Hybrid SUV Reviews

In news and blog discussions last week were claims and denouncements of a possible plug-in hybrid electric sport utility vehicle (PHESUV) being developed by Land Rover. It has been a while since Land Rover and “hybrid” were side-by-side in any credible news stories. In 2008, the English car manufacturer debuted a “diesel-hybrid” concept SUV at the Detroit Motor Show. Since then, nothing else on the matter has materialized although a report on their website indicates that Land Rover is still gauging public, dealer and media response. Based on the recent success of other luxury hybrid SUVs, my vote is for LR to send this one straight to production. 2013 appears to be the target, so again we wait.

The Geneva, Switzerland Auto Show turned 80 this year and as expected, the theme was green. Full details can be found at the official address (here) and with more than 10,000 global media reporters in attendance - you can’t hide from the coverage.

Roughly 100 vehicles are making their world premieres at this show, which is a record in itself. They range from outlandish concept vehicles to unconventional and totally unexpected combinations of brand and drive train. HY-KERS! There is even a ”hybrid Ferrari” that gets nearly 15 mpg (here).

In a recent interview with Reuters, Tomohiko Kawanabe (Honda’s COO of automobile research and development) broke the news that Honda is developing a new hybrid system designed for their larger cars. The announcement came as this “secret hybrid technology” apparently moved out of the research stage and closer to development. And, while no specific timeline was given for bringing the new hybrids to market, Kawanabe hinted that it would be “roughly the same time frame” as it takes to develop a new vehicle - about 3 years.

U.S. sales of hybrid SUVs and other fuel efficient vehicles will prove interesting to watch this year, especially if fuel prices remain relatively low. Expert predictions about where oil and gas prices are headed vary widely. Some expect both to remain steady due to global economic conditions while others point to the return of $3/gallon gas (in the states) fueled mainly by an increase in foreign demand.

A $7,000 discount on a new hybrid vehicle is unheard of, but that’s essentially what you can get if you buy a 2009 Saturn Vue hybrid SUV before January 4, 2010. General Motors announced what could be considered the best hybrid SUV sale of the year (or decade) in an effort to more quickly reduce their dealers’ Saturn and Pontiac inventory.

Subaru recently became the first automaker to receive back-to-back “Sport / Utility of the Year” awards from Motor Trend. Even more impressive is the way they did it. In 2009, the Subaru Forester topped all other SUVs - in part because gas prices were out of control and the Forester’s 16 mpg rating was the best option in an AWD SUV (full report here). Now Subaru has won the same award with a totally different vehicle - the 2010 Subaru Outback.

When you spend a lot of time concentrating on just one segment of the auto industry, it is easy to lose track of the fact that there are many niche auto-related markets and corresponding websites. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal titled “Americans Renew Their Love For Cars - Online” highlighted a few of the 100 most popular car-related web sites, including our very own HybridSUV.com (one of more than 50 hybrid and electric vehicle sites from Hybrid Kingdom).

The 2010 Chevy Equinox is starting to show its face in the media and on dealer lots, and so far we like what we see. With a body style that looks to be a mash up of Cadillac, Saturn and the standard Chevy grille, along side power and fuel efficiency, Chevrolet seems to have taken another step in the right direction with their popular compact crossover. Most impressive are recently certified epa gas mileage ratings of 32 mpg highway for the front wheel drive model, and this one isn’t even a hybrid (yet).

If news about “Cash For Clunkers” or “Cash For Guzzlers” has you excited about trading in your current ride for a hybrid SUV or green car, you may be disappointed to learn more of the details. Last month, the Car Allowance Rebate System was signed into law, providing roughly $1 billion dollars in incentives for people willing to trade in their current vehicle for a new, more fuel-efficient option. Sounds great so far, wouldn’t you agree? Okay…so here’s the disappointing fine print, assuming this doesn’t get cancelled, suspended, or run out of money first.

60% of people surveyed would buy a hybrid today.

A recent study by Synovate, a marketing research company, polled 13,500 urban people around the world. The study looked at how preferences for hybrid cars and general eco-mindedness differed around the globe.