Handy Auto Guide

The Car Connection tested the new 2007 Lexus GS450h hybrid sedan and posted their impressions in an interesting review of the vehicle. '"Hybrid" is, of course, what the little "h" stands for, making this the second gasoline-electric offering in the Lexus lineup. The first, the RX400h, debuted barely a year ago. A version of the automaker's crossover wagon, it's proved both immensely popular and quite controversial. Like the little Prius sedan sold by parent company, Toyota , Lexus bills the RX400h as an environmentally friendly vehicle whose high-mileage technology reduces both emissions and reliance on imported oil.

Wayne Cunningham writing over at the ALPHA Blog previews the 2007 Ford Escape hybrid SUV. 'Although the Escape Hybrid has navigation and a six-disc CD changer, the implementation is as awful as it ever was. I hope Ford can finish its reorganization and get its finances under control so that it can pay attention to the current state-of-the-art car technology and load up the Escape Hybrid. The car's LCD is tiny, the navigation points-of-interest database doesn't include regular retail stores, and the CD changer is mounted under the passenger seat. There is a telephone button on the navigation/stereo unit, but pressing it merely mutes the audio--no Bluetooth yet. The stereo system isn't designed for audiophiles. It has enough speakers to drown out road noise, but it doesn't offer clarity or depth. The car does have an AC outlet on the center console, a nice little touch for powering a laptop or a toaster oven.

CNET reviews the 2007 Saturn Vue Green Line which is GM's first hybrid SUV. 'Saturn's mantra for the 2007 Vue Green Line is, "go green without going broke." While GM's first hybrid SUV may use entry-level technology as its green credentials, the Green Line is a competitively priced proposition for those looking for economy and utility. The standard Vue Green Line interior combines a scarcity of technology with some hybrid-only instrumentation and generous cargo space. Despite the lack of gadgetry in our tester, the Vue Green Line has a long list of options, including XM satellite radio and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system. Other cabin fixtures are cleanly integrated and easy to use.

A review of the 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid has been posted on Automobile Magazine. 'The Camry Hybrid is a comfortable and unassuming machine as long as you drive it calmly over smooth pavement, where you'll enjoy generally placid ride characteristics. But stay away from pockmarked roads, where the Hybrid's body control goes limp (likely due to the extra weight of the hybrid system), poor damping allows unwanted vibrations into the cabin, and severe bumps cause kickback through the steering wheel.

The team over at ForbesAutos.com were fortunate to spend some wheeltime behind the Ford Edge HySeries concept and posted their impressions in a review of the pricey "plug-in hybrid prototype". 'This special version of the Edge crossover SUV, a joint project between Ford and the U.S. Department of Energy, won’t be coming to showrooms. Instead, it’s part of an ongoing effort by the world’s automakers to make plug-in hybrid technology — in this case, battery-powered electric motors mated with a hydrogen fuel cell — practical and affordable enough for people to buy.

CNET have published their review of the 2007 Honda Civic compact hybrid sedan. 'The 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid may have relinquished its title as the World Green Car of the Year to the Mercedes E320 Bluetec diesel, but the previous winner hasn't changed much since we reviewed a 2006 Civic Hybrid last year. As then, our 2007 test car was equipped with the main option: voice-controlled touch screen navigation, which remains one of the best such systems we've used (it also appears in Acura models).

A review of the 2007 Saturn Vue Green Line hybrid has been posted over at The London Free Press. ‘GM has hybrids in the pipeline, including versions of the mid-size Chevy Malibu and full-size Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups. The trucks are to go into production in Oshawa by fall 2008. Right now, the General's rolling hybrid venture is the Saturn Vue Green Line. GM boasts its system has a lower initial cost than other more powerful and sophisticated hybrid systems. The phrase going around is "less hybrid for less money."

The folks over at Automobile.com were fortunate enough to spend some wheel time with the 2007 Ford Edge HySeries Concept and have published their impressions in a review of the "the world's first drivable plug-in fuel cell hybrid'. 'In the center of the chassis running lengthwise is the cylindrical hydrogen tank that stores up to 350 bar of compressed hydrogen at 5,000 psi. Beside the tank on the passenger side of the vehicle is the 130 kW lithium-ion battery pack and on the driver side,the 35 kW Fuel Cell Auxiliary Power Unit. From there, engineers assemble the Edge with modified floor boards. Even though there's a lot more equipment housed underneath the seats, there are no compromises in legroom or storage space in the cabin. Ford has applied its forward thinking to designing a flexible architecture to accommodate different powertrain combinations without having to redesign the entire vehicle. For example, instead of a fuel cell generator, a small gasoline, ethanol or diesel engine could be used.'

SearhChicago.com have published a "test driven" review of the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid SUV. 'The 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid not only is compact but also gets gas mileage that bests most sedans. I did a few separate tests in this vehicle during the test week, and to say I was impressed would be an understatement.On the very first day I got the front-wheel-drive test vehicle, I had to drive from O'Hare to the Sun-Times building at Wacker and Orleans. During rush hour. So, I reset the fuel estimate gauge, and settled in for the 20-mile 1-hour commute. I stayed in the electric motor much of the time, and I averaged 39.7 mpg. During the next couple days, I did a lot of combined driving and a lot of sitting in place with the gasoline engine running. This time I averaged around 28 mpg.'

BusinessWeek have published a review of the 2007 Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid sedan. 'The Aura Hybrid, which starts at just $22,695, is now the cheapest hybrid on the market, especially when you factor in the $1,300 federal tax deduction most buyers qualify for, and cash rebates of $500 or more that General Motors (GM) dealers are offering some buyers. The conventional Aura sedan has been a smash hit with reviewers, and I believe the Aura Hybrid should be too. Inexpensive as it is, though, the Aura Hybrid is controversial. Toyota's (TM) hybrid business is booming—the Prius' sales have doubled in the first five months of 2007, to 76,747 units—and Detroit automakers want a piece of the action. But critics will say the Aura Hybrid is little more than another sign of how far behind Detroit is. That's because the Aura Green Line is a "mild" hybrid that doesn't have the fuel efficiency of a "full" hybrid such as the Toyota Prius and Camry.'

CNET have published a review of the 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid sedan. ‘With a sportier profile than the Toyota Camry Hybrid, the Altima Hybrid delivers a zippier--if a little rougher--ride than its main competitor. Unlike the Camry Hybrid, the base-level Altima is stripped down in terms of cabin tech, and those wanting gadgetry will find themselves paying dearly for the option. Those who do make the investment will not be disappointed, as the Altima Hybrid borrows some of the high-end technologies from Nissan's luxury Infiniti marque, including an outstanding voice-recognition system, a great Bluetooth hands-free calling interface, and an excellent Bose stereo. On the down side, if you live outside of California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, or Vermont you are in for a long drive home from the dealers, as the model is initially being sold only in those eight states.’

The Car Connection have published a review of the 2009 Honda FCX fuel-cell sedan. 'First seen at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show, Honda plans to begin leasing the FCX for $600 a month, and not just to carefully selected corporate fleets, but to everyday consumers. The costly experiment is also a risky one, exposing the Clarity to all the daily challenges faced by your typical motorist, from bad weather to fussy infants. "The FCX Clarity is a shining symbol of the progress we've made with fuel cell vehicles and of our belief in the promise of this technology," proclaims American Honda president and CEO Tetsuo Iwamura. "Step by step, with continuous effort, commitment and focus, we are working to overcome obstacles to the mass-market potential of zero-emissions hydrogen fuel-cell automobiles."

A review of the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid sedan has been posted over at CNET. 'We spent our first few days with the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid driving it around the traffic-choked streets of San Francisco. During that time, we saw our average fuel economy hold around 19 mpg, far below the 24 mpg city economy promised us by the EPA. On the highway, the Malibu Hybrid is supposed to get 32 mpg. Strong hybrid systems, such as that found in the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, get better fuel economy in the city than on the highway, but the BAS system in the Malibu Hybrid doesn't produce that type of efficiency.

Inside Line have published their "test driven" review of the 2008 Infiniti G35 Hybrid. 'We drove the 2008 Infiniti G35 Hybrid Prototype at Nissan's proving ground in Oppama, near the seaport town of Yokohama, Japan, and it makes us think that a hybrid performance car from Infiniti could be in our future. While we tried out this system in a 2008 Infiniti G35 Prototype, this won't be the car Nissan finally introduces two years from now. We know, because Nissan's Minoru Shinohara, senior vice president of technical development, told us so. Of course, we wouldn't be a bit surprised to see a hybrid version of the Infiniti G37 sedan show up a year or so after the inaugural model makes its bow.'

A review of the 2008 GMC Yukon Hybrid SUV has been posted over at LeftLane News. 'The Yukon Hybrid gets a different front fascia with a more prominent chrome grille. The front bumper stretches down much, much further than in the standard model, significantly inhibiting any off road pretensions this SUV might have ever had (even though ours was a two-wheel-drive example, the four-wheel-drive models also feature the elongated front bumper). This is, of course, all done in the name of decreasing wind resistance. The running boards are also better integrated into the body with a pair of plastic sail panels designed to help this box cheat the wind and the roof rack is removed. Styling is subjective, of course, but we think the Tahoe Hybrid’s more subtle front end is cleaner and more refined.'

A review of the 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid has been posted over at Car And Driver. 'The Civic hybrid is good enough to drive, although it isn’t as peppy as a regular Civic and is a lot more expensive. Inside, the Civic has a suitably space-age look, although we don’t like the vast acreage between the driver and the windshield and the reflection it causes. Interior room is incredible, however, for what is ostensibly a compact car. The Civic hybrid has decent steering, brakes, and handling, but it’s slow (0 to 60 mph in 10.8 seconds), and entertainment is low on the list of priorities. The premium over a similarly equipped Civic EX sedan also makes us wonder: For the average driver who covers 15,000 miles a year, it will take about six years to reap the fuel saving, according to EPA combined cycle numbers.'

A review of the 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid has been posted over at Forbes Autos. 'Toyota models the Camry Hybrid on a version of the standard sedan’s base four-cylinder engine. The Camry’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system pairs the gasoline engine with an electric motor/generator and self-charging battery pack to generate almost 200 hp. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) drives the front wheels. A CVT uses belts and pulleys instead of gears. The Toyota Camry Hybrid is not as quick as a V6-based hybrid, but it gets better fuel economy, at an estimated 40 mpg city/38 mpg highway.'

A review of the 2009 Saturn Vue compact crossover SUV has been posted over at CARAndDRIVER.com. 'The biggest news for 2009 is the planned availability of the two-mode hybrid model. Unlike the Vue mild hybrid, which uses a generator to turn its 2.4-liter inline-four engine on and off in town and has some regenerative braking function, it is a proper full hybrid that can run solely on electric power at city speeds. The 2 Mode name refers to GM’s technology that combines the functions of both a continuously variable transmission and a conventional automatic in order to operate at maximum efficiency. The 2 Mode uses a 3.6-liter V-6. Other changes for 2009 include Bluetooth connectivity that’s standard on the XR and Red Line models and available on the XE, a standard panic brake assist feature, an available dealer-accessory headrest-integrated DVD system, and available XM real-time traffic data.'