Green Giants
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Green Giants - Hybrids
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28 March 2006 |
Hybrids have been on the market for a number of years, but have never sold in huge numbers. They're often thought of as slow and expensive; and there's the question mark over the cost of replacement batteries. But for the meantime, they're well worth a look. Toyota's Prius hatchback is the best on the market at the moment, blending sleek looks with a very impressive 65.7mpg on the combined cycle. It's no slouch either, with performance to rival a 1.8-litre Focus; it has a gem of an automatic gearbox that's keen to kick-down making overtaking undramatic. Drive it gently and the Prius is whisper quiet, particularly during coasting, when it runs on the electric motor. Unfortunately, many of the environmental benefits disappear when making swift process; that said, it'll still register 40-45mpg. Also in the Toyota stable is the Lexus RX400h; a car that's caught the Mayor of London on the back foot. It's a big SUV, which as we all know kill the planet, but at the same time, it's far greener than its rivals. This has lead him to talk about removing the exemption for hybrids from the Congestion Charge. The big Lexus will return almost 35mpg in hybrid guise, against 25mpg for its petrol brother. Performance is virtually identical, and there's only a tiny premium to pay on the forecourt. Again, we're yet to drive it, so watch this space. Things are a little quieter in the Honda camp. Its now-discontinued Insight coupe looked like something from a 1960s sci-fi comic, but boot space was non-existent, and performance was far from explosive. It did, however, pave the way for the second generation Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) engine that found its way into the Civic. With its more conventional looks and all the practicality of the regular Civic, it's amazing that it didn't sell in greater numbers. A quick search on autotrader.co.uk returned just 16 examples. Click for more information: |
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