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.

One of the most surprising findings was that six out of ten individuals would buy a hybrid or fuel-efficient car – even if price was no object. This is great news for automakers, who committed to green ideas several years ago. This suggestion that green has finally become a priority for many in the world is a huge step forward toward a cleaner planet. With limitless money, more and more would still choose an environmentally friendly hybrid car over a sporty sedan.

Of course, fewer and fewer people even need to make that choice as car manufacturers from Berlin to Bogotá work to strike a balance between a sporty, standard car look and some serious green power under the hood.

The study also showed that many people are planning to increase their use of public transport, bikes and walking. Nearly one-third of the individuals surveyed planned on lessening their reliance on standard-fuel vehicles in 2009. “More and more, owning a car may not be viewed as responsible,” says Scott Miller, CEO of Synovate Motoresearch. “But car makers are producing more and more options that will appeal to this fast-growing group of green-inclined people.”

However, this green wave is stronger in other countries than in the U.S. Nearly 70% of Chinese people included in this survey showed a strong preference for hybrid vehicles, while only 42% of Americans showed that same strong preference. Germany boasted the highest number of people looking to buy hybrid cars, trucks and SUVs.

In the United States, hybrid vehicles now account for about 3% of all cars sold, and that number continues to rise each year. Last month in Japan, fast becoming the world’s largest market for hybrids, they accounted for a whopping 8% of all vehicle sales (in part due to tax incentives and higher gas prices).

The study shows that there is a future in well-built hybrid vehicles that transcend the “hybrid look” and appeal to both customers interested in style and performance, as well as customers who want to save the Earth.

Get ready for green to be the most popular color for new car buyers.

For example, if you’ve decided to buy a new Ford Escape, but now you are also considering the hybrid model, you’re probably asking yourself if escaping to the green side is worth the extra, well, green. While both SUVs look nearly identical when you are more than about 15 feet away, a closer look reveals their hidden differences.

Let’s start with the bottom line - the price difference.
As with most vehicles you can buy today, there are several models of Escape to choose from. (As a side note, this is an issue automakers may soon be forced to address, but we will save that problem for a future article.) Not including destination, tax, or license fees - you can pick up the Escape XLS (manual transmission) for $21,160, the XLS for $22,370, the popular XLT for $24,180, or the Escape Limited for $25,624.

The two wheel drive 2009 Escape hybrid has an MSRP of $29,645 (4wd is $31,395) and is most similar to the XLT in terms of options. Therefore, the price difference is roughly $5,500. A step up from the base hybrid to the Limited hybrid will cost you at least $2,300 more. So, your quick take-away is this…plan on spending at least $5,500 more to get the green Escape, or even $6,500 more due to current incentives for gas only models. Don’t forget to see if you qualify for a 2009 hybrid tax credit on this vehicle!

The benefits of going green.
Say you decide to plop down the extra $6K to get one of the hybrid Escape models. What did you really get for that wad of cash? For starters, the most obvious improvement will be your gas mileage, a benefit that becomes more appealing the longer you own the vehicle, the more miles you drive, and the higher fuel prices climb.

However, if fuel economy was the only difference, you’d have to wait patiently to realize how smart you were to buy the hybrid. The front wheel drive gas-only Escape is rated at 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the open road. Your hybrid Escape improves on those numbers, averaging more like 34 city / 31 hwy. While much depends on where and how you drive, let’s estimate that your hybrid decision earns you an extra 8 miles of driving for every gallon of gasoline you purchase. If you drive 15,000 miles per year, and gas is $2.50/gallon, your hybrid fuel savings is only $400 each year. Therefore, at current petrol prices you would break even after 15 years! When is the last time you kept a vehicle that long?

Remind me again why I’m still considering the hybrid?
Good question. Could it be that you’re expecting fuel prices to hit $5 again? Or maybe you are doing lots of things to reduce your carbon footprint, and buying the hybrid is simply an extension of your green personality? Did I mention you might be eligible for a $1,500 to $3,000 tax credit on this machine? And don’t forget, if you do most of your driving in town and especially in stop and go, 25 mph traffic - you could improve your gas mileage by 15 miles per gallon compared to the non-hybrid Escape. Now we’re talking!

When you are researching hybrids, there are several comparison websites that can make the process a little easier. Below is an overview of a few that might be of interest.

1.  Edmunds has a slick comparison tool here, and while it isn’t exclusive to hybrid vehicles it offers a lot of flexibility and options including the ability to compare up to 5 vehicles at the same time. You can also create a comparison between vehicles built in differing years. For example, a 2008 Ford Escape hybrid compared to a 2009 Toyota Highlander hybrid.

2. HybridCenter.org has a tool here.  You can select two or more hybrid vehicles from a number of categories (compact, midsize, SUV, etc.) as well as how many miles you typically drive and how much of that driving is done in the city vs. the highway. The comparison results are impressive and easy to understand, often showing 2wd and 4wd models of the vehicles you selected.  Unfortunately, the vehicle options are not up-to-date. For instance, you can only choose the old style Honda Insight and you can’t compare the 2010 Toyota Prius, Ford Fusion hybrid, Lexus 450h or several others.

3. You can try out the Cars.com comparison tool at this address. Like many others, it isn’t just for green cars. One nice option is that you can easily compare older vehicles (in many cases all the way back to 1997). Unfortunately, there seem to be a few gaps in the coverage. For example, I couldn’t find a 2005 Ford Escape hybrid (didn’t they make one back then?). While the results don’t show as many comparisons as some other sites reviewed here, you get the most important stuff like MSRP and fuel economy.

4. MSN.com has some useful information about hybrid SUVs and cars, including their own version of a comparison tool here. A few unique features include being able to compare photos and in some cases 360 degree surround videos. It also shows you MSN expert review numbers, MSN user ratings, and reviews from Consumer Reports.

5. Kelly Blue Book changes things up a bit by letting you compare used hybrids (or non hybrid vehicles) here. I gave that a whirl since I hadn’t seen this functionality on other comparison sites. When I checked a used 2005 Escape hybrid (I knew they built one that year!) to a preowned 2006 Highlander hybrid, I was able to see the Used Car Blue Book suggested retail price (based on typically equipment). Quite a difference by the way…$16,000 vs. $26,000 respectively.

6. HybridCars.com recently rolled out a green car comparison tool, although I couldn’t find a link to it on their homepage yet. The announcement is here along with two links to some pre-designed hybrid vehicle comparisons. I’m guessing this is a soft launch and that we will see the full link soon, but for now you can follow the hybrid SUV comparison link (default is Escape hybrid compared to Vue hybrid compared to Highlander hybrid) and then you can modify the comparison vehicles. Like the MSN Autos comparison, this tool does a nice job of letting you compare photos. If fact, clicking on images lets you see a larger size photo comparison (which is much better than what you can learn from the thumbnails).

I’m betting there are many other hybrid car and SUV comparison sites and tools online, so if you know of any good ones, please add them in the comments below.

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.

So, here are some of the questions I ponder when considering my next ride.

1. Would I rather have a small, medium, or large vehicle?
2. Would I prefer to have rear wheel drive, front wheel drive, or all wheel drive?
3. In terms of driving visibility, do I prefer a lower or higher seating position?
4. Do I want a vehicle that gets good gas mileage, or poor gas mileage?
5. In most cases, will I need a vehicle with seating for 2, 4, 5, 6, or more people?

Obviously there are many other ones that could be listed here. For me, I don’t want a tiny car or a huge one…medium size works best. Where I live, the weather isn’t always sunny and 75 degrees. Given the choice, I prefer a car that has all wheel drive. I don’t like sitting so low that I can’t see over or around the vehicle in front of me, but I also don’t want to sit so high that it feels unsafe. I want the best gas mileage I can get, without sacrificing the options I need. Most of the time, I need a vehicle that offers seating for 4 people, but I also like a little shoulder and head room, a bit of space between the kids in the back seat, and enough room to haul the dog, golf clubs, suitcases, and at times other stuff I’m moving around.

Ultimately, a medium-sized sport utility vehicle works best for our family, and one that offers the best possibly gas mileage without breaking the bank is icing on the cake. Given the current options, the Ford Escape hybrid (or Mercury Mariner hybrid) and Toyota Highlander hybrid are my top picks, but I also think even better choices will be available in the next few years. (I was really hoping for a 2-mode Saturn Vue hybrid, but that’s not going to happen now.)

Here are a few recent articles that seem to support my opinion.

1. Chris Baltimore (Reuters) wrote an article about how SUVs are down but not out here.  One interesting quote was ”For the typical two-car American family, one [vehicle] might be an SUV for local trips and the other a smaller, more fuel-efficient model for long-haul excursions. For many Americans, the choice between buying an SUV or a fuel-efficient hybrid seems to be about meeting family demands of carpools and soccer games.”

2. In an article by Associated Press auto writer Tom Krisher, there was some interesting insight from Mike Jackson (Chairman and CEO of AutoNation, Inc. - the nation’s largest car retailer). Jackson stated, “I was an idiot last July when I didn’t have enough fuel-efficient vehicles, and now I’m an idiot because I have fuel-efficient vehicles.”. Jackson said he is changing his dealers’ mix to larger vehicles, from mid-size cars up to sport utilities, because that’s what people want to buy.

3. The British Columbia Auto Association recently released a hybrid cost comparison study, concluding that you will still pay a premium to purchase a hybrid, but over five years, many models come close in cost to their conventional counterparts - some will even save you a few dollars. In the Hybrid SUV category, the vehicle with the lowest carbon footprint is the Ford Escape, which also comes out on top when comparing emissions with comparable SUVs - 36 per cent less than a conventional Escape.

4. Rick Kranz of Automotive News (subscription required) recently wrote in this article - The numbers are eye-popping. The government wants new vehicles sold in the 2016 model year to average 35.5 mpg vs. 25.3 mpg this year. So does this mean that U.S. roads will look like Europe’s — a sea of small and smaller cars with hardly a pickup or SUV in sight? No. The new-vehicle fleet in 2016 will look remarkably similar to today’s lineup, with pickups, SUVs and large, medium and small cars. But plenty of changes are coming under the hood.

JPMorgan recently predicted that hybrid vehicles will account for 1 in every 5 vehicles sold by 2020. That is a huge increase over the roughly 500,000 hybrids sold last year, accounting for less than 1% of global auto sales. Fueling the growth will be the drop in hybrid drivetrain costs. While the premium to buy a hybrid in 2008 was estimated at over $5,000, analysts expect it to be less than $2,000 ten years from now.

My guess is that I will be driving a hybrid SUV for several years to come, at least until an affordable plug-in hybrid SUV or all electric sport utility comes along. To steal a line from Van Halen, Jay-Z, and Miley Cyrus - they offer the Best of Both Worlds. Do you agree?

For this reason we have decided to create a new section on HybridSUV.com called “Compare Hybrids”. While the formula may change a bit for each comparison, this will essentially be an area where you can choose 2 hybrid sport utility vehicles for a side-by-side, head-to-head showdown of price, miles per gallon, towing capacity, seating capacity, tax credits, or various other features and specifications. And, rather than just the facts - we will also try to declare a winner and a loser for each factor being compared.

Head To Head: 2009 Ford Escape hybrid vs 2009 Toyota Highlander hybrid

How much are these hybrid SUVs going to cost you?
The base MSRP for the FWD hybrid 2009 Ford Escape is about $29,650 while the Limited 4×4 version will run you closer to $34,000 when you include the destination charge of $750. In comparison, the price out the door for a 2009 hybrid Toyota Highlander really depends on how many options or which package you select. Essentially, the base Highlander starts where the Escape leaves off. Expect to pay just under $35k for an entry level hybrid Highlander (all wheel drive is your only choice) and more than $40,000 for the Limited version. Keep adding toys and extras like navigation, dvd, moonroof, 3rd row seating, and an upgraded sound system and you’ll spend another $5,000 before you know it. If you don’t need all the extras, the Escape hybrid wins the price battle.

Which of these hybrids gets better gas mileage?
The hybrid Ford Escape has held the top spot for most fuel efficient SUV since it debuted in 2005. The 2009 model has an EPA rating of 34 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway. Even the 4WD version is rated 29 city / 27 hwy.

The AWD Toyota Highlander hybrid SUV gets 27 miles per gallon in city driving, and around 25 m.p.g. on the open road. This is just a couple of miles per gallon less than the green Escape, which is impressive considering the size difference. At the same time, if gas mileage is more important than interior room and seating capacity, the Escape hybrid has the edge here as well.

From an “overall value” standpoint, which of these SUV’s is the better choice?
While gas mileage and price are fairly easy to compare, overall value might be the most important factor in determining which of these hybrid SUVs you should buy. While everyone seems to have an opinion, we did some research on JDPower.com (J.D. Power and Associates) as well as on ConsumerReports.org (subscription required) to uncover some interesting differences.

Some of their ratings were based on the 2008 Escape hybrid and 2008 Highlander hybrid, but both are very similar to their respective 2009 models. Generally speaking, the Highlander outperformed the Escape in nearly every contest - including overall performance and quality. It also had better predicted reliability and resale value.

And, while Consumer Reports “recommends” both vehicles, the Highlander hybrid got the top overall rating in its category, while the Escape finished quite a way down the list (17th best SUV under $30,000).

If you’re looking for the best value when comparing these two hybrid SUVs, the Highlander has the advantage according to most industry experts and consumer reviews. Since both vehicles have a lot going for them, I’d recommend you drive them both and decide which one suits your needs.

Then in November 0f 2008, rumors started circulating that the 2mode Vue would be delayed or “re-timed” and wouldn’t be launched in late ‘08, but it would instead have to wait another 3-4 months. While the GM spokesman made it sound like pushing launch dates back was a normal process, I remember thinking that maybe there was a problem, or possibly the plan had changed.

The GM crisis seemed to be nearing rock bottom when last month the news for a greener Vue got even worse. GM announced they would stop building Saturn vehicles at the end of 2009 rather than what they had promised earlier, which was to keep building them through 2010 and into 2011. When I first saw that story scroll across my RSS reader all I could think was that now there wouldn’t be enough time to build and deliver the full hybrid Vue I’d been anxiously awaiting. Turns out, it was all just a dream.

General Motors made it official last week that there will be no 2-Mode, FWD Saturn Vue hybrid. Instead, the powertrain will be applied to another one of GM’s compact crossovers in 2011. In addition, the SUV that takes the place of the Vue for this technology will also be a plug-in version. According to Automotive News (subscription required) GM plans to install the advanced gasoline-electric drivetrain, teamed with GM’s Two Mode front-wheel drive transmission, in a compact crossover vehicle and introduce it at the same time as the Saturn Vue plug-in crossover was to debut, early in 2011.

So, which sport utility will get to be called a Plug-In-Two-Mode? Speculation is already circulating that we could see a hybrid Chevy Equinox, hybrid GMC Terrain, or maybe even a hybrid Cadillac SRX. Whichever it is, GM plans to send the first ones to the Department of Energy and the Electric Power Institute for fleet testing in 2011. Question is, will the public ever get their hands on one of these PHEVs? Based on the demise of the most popular hybrid SUV never built, we won’t get caught waiting for it any time soon.

Truth is, there is a plug-in hybrid Hummer H3 being developed by a company called Raser Technologies, in conjunction with FEV. Raser is a Provo, Utah based energy technology company focused mainly on geothermal power development and also on long range plug-in hybrid vehicle solutions (PHEVs). Raser originally introduced their “E-REV” powertrain at the 2008 SEA International World Congress (E-REV is similar to the power behind the upcoming Chevy Volt, except it was designed for large trucks and SUVs). At the ‘09 SEA in Detroit, Raser showed off the technology in a H3 Hummer that boasts 100 mpg based on 65 miles of driving (with the first 40 miles driven in all electric mode).

CEO Brent Cook mentioned that Raser chose the Hummer H3 as a demonstration vehicle because trucks and SUVs are the best selling vehicles in America and they would benefit the most from increased fuel economy and reduced emissions. With a vehicle like this able to travel up to 40 miles without using any gas, there would actually be no emissions at all (80% of people in the U.S. drive less than 40 miles per day).

If you are interested in learning more about this green Hummer, below is a fun video that provides additional information. I would also recommend you visit the Raser website to watch this video clip from CNBC, although it gets a bit off topic and wanders into geothermal discussions.

It remains to be seen what will happen with Raser’s plugin hybrid technology (let alone the Hummer brand). The fact that this hybrid drive is in a Hummer or a full-sized SUV isn’t the real story anyway…it could just as easily have been added to any large truck, van or sport utility.  For me, it is exciting to learn what Raser and their partners have been able to accomplish in such a short period of time and we look forward to bringing you more news from them soon.

During a recent environmentally friendly vehicle conference in Shanghai, Toyota’s managing officer of hybrid system development (Koei Saga) was quoted as saying that a hybrid Rav4 would be offered in China “as soon as possible”. Saga didn’t provide any additional information on the subject, but with the U.S. being the largest hybrid market, it seems like a safe bet that the Toyota Rav4 hybrid will be available in North America as well.

You might recall that Toyota Motor Company plans to hybridize all of their vehicles by 2020. With the Prius enjoying solid control of the mid-size hybrid car market, the hybrid Camry owning the full-size category, and the hybrid Highlander doing well among mid-size SUVs, coloring the Rav4 green seems like a savvy next move. The current small hybrid SUV leader is the Ford Escape, so it might be the closest competitor for Toyota should they decide to bring a Rav 4 hybrid to the states. At the same time, rumors of Honda building a hybrid CRV surface now and then, and it wouldn’t surprise me to hear them again in the next few months.

With Toyota now having more that a decade of hybrid knowledge under their belts, it seems they are in a unique position to start cranking out new hybrid models every 12 to 18 months. Assuming China gets a 2010 hybrid Rav4, I think the U.S. could pencil in a hybrid Rav4 model in 2011 or 2012. If so, what might it cost and what might we expect for mileage? The 2009 gas-only Rav4 is available with a 4 cylinder or V6 engine. It has a starting price of around $21,500 and fuel economy ratings of 22 city and 28 highway. If this model was built with Toyota’s patented hybrid synergy drive, I would estimate the price to be around $30,000 and combined fuel efficiency in the 32 to 35 mpg ballpark.

Whatever happens, we’ll cover the updates here…so if you’re a raving Rav4 fan, check back soon!

The ‘09 hybrid Yukon that I drove was a 4wd model, loaded with lots of enjoyable features. My understanding is that hybrid Yukons don’t offer a lot of options, as they come standard with all the goodies. Things like leather, power everything, Onstar with turn-by-turn directions, remote start, a Bose audio system with Navigation and hybrid display, XM, rear DVD, 3 rows of side curtain airbags, a backup camera, and the list goes on and on. It suffices to say that new owners who don’t read the vehicle manual and other included glove-box brochures will have plenty of exciting discoveries during the first few weeks of driving their green GMC.

When I first saw the hybrid Yukon I’d be driving for the weekend (courtesy of Bob Brown GMC in Ankeny, Iowa), my initial thoughts were how classy and luxurious it had been designed, both inside and out. Those first impressions were backed up as I drove it off the dealer’s lot. GMC has crafted quite the automotive work of art, solid in every aspect. Everything fit together perfectly, and the ride was smooth and quiet. When many people think of a hybrid vehicle, the Prius or hybrid Civic comes to mind. I’ve driven both of those cars, and this was a totally different experience. The Yukon offers seating for 7 or 8 people, more storage room than any SUV I’ve ever driven, and the ability to tow just about any toy you could ever own.

While a similar four wheel drive non-hybrid Yukon gets 13 miles per gallon in the city, the hybridized version is rated at 20 mpg. Even in highway driving, the hybrid model gets an extra 3-4 mpg, likely as a result of the active fuel management system and battery assist. It is fun to watch the real time (estimated) fuel economy when you are on an open stretch of highway. First, the powerful 6 liter V8 engine seamlessly transitions to 4 cylinder mode. Shortly after, you see that the engine is getting assistance from the 300 volt hybrid battery pack (located under the 2nd row of seats). Even while cruising at 60 mph, there were several occasions where the Yukon hybrid was registering 30 mpg on level ground. While mine wasn’t a long term test drive, I could see how careful drivers might average closer to 25 miles per gallon in combined fuel economy.

The two wheel drive Yukon hybrid starts at around $52,000, while the 4 wd model begins at $55,000.  In either case, expect to pay about a $10,000 premium for all this hybrid technology, when compared to a similarly equipped non-hybrid Yukon. Depending on the price of fuel, it will likely take you several years to recoup that cost in fuel savings alone. At the same time, if you are planning to buy a hybrid for reasons other than fuel economy alone, and you need a vehicle this large, I would recommend you take this one for a spin.

High quality images below. Click to view.

Below is a comprehensive video review of the GMC Yukon hybrid, from Kelley Blue Book. The interior of the 2009 model that I drove looked pretty much the same, although the exterior did not have the large “H Y B R I D” badges on the sides.

If built, the Nuvis would get its power from Hyundai’s Blue Drive system - a 270-watt lithium-polymer battery, a 228-hp Theta II 2.4L inline four-cylinder engine and 30 kW electric motor. This combination gives the hybrid SUV an advantage over other hybrids of its size because it has extra acceleration power when starting from a dead stop. Further increasing the engine’s performance is the advancement that reduced engine friction, thereby making the Nuvis a more efficient vehicle.

The new battery technology used in the Nuvis is beneficial because it does not require the space that lithium-ion batteries do, thus allowing a sleeker design and more room for what’s really important (you know, like your legs). These batteries are also much lighter than older hybrid batteries, so with reduced car weight, you get better mileage. The Nuvis is a relative lightweight, weighing in at just about 3,400 pounds. Additionally, the lithium-polymer batteries can be custom molded to the space allotted in cars, making them less obtrusive.

One of our favorite features, though also the least likely to make it to dealer showrooms, are the doors. Though the Nuvis could easily be a four-door hybrid, it chooses to be a two-door. The doors are not only extra-long, they are also gull wing doors – yes, just like the Dolorian! Nothing says “Hey, I’m from the future” quite like a gull wing door. Aside from that, the rest of the design is very fluid and makes the hybrid look powerful and speedy.

What do you think? Would you buy a Nuvis? Take a look at the following video, which includes some input from the designers. Gotta love that steering wheel!