Nowadays, with the rising cost of gasoline, it just makes sense to consider buying one of the new hybrid cars that are on the market. Reports show that the four cars outlined below are environmentally-friendly and will get much better mileage – so much better than those run-of-the-mill “so last year” types cars that tried to own the road.
The Toyota Prius is the quintessential hybrid gas-electric car, but what does that really mean? In a word, the Prius has a cult-following like no other hybrid and for good reason. It’s a midsize hatchback sedan and the car has won many awards for its performance. At low speeds the Prius is all but silent while on the road – that’s the electric-mode. However, it can rev up to 110 gas-electric horsepower for a neat 0 to 60 in about 10 seconds. Another plus is gas mileage, which is 55 miles per gallon in the city or on the highway. As for emissions, it exceeds the standard in the Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle test. With lots of legroom and storage space, the Prius also offers all those comfy extras such as keyless entry, a rear-view camera system and a high-tech fuel use dash display.
There are several reasons the Honda Civic is breaking all the barriers, for one this car has been engineered to de-activate the cylinders that aren’t needed, thus saving gas. In certain modes the car can even de-activate all of the cylinders as the electric motor stands alone to propel the vehicle forward. There is a 1.3 liter iVTEC four-cylinder engine with a 20 horsepower electric motor that delivers 110 horsepower. The eight spark plugs work in two different modes and it is common that they will fire one after the other, thus the plug near the intake valve fires first and the exhaust plug fires later. As for the battery, there is more power there too in that there is a 25 percent increase in energy density. There are 132 cells to store up to 158 volts of energy and the battery is stored behind the rear seat taking up only about 1.6 cubic feet.
With the Toyota Camry you will get you 40 miles to the gallon and offers about 700 miles between gas station stops. The drive train is 147 horsepower with the normal 2.4-liter four-cylinder, but the other half of the story is 105-kW electric motor with a 244-volt battery pack. Going from 0 to 60 in a little less than nine seconds you still have a fast automobile on your hands. Features have not been overlooked either and you can expect a tire-pressure monitoring system, halogen headlamps, 440-watt audio system, keyless entry and dual climate control.
You will hardly know you are in a hybrid with the Lexus RX 400H as it offers a rugged-looking exterior along with a leather interior and an environmentally-friendly package that will make you smile. With 28 miles per gallon on the highway and 30 miles per gallon in town you can do 0 to 60 in about eight seconds so hang on to your “green” seat. There is an all-wheel-drive feature that has the rear-drive electric motor and that means faster acceleration. Lots of Lexus-style safety stuff going on in the RX 400H including knee airbags. It’s a quiet ride, as are most hybrids and to replace the tachometer the inside works well too with a lighted, 18-centimeter touch panel screen that lets you know the level of power generated by the gas engine or the electric motor. It’s a luxury vehicle that will make you smile as you think about the environment and know you are doing your part.