Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged hybrid
2005 Ford Escape Hybrid
Nov 7th
This SUV can, arguably, get you closer to nature than any other. Want to go for a drive through the woods? Steer the Ford Escape Hybrid off of the beaten path, roll down the windows to let the air in, and wait for a few seconds for the engine to shut itself off. Once that happens, you can cruise slowly along on electric power, with only the crunch of the tires to disturb the serenity of nature.
Beating Toyota to the punch by just weeks, the Escape hybrid is the first hybrid SUV on the market. It’s a full hybrid, unlike GMC’s Sierra hybrid pickup that can’t run on full-electric power. The Escape hybrid operates on the same theory as Toyota’s successful Prius; a small gasoline engine is assisted by an electric motor, and the electric motor’s batteries are charged with the help of regenerative brakes. By reducing the load on the gasoline engine when it’s at its least efficient, the Escape hybrid is able to minimize fuel consumption. More >
2011 Honda CR-Z
Oct 31st
At first glance, you might think it’s obvious what Honda’s trying to do here. The shape of this stubby car, the fact that it arrived just as the S2000 roadster bowed out, and even the new CR-Z’s name all suggest that it’s the legendary CR-X sports hatch returned from the grave and updated for the new millennium.
It’s not, though. Don’t forget that Honda is “not about chasing market share,” as they put it. This company has a strong corporate vision of sustainable performance, in marketing-speak. In plain English that means that Honda has a good idea of the sort of cars it wants to build, and it’s not driven solely by focus groups or public opinion. More >
2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid
Jun 21st
Yes, the Do Not Resucitate order has been issued for Mercury, but I’ve got one more drive in Ford’s mid-range brand in me, so here goes.
Spiritual successor to the 1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser? Not exactly. The 2010 Milan Hybrid doesn’t even appear to be from the same species as that chrome-frosted beast with whom it shares a parent company. Nevertheless, I cruised the turnpikes with Mercury’s hybrid sedan, and it was quite a good match. More >