Any time ten or more experts get together to review a group of similar vehicles, you’re going to get a lot of differing opinions. It’s hard to believe that when the dust settled, the ‘10 Outback outpaced 13 other SUV contenders by a vote of 10 to 1. That is a landslide, and it will be interesting to see if Subaru can make it a three-peat. (You can watch a 12 minute video clip of the Motor Trend SUV of the Year competition below.)

While Subaru may be winning awards for cranking out great sport utilities, they are years behind many of their competitors in offering a hybrid-electric car, truck or SUV. Fortunately for those of you who can’t get enough of vehicles from Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (Subaru’s parent company) there is news (AutoNews.com by subscription) that hybrids will be coming soon. And even though we haven’t heard much about Subaru going green in the past, the fact that Toyota owns more than 15% of Fuji Heavy means that the Subaru brand should have instant access to the most well tested hybrid technology available.

In an interview with Auto News editor Hans Greimel, Ikuo Mori (Fuji Heavy president) had the following to say about Subaru pursuing hybrids. “We will develop our hybrid system by making good use of Toyota technologies. We don’t have any plan to develop a dedicated hybrid model like the Toyota Prius. We will use models from our lineup. The system will be introduced when the model is changed or redesigned. All-wheel drive is our core technology. To make full use of such core technology in our hybrid vehicle, a hybrid awd system will be necessary.”.

Then later at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, Mori told Greimel that the first Subaru hybrid would be available in 2012. He added that the vehicle will help the automaker meet the more stringent U.S. fuel economy standards that will be enforced beginning in 2016. What we don’t know is if or when the hybrid will be available in the United States, which model will get the drivetrain, or if this will be an all-wheel drive hybrid.

Subaru seems to be doing a lot of things right lately. They are bucking the trend so far in 2009 with a 10% increase in sales over last year (while rivals are down 27%). Although it would have been nice to get a hybrid Forester or hybrid Outback announcement - any green Subaru will be a welcome addition to the planet. Now we have to wait patiently for Mr. Greimel’s next meeting with Mr. Mori.

One example is when I am beginning my new car research. I’ve subscribed to Consumer Reports on and off for as long as I’ve been old enough to drive, and without question my favorite has always been their Annual Auto Issue. It provides data collected from thousands of car owners, in-depth coverage of a few vehicles, as well as CR’s Top Picks, Best & Worst, Most & Least Reliable, Best Value Cars, Recommended Models and much more.

Other major auto magazines like MotorTrend and Car & Driver also have annual car buying issues, but I have yet to find any publisher that offers a hybrid car buying guide (except in online format). Even hybridmagazine.com has nothing to do with hybrid-electric vehicles (although we still hope to someday develop HybridMagazine.net).

Because you can’t go to your local newsstand to buy an annual guide devoted exclusively to hybrids, the publishers of our site (Hybrid Kingdom) created one that you can buy, download, and should you choose…print for your reading pleasure. Aptly named the “Hybrid Guide” and available at hybridguide.org, you can now get the 20 page, full color guide to every new hybrid vehicle you can buy in 2009. Even better, it is currently On Sale for only $9.99 (which includes free yearly updates).

Want to preview the 2009 Hybrid Guide before you buy it? Here is one page, reviewing the 2010 Lexus HS 250h. As you can see, you get price (MSRP), gas mileage, class, specifications, general data, a review, photos, and links to other expert resources…all in one place.

If you’re considering a hybrid vehicle and prefer to compare your options side-by-side, the Hybrid Guide is a great alternative to spending hours of time doing research online. Buy it today for $10 - we guarantee you’ll be glad you did.

This week brings news of another concept vehicle from Mitsubishi Motors and this time they are dreaming up a plug-in hybrid SUV called the PX-MiEV (P for Plug, X for Crossover) that will make its first appearance on October 24th at the Tokyo Motor Show. The conceptual PX sport utility vehicle is powered by the combination of a 1.6 liter gas engine, 2 electric motors, and a lithium-ion battery pack capable of being plugged-in to recharge. Initial estimates have the PX getting 120 miles per gallon, although an apples-to-apples cost per mile comparison with traditional gas-only vehicles might be difficult until some new standards are created.

What are they telling us so far?

Apparently, this new hybrid-electric system can operate in several modes including pure EV, series hybrid, parallel hybrid, charging, regenerative, and power supply mode. Phew! That is a lot of modes. And, if the terrain gets a little dicey the PX can switch to all wheel drive mode. There are also a lot of gizmos and gadgets built into the futuristic SUV, but much of that can be added simply to turn a few more heads at the auto show.

Regardless, with the future looking bright for iMiEV we can only hope that a few years from now the four passenger PXMiEV will be equally as successful. Mitsubishi didn’t have a vehicle in the eco-friendly game only a few short months ago, and now they are taking some seriously big swings. They are even showing a mini electric cargo van (based on the i-MiEV platform) in Tokyo this month. That’s a big jump, considering you can’t even buy a plain old hybrid van yet!

I thought my 2010 3G Prius was futuristic but the PX is totally Buck Rogers ready.

More PX MiEV Photos and Reviews:

Paultan.org
Edmunds Blog

Making its debut in Germany this week is the Kia Sorento Diesel-Hybrid crossover, a concept vehicle that will join other green cars from Kia (Cee’d & Forte LPI) under Kia’s new EcoDynamics badge. There isn’t a lot of news about this concept SUV yet, but we were able to dig up is that the Sorento Hybrid is powered by a 1.6 litre turbo-diesel engine alongside a 30 KW electric motor.

The experimental hybrid Sorento’s shape has been redesigned to maximize aerodynamics. The suspension sits about 10″ lower with airflow smoothing underside construction. Kia also reduced the overall drag with more narrow tires and some high-tech wheel rims. Even the front grill can apparently open and close as needed to maximize cooling efficiency and improve air flow. According to initial reports, CO2 emissions are reduced by more than 30% compared to the new, non-hybrid 2010 Sorento.

As mentioned earlier, this diesel electric hybrid sport utility is just one of several test vehicles that Kia will be driving all over Europe in the coming months. Whether it makes the jump to showrooms is anyone’s guess, and it may be several years before we know. If it does we will then be watching to see if the green Sorento will be available in the United States. Obviously at this stage of the game we have no data regarding price or gas mileage, but as more news comes available we will add to this post.

2011 Kia Sorento official website

Kia Press on Hybrids

To say that hybrid SUV’s have had their fair share of ups and downs over the past couple of years would be an understatement. Looking back at the nearly 100 posts since we first went live in 2007, it is interesting to watch these vehicles as they have progressed from being relatively unknown, to being labeled by some as an oxymoron, to surging in popularity with a dozen models available by 2008.

On top of that, the wild ride we’ve seen in changing gas prices has arguably impacted sport utilities more than other types of vehicle. Two years ago we were paying around $2.75 per gallon, but over the 12 months that followed we ran head first into the most expensive fuel costs of our lives, topping out at nearly $4.15 (gasbuddy) in the summer of ‘08. Just 5 months after reaching that all time high, prices at the pump plummeted 60% and bottomed out around $1.60. Since then we’ve slowly added another dollar to what we pay for petrol and who knows where we are going from here. And while the price of gas continues to be the biggest factor in determining all hybrid car sales, the economy and current recession would have to rank a close second.

When we looked at how people were searching for hybrid SUV’s a couple of years ago compared to this month, a lot has changed. Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Ford and Saturn topped our searches back then (still no hybrid honda SUV, sorry). In the past 30 days, no specific hybrid SUV make or model was a part of our top 10 list. In their place today are people searching for phrases such as ”best suv gas mileage” and “hybrid suv comparison”.

It has been exciting to review and test drive the new hybrids that have transitioned from mere rumors, to concept vehicles, to auto shows, and finally to dealer showrooms. It’s also been sad to see a few of them go to the wayside before most of us even got to enjoy them. Now, with the world’s largest auto show only 10 days away in Frankfort, Germany we kick off what is sure to be another exciting year of hybrid SUV coverage (starting with the Kia Sorento hybrid). Stay tuned and thanks for your support!

In Kevin Helliker’s article, he mentions several sites I had never visited, starting with http://www.women-drivers.com/. This one is interesting because it allows visitors to rate their experiences with car dealers in terms of the dealership’s website, staff, buying and car, and having it serviced. The site is mainly tailored towards women (thus the name and domain name) and it was created by Anne Fleming. I even noticed they have a “Green” section, although no link to our site yet (hint, hint).

Another niche auto-related site Helliker mentions is http://www.autowriters.com/. This website apparently has information about 2,700 people who currently cover the automotive industry. This can include members of the press, as well as bloggers. Since we were most likely not a part of this directory yet, I filled out the form to join. If you follow the industry, I’d recommend you sign up for their monthly newsletter.

Other sites that Kevin included were the ever-popular Jalopnik (a must read and follow) and TheTruthAboutCars, where writers and editors really call it like they see it…with no BS. One site that many of our readers have likely visited is Motherproof.com which might have been the first auto-related “Mommy Blogger” site back in 2004, and today is part of Cars.com.

Another green blog mentioned in the WSJ article was gm-volt.com which always seemed to be the first to report on big news surrounding the upcoming Chevy Volt. Lyle Dennis gets the inside scoop on this amazing car, so bookmark his site if you want to be follow the goings on of this electric car.

There were several other auto enthusiast sites noted in the article, including www.gaywheels.com, www.drivechicago.com, and latinos.onwheelsinc.com , so if you have an interest in a specific car market or niche, there are probably one or more websites or blogs where you can get very detailed and focused information. Hybrid Kingdom recently launched a site dedicated to the 2010 Toyota Prius and one popular article on that blog discusses how to get rid of the car’s reverse/backup beeps. How’s that for getting specific?

What other niche auto websites do you follow?

Chevy already has the most fuel efficient sport utility/crossover in their 2010 Equinox (not a hybrid, but a direct injection model). They also are getting a ton of press with their recently announced 230 mpg Volt (which should really be calculated in cost per mile by the way, right?).

GMC, Chevy, and Cadillac already own the seven and eight passenger, mammoth hybrid SUV segment with their 2-Mode Yukon, Tahoe, and Escalade models.

So, the only GM brand that isn’t green yet is Buick and adding a plugin powertrain gives them the quadfecta, or perfecta, or whatever comes after the trifecta. According to GM’s Tom Stephens, the yet-to-be-named 5 passenger plugin CUV will get a 3.6 liter V6 engine, along with a modified version of the two-mode technology, and a lithium-ion battery pack.

Apparently the battery pack will be about half the size of what they are putting in the Chevrolet Volt, so expect to see a marketing campaign built around something like a 70 to 120 mpg figure.

The “Wouldn’t You Really Rather Have A Buick?” slogan was a huge success in luring buyers over age 65, but GM will need something a little more hip if they are want to be successful in respelling Buick “G-R-E-E-N”. One thing that would really help would be to come up with a great name for this plugged-in sport utility. I think they hit a home run with “Chevy Volt” so why not follow it up by calling this one the Buick Joule or the Ampere?

In all seriousness, I am excited about GM building a plug-in sport ute. At the same time, the waters continue to get more muddied. Dealers will soon need a chart to explain all of the green technologies offered by General Motors.  Mild hybrids, 2-mode hybrids, extended range electric vehicles, and plug-in hybrids. That might be even harder to sell than a high tech Buick.

Update 8/20/2009: I really was excited about this, and I hope this latest news from GM isn’t a response to my green Buick SUV satire, but now there apparently won’t be a plug-in hybrid crossover from Buick. Tom Stephens cited poor feedback from media (not specifically me), dealers, and consumers as the reason the plug was pulled, no pun intended. As excited as I was, I think this was a smart decision. Sounds like this powertrain that was planned for the Saturn Vue, then for the Buick something, will now end up in some other General Motors SUV or CUV in 2011.  My face is turning blue.

For the 2009 model year, the Mercury Mariner hybrid and nearly identical Ford Escape hybrid SUVs appeared to have the market cornered on fuel efficiency, both getting 34/31 miles per gallon for city/highway driving. But under the hood of the ‘10 Equinox sits something called a direct injection engine. This technology could improve mileage by 25% over the previous model, and comes in a 2.4L EcoTec four cylinder and a 3.0L DOHC V6.

With the new direct injected four cylinder (six-speed automatic) mileage jumps from 17/24 mpg to 22/32 mpg. The V6 is rated at 17/25 mpg.  Plus, the new and smaller V6 is a 3.0L engine as opposed to the 3.6L engine previously offered, which helps boost the overall fuel efficiency. There is plenty of power to be had, as well; you’ll find the four cylinder engine produces 182 horsepower (HP) and 172 foot pounds of torque, while the V6 delivers 260 HP and 222 foot pounds of torque.

While the exterior got a major makeover, the inside looks similar to the current Chevy Malibu or Traverse, with all the electronic toys a driver could want: audio port, Bluetooth enabled and rear view camera. Pricing starts at about $23,000 for FWD, which comes in several trim levels. AWD models are also available.

What do you think of the upcoming direct injection crossovers versus hybrid SUVs? Will we eventually see the demise of one or the other? Or can the two coexist peacefully, just competing for top efficiency and mileage? Does this new vehicle have what it takes to “fix” GM?

Although the following video originally aired in 2009 it shows the 2010 model Equinox. In it, GM claims this is the most fuel efficient crossover on the highway, even beating out the Ford Escape hybrid. This claim is true, since it only takes into consideration the highway mileage rating. When you look at combined mileage (city and highway) the above mentioned hybrids’ 28 mpg rating comes out just ahead of the Equinox at 26 mpg. Even so, I believe this is the best fuel economy rating for a non-hybrid suv yet.

Here is the official website.

The debate over the superiority of diesel vehicles versus hybrid vehicles has been going on for some time. Some think that diesel’s 30% mileage advantage over standard fuel makes it far better and more convenient than standard gas-electric hybrid SUVs and cars. Hybrid-lovers rally back with facts and figures supporting the mega-mileage some hybrids can get under certain conditions. The question remains, for the car-buying public and for automakers – which is better for a consumer’s pocketbook, the environment and the car industry?

German automakers, who have been leaning toward the diesel side of things, are now starting to show some love to hybrid SUVs and cars as well. Hoping to gain a stronger foothold in the American market, German manufacturers have long dealt with biases that diesel is dirtier than standard gasoline. Introducing hybrids, electric vehicles and even a diesel-electric hybrid will certainly help reach buyers that were previously uninterested. In Europe, the diesel-electric hybrids they are creating are designed to meet ever-tightening restrictions on vehicles. Some are saying the restrictions could be a stringent as equating to 70 or 80 miles per gallon in the U.S. Only fuel-efficient diesel and a well-made hybrid power train could consistently produce those numbers.

The costs of the diesel-electric hybrids are a subject of some concern. Diesel fuel can be more expensive and we all know a hybrid power train does nothing to reduce the sticker price of a vehicle – in fact, it raises it by several thousand. However, auto experts say that while it seems like this new type of hybrid would be expensive, as more and more become available, prices will drop – just as they have for standard hybrids. Nevertheless, this move will not bring flocks of bargain-hunters to German dealerships. Prices will still be higher than many more economical hybrids on the U.S. market today.

What do you think? Would you be interested in a diesel-electric hybrid? Or do you love the current gasoline-electric hybrid suvs and cars way too much?

Related articles:

BMW X5 Hybrid Diesel
Hybrid SUV versus Diesel SUVs
Land Rover Diesel Hybrid Concept

 1. While the CARS Act officially went into effect on July 1, 2009 - specifics aren’t expected to be released until July 24th. Individuals might be wise to wait until that date to make sure they don’t miss out on some or all of cash credits.

2. Your car, truck, or SUV must be less than 25 years old. 2009-25=1984. If you are driving a late 70’s or early 80’s model car, it won’t qualify here.

3. The CARS Nazi will only give you credit on new vehicle purchases (or leases). That means if you buy a used hybrid SUV on ebaymotors.com, in the spirit of Seinfeld’s Soup Nazi episode, ”No Credit For You!”.

4. Your station wagon, rust bucket, or monster sport utility had better guzzle some serious gas. To be eligible (in most cases) it must be rated at 18 mpg or worse. You can use this site to check. Try this website to compare fuel economy for all new cars and 2009 models.

5. Your potential trade in must have been continuously registered and insured to the same owner for at least 12 months prior to the day you trade it in, and it has to be in drivable shape. That means you can’t push or tow it to the dealer, nor can you go out a buy a junker for $500 tomorrow and expect to trade it for a $3,500 to $4,500 federal credit. Won’t work.

6. The vehicle you are buying must have an MSRP of less than $45,000. That rules out green SUV’s like the hybrid Cadillac Escalade, the GMC Yukon hybrid and the Chevy Tahoe hybrid. Wasn’t that the point of this program?

One good bit of news is that you can combine the CARS Act credit with other state and federal incentives, including hybrid vehicle credits. Check hybrid tax credits to see if the vehicle you are considering still qualifies.

As you can see, there are lots of stipulations surrounding the Clunkers Act. While it seems like a good deal on the surface, and similar programs have worked well in other countries like Germany (a $6.5 billion dollar program) and Brazil, I don’t expect it to have a big impact before it expires here, slated for November 1, 2009. Maybe the program will improve and be extended, which could change how much it helps auto makers, car dealers, and end users.

Ultimately, the cash for clunkers and guzzlers law was designed to help people save money, reduce fuel costs, reduce greenhouse emissions, and reduce oil dependency. Hopefully the lawmakers will get their CARS Act together and also ”reduce restrictions” before this one is discontinued.

For those of you who are seriously considering getting rid of the car, truck, or SUV you are driving and replacing it with a brand new model, I would suggest you visit cars.gov by clicking here (not to be confused with cars.com). I’ll bet the folks at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration were happy to discover that the abbreviation for Car Allowance Rebate System spelled C.A.R.S.! Sure beats the suggested alternative - Car Rebate Allowance Program.