Hybrid SUVs are quickly becoming one of the top choices for drivers on the road today. One of the primary complaints people have had about SUVs over the years is that they are notorious gas guzzlers. When fuel costs spiked in late 2007 thru much of 2008, non-Hybrid SUVs became far less popular (and American car companies who relied on their sales got in to financial trouble… more on that another time).

Hybrid SUVs are a sensible choice for drivers who prefer the size and comfort of an SUV, but are looking for an SUV that uses less gas, saving the driver hundreds (if not thousands) at the pump.

The best Hybrid SUV on the market today, according to U.S. News Rankings and Review is the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, which tops both the Luxury-Large SUV and Hybrid SUV lists. The top 7 Hybrid SUVs are:

1.) 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid

2.) 2009 Lexus RX 400h

3.) 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

4.) 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid

5.) 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid

6.) 2009 Mercury Mariner Hybrid

7.) 2009 Saturn VUE Hybrid

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So what is the best hybrid car? The best hybrid car for sale today is the 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid (1). The key to finding the best hybrid car is a balance between performance, fuel economy, and comfort, and that is precisely what the 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid has to offer. This hybrid car gets 33/34 miles per gallon (mpg), and can comfortably seat a family of five.

For most people, overall style is very important when choosing a vehicle. The 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid is a good choice for someone who likes a car that doesn’t look like a space-ship. According to Car and Driver, "If you want to be green but don’t want to announce it to other road users, then the Camry Hybrid makes sense" (2).

Here is a list of the best hybrid cars according to U.S. News Rankings and Reviews:

1.)  2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid

2.) 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid

3.) 2009 Toyota Prius

4.) 2009 Saturn Aura Hybrid

5.) 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid

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This may sound like a cliché, but the best used hybrid cars were once the best new hybrid cars. So when you are looking for a used hybrid car, a good place to start is by researching which hybrid cars were rated best for the year in which a particular used hybrid car was made. A quick Google search using the terms "best hybrid car of 2005" will likely produce an extensive list of articles from which you can gather a lot of useful information about the best hybrid cars of 2005.

Another practical resource to consider when researching used hybrid cars is the Kelly Blue Book website (www.kbb.com). This site provides current values and user ratings for just about every car you can think of, including all of the new and used hybrid cars you can imagine. Use this site to research the price you should expect to pay, as well as the features that were either well liked or disliked in the hybrid car you may want to purchase.

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Among the many reasons why you should consider buying a hybrid car or hybrid SUV, two are quite obvious: (1) They lower your gas bill, and (2) They produce fewer toxins that poison the environment. But, there are many other benefits to owning a new hybrid car, used hybrid car, or hybrid SUV. Here are a few…

1.) Increased Brake Life.

Because hybrid cars and hybrid SUVs are powered with the help of a powerful battery, they may utilize what is called Regenerative Braking. This means that the battery use to propel hybrid car or hybrid SUV can also be used to slow the vehicle down, which increasing the life of the vehicle’s braking system.

2.) Periodic Engine Shut-off.

Because a hybrid car or hybrid SUV can be propelled (in some instances) by the battery alone, the engine may periodically be shut off. This not only reduces the cost of fuel, but also reduces the amount of wear and tear on the engine itself. This could possibly reduce the costs associated with major engine work.

3.) Stylish Looks.

This sounds superficial, but hybrid cars and hybrid SUVs have not always been as stylish as they are today. As hybrid car technology becomes more efficient and compact, the overall appears of hybrid cars and hybrid SUVs have improved tenfold (just pull up some pictures of some of the first hybrid cars in Google Images and you’ll see what I mean!).  True, there are some odd folks out there who enjoy driving hybrid cars and hybrid SUVs that look like spaceships, but I am not one of them (and I imagine you aren’t one, either). The new hybrids are incredibly stylish, which can only be described as icing on the cake for these amazingly innovative machines.

Did I leave anything out? If so, please send your feedback to feedback@whatisahybridcarreally.com

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What is a hybrid car, really? A hybrid car (or hybrid-electric vehicle) "is a hybrid vehicle which combines a conventional propulsion system with a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) to achieve better fuel economy than a conventional vehicle" (1). In other words, a hybrid car uses gas and a powerful battery for energy, which means they use far less gas than cars that run on gas alone. A hybrid car really saves you money at the pump, and reduces the amount of harmful gases that are emitted in to the air through the cars exhaust.

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