Five years ago, the first hybrid gas-electric vehicles hit the market, generating a lot of hype but not many sales. The faux futuristic designs, tight quarters, and sluggish performance of Honda’s Insight and Toyota’s original Prius were all about self-denial. Perfect for limousine liberals looking to downsize, but hardly cars for the suburban masses. And certainly nothing for Detroit to worry about.
It turns out there were a few good ideas under those hoods. Hybrid power trains run quieter, belch less exhaust, and can produce more torque than traditional engines - and, of course, they’re more fuel efficient. There are now a fleet of hybrids on the market, from compacts to sedans to SUVs and pickups. Unlike their predecessors, members of the new breed have the features, pep, and polish of their pure-gas cousins.
To see if today’s green machines have become contenders, we drove them down city streets, up freeway on-ramps, and along the tight twists of a mountain road. We judged the cars on acceleration, maneuverability, comfort, features, and esthetics. And, of course, fuel efficiency - though it’s worth noting they all get 10 to 40 percent fewer miles per gallon than their stickers boast, depending on how you drive. In the end we found some sweet rides - and a few duds. And while none are bargains given the roughly $3,000 premium you’ll pay over a comparable gas-only model, they deliver the satisfaction of knowing you’re doing your part to cut pollution and oil imports.
CHEVROLET SILVERADO HYBRID
The Silverado (along with General Motors’ essentially identical GMC Sierra) is the first gas-electric pickup. But don’t expect the sort of mileage delivered by the Prius or Insight. Pickup buyers are looking for stump-pulling torque, so GM equipped the Silverado with the same V-8 found in its conventional trucks and opted for "mild" hybrid technology - dubbed mybrid - that uses a modest-size, low-power battery pack, delivering a meager 10 to 15 percent increase in gas mileage and no electric-only mode. The result is a rugged and durable workhorse, with great off-road capabilities and a reasonably equipped, if slightly plastic-feeling, cabin. But it isn’t much different from its gas-only brethren.
Wired: Big, roomy, and powerful. The truck can be used as a mobile high-output 120-volt generator at the campground or work site.
Tired: This is a hybrid? How can you tell?
$30,345*, www.chevrolet.com
FORD ESCAPE HYBRID
The Escape Hybrid was named 2005 North American Truck of the Year (the category includes SUVs) by industry journalists in January, and considering its mass-market appeal, it deserves the accolade. The Escape combines a highly efficient 2.3-liter inIine four-cylinder engine with a 70-kilowatt electric motor. During short bursts, it can pump out 155 horsepower, launching the hybrid off the line nearly as quickly as Ford’s full V-6 Escape. The SUV is reasonably well equipped for its class, with cushy seats and a nice CD sound system, and both more comfortable and more exhilarating than many older SUVs. It handles well, though there’s a fair amount of wind noise at highway speeds.
Wired: Has the pep of a V-6 but is far more gas conscious. Better equipped than the basic Escape, including an optional navigation system.
Tired: Modest gas savings. High dealer premium raises the price.
$26,380, www.ford.com
HONDA ACCORD HYBRID
But for a few modest details, you’d have a hard time distinguishing this car from the standard Accord. To avoid the lackluster performance that plagues Honda’s other hybrid models, the company’s pumped up the Accord Hybrid with a full-size 3-liter V-6. Put the pedal to the metal and you’ll unleash 255 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque (the amount of power applied to the drivetrain, important in determining how fast a car can accelerate). That’s enough to launch the car from zero to 60 in 6.7 seconds, a full half-second faster than a conventional V-6 Accord. Still, in day-to-day driving, the Accord Hybrid promises 30 mpg around town and 37 on the highway - numbers typically found in a much smaller econobox.
Wired: Fast! Comes loaded with almost every feature available in the Accord line - the only upgrade option left is a voice-operated navigation system.
Tired: Not as gas miserly as Honda’s other hybrids - or Toyota’s Prius.
$29,990, automobiles.honda.com
HONDA CIVIC HYBRID
The two-year-old Civic Hybrid is a fairly stripped-down, no-frills car with extraordinarily high mileage and emissions so low they’re nearly impossible to measure. Here the automaker chose a small 1.3-liter engine to optimize mileage gains. Unlike Toyota’s technology, Honda’s hybrids cannot operate in electric-only mode, though at a stoplight the internal combustion engine automatically shuts off until you press the accelerator. On the downside, the Civic won’t leave any rubber behind when the light turns green - and isn’t that much fun to drive. But our biggest complaint is the lack of optional amenities such as a sunroof, leather seats, and a decent stereo.
Wired: Great gas mileage. More room than Honda’s Insight.
Tired: Underpowered and awfully dull. Spartan tin-can feel. Hefty price premium over the traditional Civic.
$19,800, automobiles.honda.com
HONDA INSIGHT
With its lightweight aluminum frame, aluminum and plastic body panels, extreme aerodynamics, and petite 1-liter engine, the Insight is the most fuel-efficient automobile in the US. Honda claims the manual transmission model delivers as much as 66 mpg in highway driving. Maybe, but while the underpowered Insight isn’t quite a stone pony, it can be harrowing trying to merge into freeway traffic, as we discovered one morning rush hour on Detroit’s I-75. It also provides little room for people and cargo, and offers minimal creature comforts. Still, the Insight is oddly fun to drive, especially around town, and (for better or worse) the teardrop-shaped two-seater certainly looks distinctive.
Wired: The best gas mileage of all cars on the road. The ultimate visual statement of environmental friendliness.
Tired: Low power, low frill, and not much elbow room.
$19,330, automobiles.honda.com
LEXUS RX 400h
The RX 400h takes hybrid technology into the luxury market. Here fuel prices aren’t much of a concern, but plenty of folks want something environmentally friendly. The interior is lushly trimmed and well laid out, as you’d expect from a car with the Lexus pedigree. The RX 400h trades a bit of fuel economy for performance, offering a power train that punches out 268 horsepower - enough to push zero-to-60 times to barely seven seconds. That way you can help the planet and tromp the kid in the next lane. It takes time to get used to the especially silent startup and the odd revs of its continuously variable transmission. But once you do, you’ll likely find it the most fun-to-drive hybrid on the market.
Wired: Surprisingly impressive performance. Good mileage. Distinctive styling and well-equipped interior.
Tired: Hit the accelerator and watch your gas mileage plunge.
$49,000 (Est), www.lexus.com
TOYOTA PRIUS
The original Prius was ungainly and sacrificed a lot in performance and creature comforts. The second-gen US model is actually stylish, inside and out, with a sloped design that sets it apart from other cars. It’s also a lot more fun to drive than the original, with a peppier (though still not exactly powerful) hybrid-electric power train that can operate in any of three modes: electric, gas-only, or gas-electric. We were mesmerized by the video display that showed, moment by moment, how much gas mileage we were getting - so much so that we nearly rammed the big truck stopped ahead of us. And with gas mileage as high as 60 city and 51 highway, it’s one of 2005’s high-mileage champs.
Wired: Options include a navigation system and JBL stereo.
Tired: Waiting lists and high dealer markups. Performance is adequate - if you don’t care about performance.
$20,875, www.toyota.com
TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID
This gas-electric version of the popular SUV will take Toyota’s hybrid technology further into the mainstream when the Highlander Hybrid hits the market midyear. Like the Prius, it uses a version of the automaker’s sophisticated Synergy Drive System. In the Highlander, it will be tuned to meet the needs of SUV owners. This means plenty of low-end torque and lots of cargo-hauling capacity. In fact, preliminary specs seem hard to believe. The hybrid’s V-6 has been throttled to improve mileage, cutting torque to 212 pound-feet, but add to that two separate electric motors, one producing 96 pound-feet, the other a whopping 247. You should be able to haul the Queen Mary 2.
Due on streets: June
Worth the wait? If the numbers are right - high torque, high horsepower, good mileage - it’s a great package.
$33,680 (Est), www.toyota.com
*All prices are for base models.
Paul A. Eisenstein (paul@thecarconnection.com) is the founder of TheCarConnection.com, an online automotive publication based in Detroit. 
CHEVROLET SILVERADO HYBRID
FORD ESCAPE HYBRID
HONDA ACCORD HYBRID
HONDA CIVIC HYBRID
HONDA INSIGHT
LEXUS RX 400h
TOYOTA PRIUS
TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID
