Ever since the release of the hybrid car in 2001 by Toyota (their first model being the Prius that was up for sale in Japan 3 years prior to that in their own country), different technologies on hybrid electric cars have been developed by different car manufacturers. Of course, the concept is the same in all cars; they each run on fuel and some kind of electric motor. The difference lies in the design of those engines. The 2007 hybrid car is now more improved than any car before it. And each manufacturer aims to make the hybrid even better in the future. Here’s a look at current models on the market.
The Toyota Prius
Years after its release in 2001, the Toyota Prius still remains to be one of the top-most favored hybrid cars in the industry. This is due perhaps to the fact that it is fuel efficient by being able to run over 25 miles with as little as a dollar in its tank. Because of the Toyota Prius, car manufacturers all over are following suit on its reliability and fuel efficiency.
The Saturn Aura Hybrid
For a sedan, Saturn really knows how to attract with its looks. But under the hood, this hybrid car tells a different story. It may look good but for the year 2007, it is probably the worst performing hybrid in its class. A mid-size car with a tank size of about 16 gallons, the engine acts more like a thirsty animal than one that can conserve fuel; as a hybrid, it still does conserve gas but not as well as models found in the same category and from other car manufacturers.
2007 Nissan Altima
If you’re looking for fuel economy, then the 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid car is just the one for you. Although you may have to spend as much as $1200 annually for gas alone, the 2007 Nissan Altima can still manage to run as far as 702 miles on full tank. At first glance, it seems to beat Toyota in this event but the real trick actually lies in Nissan Altima’s gas tank that holds as much as 20 gallons of gas, allowing it to run distances with minimal stopping for gas.
2007 Honda Civic Hybrid
This 2007 hybrid car is probably the closest when it comes to beating out the competition in Toyota. The Honda Civic was known as a bestselling gas-car, and it seems that it can prove its own worth as a hybrid as well. With a slightly larger tank than the Prius, the Civic can do 554 miles on a full tank which is quite an improvement from the last model but theres still room for improvement. Otherwise, once Prius stocks run low, this would be the next best thing on the market.