Despite Setbacks, Hybrid Future Looks Bright
Although the recent economic crises damaged the sales of hybrid vehicles, manufacturers expect the number of hybrid cars and SUVs sold within the next two decades to increase dramatically. The ever-increasing gas prices coupled with an improving economy contribute, but the recent improvements in the design of several hybrid models are poised to bring them back.
Where do we go from here? If you read the article last week about 2010 hybrid sport utility vehicle prices, you know that your total number of hybrid SUV options has decreased over the past two years. We lost green versions of the Durango, Aspen, and Vue – the Tribute might as well be gone, and rumors are now circulating that Ford may kill their Mercury brand, meaning the hybrid Mariner could also soon be history. With all these hybrids being discontinued, readers may be wondering what the future holds for hybrid crossovers and SUVs.
Hybrid sport utility vehicles may be the best overall choice for consumers and auto manufacturers alike. While there are plenty of groups and individuals who would profess quite the opposite opinion, each time I go looking for a new vehicle (or a new, used vehicle) I come to the same conclusion. Hybrid SUVs end up at the top of my list.
Without question, you have lots of options when it comes to buying an automobile. Not only are there cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs – but there are a multitude of choices within each vehicle category (small, fuel efficient, all wheel drive, luxury, sporty, fast) and the list goes on and on.
Does Honda know that many thousands of people are patiently waiting for them to announce their first hybrid SUV? Way back in September of 2007 we reported that the most popular green sport utility search was “honda hybrid suv” – ahead of Toyota, Lexus, Ford, and Saturn – despite the fact that little to no mention of one had ever been made by Honda Motors.
Fast forward nearly 18 months and not much has changed. Even as Chevrolet, GMC, Dodge, Chrysler, Mercury, Mazda, and Cadillac have joined the previously mentioned manufacturers in offering SUV hybrids, Honda continues to be the most searched and presumably the most sought after eco-friendly sport ute.
While reviewing my Google Alerts this morning, and reading some of the recent happenings in the hybrid industry, I stumbled upon an article from MotorTrend that compared a hybrid SUV to three diesel models. And while my initial thoughts included how unfair it seemed for 3 diesels to gang up on just 1 green sport utility in any kind of test, I must admit I was proud of the outcome.
For those of you with 20-30 minutes of free time, who hang on every ounce of insight from St. Antoine and M’Trend’s other professional auto reviewers, you should definitely jump over to the full online version here. And for anyone who has less than 5 minutes before the boss passes your cubicle again - following is my very brief recap of Edward Loh’s original masterpiece.
Have you ever looked back at buying opportunities you missed and wondered if the signs to buy were right in front of you? Whether it was a new house, a mortgage refinance, a stock, or another type of investment – it all seems painfully clear only a short time after the window has closed. With the housing market down, the stock market down, mortgage rates down, and many blue chips near 52 week lows, I wonder if the signs are all slapping me in the face again right now.
What could save the American auto industry?
Now that Chrysler and GM got their Christmas wish in the form of a $17.4 billion low-interest loan from Congress, many are speculating what type of action is needed to make the best use of that money and save the American auto industry. One idea that has risen to the top is that one of the Big Three needs to produce a truly competitive – in terms of both fuel economy and price – hybrid crossover SUV.
How far will big hybrid SUVs go?
In a previous post about AFS Trinity’s 150 mile per gallon vehicle, we highlighted one company’s rage about the popularity of hybrid SUVs that get only a few more miles to the gallon than their standard fuel counterparts. This article from the San Mateo Daily Journal takes a closer look at the offenders and inspired this blog post.
Let’s face it, most of the people who review cars for a living aren’t going to get overly excited about a Ford Escape or a Saturn Vue, even if they are hybrids. These professional drivers and writers have been behind the wheels of many of the fastest and most expensive vehicles ever built. So, how can the cars, trucks, and suv’s that most of us drive to work each day compare to the greatest cars in the world? Reality is, they can’t.
