The best hybrid cars of 2009 and 2010
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 interest is, focusing primarily on fuel economy and on-road performance.
If your focus is simply on 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, using cruise control whenever possible, minimal use of air conditioning and heating, and in optimum weather conditions, they can get up to 70 miles per gallon. The amazing fuel efficiency is offset by its slow starting, but still, it’s a great commuter because if you can tolerate staying in the 55-65 mph range and also get good city mileage, in the 40s, even with City driving with stops and starts.
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 base conventional Camry that advertises 22-33 mpg. The interior is nice and roomy, and driving it is similar to driving a conventional Camry.
If you don’t mind splitting the difference between power and fuel economy, the Mercury Milan Hybrid and Ford Fusion Hybrid are great with cool styling, around 40 mpg in the city, and a great driving experience. The 2010 editions of the Fusion and its Mercury cousin, the Milan, are updated, sleeker than their predecessors, with updated instrument panels and the Sync voice-activated communication and entertainment system. The instrument panel sports a display of “green” leaf buds when you’re saving fuel. Switching between the petrol engine and the electric system is said to be the smoothest of any car on the road, with virtually no noise or jerkiness that has become quite typical of these cars. At around $30,000, both cars are steep buys, but the handsome 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 priced at $22,800, the Honda Civic Hybrid, at $22,600, the Honda Insight, which retails for $19,800, with a promised 41mpg, the Nissan Altima Hybrid, advertising 34mpg at $26,800, or perhaps the 2010 VW Touareg, whose specifications are not yet available. Try them all and get familiar with the hybrids. Everyone is getting into the field, and there is no better time than the present.
If qualifying for the hybrid tax credit is considered a factor in the competition for the best hybrid cars, then some of the favorite models, like the Prius, Camry and Civic, will no longer qualify. This is the 2009 hybrid car tax credit table from the IRS site:
Chrysler Aspen Hybrid: $2,200 Tax Credit
Dodge Durango Hybrid–$2,200 tax credit
Ford Escape Hybrid, 2WD– $3,000 tax credit
Ford Escape Hybrid, 4WD: $1,950 tax credit
Mazda Tribute Hybrid, 2WD: $3,000 Tax Credit
Mazda Tribute Hybrid, 4WD: $1,950 Tax Credit
Mercury Mariner Hybrid, 2WD: $3,000 Tax Credit
Mercury Mariner Hybrid, 4WD: $1,950 Tax Credit
Nissan Altima Hybrid–$2,350 tax credit