Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged hybrid
2011 Lexus CT200h
Feb 17th
I first met the CT200h at the New York Auto Show last April; it was part of a lavish display that said much about it being the “dark side of green” and its sporty nature, but very little about its underpinnings, or about why it existed. Sure, the “h” means hybrid in Lexus slang, but were Lexus buyers really clamoring for a sporty five-door? The IS300 SportCross vanished without a trace, remember.
Take away that distracting hybrid-ness, and the CT200h makes somewhat more sense. The premium compact market is still a limited one, but with cars like the Volvo C30, Audi A3 and now the BMW 1-Series running about, there’s definitely a place for a smaller and more efficient luxury vehicle in the hearts of a few American buyers. Lexus has just chosen to sweeten the pot on its new entry-level car by making it an extremely efficient hybrid. More >
2005 Honda Civic Hybrid
Dec 7th
A quick roadtrip from Detroit to New York City was required, and we had a choice of transportation. A HEMI V8, or a Honda Civic Hybrid? Raw power to deal with the mountains, or 51 mpg?
We’re happy to say that we went with economy over brute strength, and it turned out to be the right decision. Although their fuel-saving qualities are touted with city driving in mind, Honda’s hybrid-electric cars are actually more efficient on the highway. Unlike Toyota’s Prius and other hybrids, which are “full” hybrids that can shut off the gasoline engine when it’s not needed, Honda’s hybrid strategy keeps the gasoline engine running at all times. By using an absurdly small gasoline engine paired with an electric motor that provides additional torque, Honda’s hybrids are able to achieve excellent freeway fuel economy without sacrificing power or performance. More >
2005 Honda Accord Hybrid
Nov 23rd
Honda’s Accord has a well-deserved reputation as the Dell or Hewlett-Packard PC of the automotive world, offering years of largely maintenance-free, high-tech service without any pesky need to know exactly how it works. The Accord doesn’t talk to you, and doesn’t want to; it wants to go about its business and leave you free to go about yours.
Had it not been our job to do so, we might not have even noticed that the last Accord to grace the test fleet was a hybrid-electric car. Following in the footsteps of the Honda Insight and Civic Hybrid, the new-for-2005 Accord Hybrid brings improved fuel efficiency to the middle class. Offering improved fuel economy and emissions and giving up almost nothing in return, the Accord Hybrid is about as close to a win-win prospect as you can get these days. More >