to 70 miles per gallon. The amazing fuel efficiency is offset by its sluggish pick-up, but even so, it's a great commuter car if you can tolerate staying in the 55-65 mph range and it gets pretty good mileage in-town too, in the 40s even with stop-start city driving.
If you're more focused on performance than fuel efficiency, the Toyota Hybrid Camry feels more like a conventional car, and still manages to get a respectable 34 miles per gallon. It's expensive at $26,150 compared to $19,395 for the basic conventional Camry which advertises 22-33 mpg. The interior is nice and roomy, and driving it is similar to driving the conventional Camry.
If you wouldn't mind splitting the difference between power and fuel economy, the Mercury Milan Hybrid and the Ford Fusion Hybrid are cool with attractive styling, around 40 mpg in-town, and a great driving experience. The 2010 editions of the Fusion and its Mercury cousin, the Milan, are updated, more stylish than their predecessors, with updated instrument panels and the Sync voice-activated entertainment and communication system. The instrument panel sports a "green" leaf-sprouting display when you are saving fuel. The switch-over between the gas engine and the electrical system is said to the most seamless of any car on the road, making virtually no noise and no jolt that has become rather typical for these cars. At around $30K, both cars are somewhat steep buys, but the cool styling and peppy performance are worth the price.
Other possibilities in your search for the best hybrid cars might include the Chevy Malibu Hybrid, advertised as getting 29 mpg and going for $22,800, the Honda Civic Hybrid, at $22,600, the Honda Insight, selling for $19,800, with a promised 41mpg, the Nissan Altima Hybrid, advertising 34 mpg at $26,800, or perhaps the 2010 VW Touareg, for which the specs are not yet out. Test drive them all, and get a feel for hybrids. Everybody's getting into the field, and there's no time like the present.
If qualification for hybrid tax credit is considered as a factor in the competition for best hybrid cars, then some of the favorite models, such as the Prius, Camry and Civic, will no longer qualify. This is the qualifying 2009 hybrid car tax credit chart from the IRS site:
Chrysler Aspen Hybrid-- $2200 tax credit
Dodge Durango Hybrid-- $2200 tax credit
Ford Escape Hybrid, 2 WD-- $ 3000 tax credit
Ford Escape Hybrid, 4 WD-- $1950 tax credit
Mazda Tribute Hybrid, 2 WD-- $3000 tax credit
Mazda Tribute Hybrid, 4 WD-- $1950 tax credit
Mercury Mariner Hybrid, 2 WD-- $3000 tax credit
Mercury Mariner Hybrid, 4 WD-- $1950 tax credit
Nissan Altima Hybrid-- $2350 tax credit
Elizabeth Nichols is Content Manager for the Green Research Council at http://www.greenresearchcouncil.org, which is a research and advocacy group with a mission to provide empowering information and to be at the cutting edge of green technology, environmental sustainability and energy conservation issues. Most recently published is the Green Research Council's Green Tax Guide.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_D_Nichols
If you focus on simply getting the best fuel economy, the Toyota Prius is absolutely the best hybrid car for you. At 48 mpg, it has the best fuel economy of any car available in the United States. Some drivers report that, with very careful driving, a light foot, use of cruise control whenever possible, minimal use of the AC and heat, and in optimal weather conditions, they can get up to 70 miles per gallon. The amazing fuel efficiency is offset by its sluggish pick-up, but even so, it's a great commuter car if you can tolerate staying in the 55-65 mph range and it gets pretty good mileage in-town too, in the 40s even with stop-start city driving.
If you're more focused on performance than fuel efficiency, the Toyota Hybrid Camry feels more like a conventional car, and still manages to get a respectable 34 miles per gallon. It's expensive at $26,150 compared to $19,395 for the basic conventional Camry which advertises 22-33 mpg. The interior is nice and roomy, and driving it is similar to driving the conventional Camry.
If you wouldn't mind splitting the difference between power and fuel economy, the Mercury Milan Hybrid and the Ford Fusion Hybrid are cool with attractive styling, around 40 mpg in-town, and a great driving experience. The 2010 editions of the Fusion and its Mercury cousin, the Milan, are updated, more stylish than their predecessors, with updated instrument panels and the Sync voice-activated entertainment and communication system. The instrument panel sports a "green" leaf-sprouting display when you are saving fuel. The switch-over between the gas engine and the electrical system is said to the most seamless of any car on the road, making virtually no noise and no jolt that has become rather typical for these cars. At around $30K, both cars are somewhat steep buys, but the cool styling and peppy performance are worth the price.
Other possibilities in your search for the best hybrid cars might include the Chevy Malibu Hybrid, advertised as getting 29 mpg and going for $22,800, the Honda Civic Hybrid, at $22,600, the Honda Insight, selling for $19,800, with a promised 41mpg, the Nissan Altima Hybrid, advertising 34 mpg at $26,800, or perhaps the 2010 VW Touareg, for which the specs are not yet out. Test drive them all, and get a feel for hybrids. Everybody's getting into the field, and there's no time like the present.
If qualification for hybrid tax credit is considered as a factor in the competition for best hybrid cars, then some of the favorite models, such as the Prius, Camry and Civic, will no longer qualify. This is the qualifying 2009 hybrid car tax credit chart from the IRS site:
Chrysler Aspen Hybrid-- $2200 tax credit
Dodge Durango Hybrid-- $2200 tax credit
Ford Escape Hybrid, 2 WD-- $ 3000 tax credit
Ford Escape Hybrid, 4 WD-- $1950 tax credit
Mazda Tribute Hybrid, 2 WD-- $3000 tax credit
Mazda Tribute Hybrid, 4 WD-- $1950 tax credit
Mercury Mariner Hybrid, 2 WD-- $3000 tax credit
Mercury Mariner Hybrid, 4 WD-- $1950 tax credit
Nissan Altima Hybrid-- $2350 tax credit
Elizabeth Nichols is Content Manager for the Green Research Council at http://www.greenresearchcouncil.org, which is a research and advocacy group with a mission to provide empowering information and to be at the cutting edge of green technology, environmental sustainability and energy conservation issues. Most recently published is the Green Research Council's Green Tax Guide.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_D_Nichols
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