| The envelope is in, and the winner is...? The judges | | | | suggested retail of $22,175, and comes with a |
| are getting their honoraria's worth with the kind of | | | | savings bonus as an ECO-nomic car of around $2,000. |
| decision they need to make to come up with in their | | | | Then there are tax benefits, too, for choosing an |
| selection of the best hybrid car there is. But it seems | | | | environmental-friendly car. EPA estimates come in at |
| they'd really have a hard time deciding, what with the | | | | 55 miles per gallon for combined city and highway |
| array of hybrid cars that are now on offer to, | | | | driving, and the AT-PZEV (Advanced Technology |
| competing to be the top car in terms of safety, fuel | | | | Partial Zero Emission Vehicle) rating. |
| efficiency, emission, comfort and technological | | | | What about the mid-size sedans, with more room |
| innovations. | | | | than the Prius? There is the 2007 Hybrid version of |
| | | | Toyota Camry, which starts at around $26,000. |
| The Criteria | | | | Although the Honda Accord Hybrid and the Honda |
| In choosing a hybrid car, what considerations will you | | | | Civic Hybrid are also in the running, the Toyota |
| look at? Of course one will not opt for a hybrid if not | | | | Camry consistently figures in surveys made of |
| for the fuel efficiency, otherwise, any other stylish | | | | satisfied hybrid users. The Camry Hybrid attains 34 |
| sedan notwithstanding how much gallons of fuel it | | | | miles to the gallon as far as EPA ratings go. |
| consumes will be a candidate for one's choice. So the | | | | Let us go now to sport utility vehicles. The Ford |
| kind of fuel consumption savings and efficiency will | | | | Escape Hybrid is great, but price considerations and |
| definitely be a prime consideration. Relative to this, | | | | its full-SUV features make it less popular than the |
| the best hybrid car will have to have the lowest, if | | | | 2007 Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid, a more compact |
| not zero, emission of toxic waste gases. So this | | | | contemporary, that's priced reasonably at around |
| criterion is in. | | | | $23,000, not to mention the tax benefits it gets for |
| But how will we choose the best hybrid car then? | | | | being a "green" SUV. Surveys show that this hybrid is |
| We can probably start by segregating these hybrids, | | | | comparable to other same-sized SUVs in terms of |
| say separate the coupes and sedans from the SUVs | | | | fuel efficiency and emission-levels. |
| and vans. Then segregate them further by dividing | | | | Compare the Ford Escape Hybrid now to another |
| the cars into compacts, mid-sized sedans, and so | | | | Toyota SUV, and you get the 2007 Toyota |
| forth. Segregate the pickups from mid- to full-sized | | | | Highlander Hybrid winning by an edge, if car reviews |
| trucks. Separate the vans from the mini-vans. The | | | | are to be believed. Reviewers say the performance |
| lists goes and on just as the list of available hybrid | | | | and efficiency of the Highlander makes it a number |
| cars continues to lengthen. | | | | one contender for the best large-type SUV of the |
| Then you can probably go to the level of body | | | | hybrid kind. At estimated price of $32,500, the EPA |
| styles, drivetrains, engine power, transmission size | | | | ratings of 25 or 26 miles to the gallon for city and |
| and drive, and a host of performance criteria to look | | | | highway driving are manageable, if one looks at the |
| for. | | | | long-term fuel savings. |
| Price may be farther down the list, as hybrid cars will | | | | |
| almost surely compensate for the initial higher cost | | | | The Verdict? |
| through fuel savings and other economy features. | | | | The title of best hybrid car will always be relative - |
| | | | relative as to the type of considerations the buyer |
| The Semi-Finalists | | | | and driver will look for in his hybrid. But with the |
| Some say the Toyota Prius actually started the race | | | | plethora of hybrids out there, it should not be that |
| and all, and as such a pioneer deserves a place in the | | | | much of a problem to find the best one for you. |
| hall of fame of hybrids. The Prius starts at a | | | | |