Friday 10 May 2013

BMW, Volkswagen, Chevrolet and Toyota Hybrid Cars

More people have begun to show interest in hybrid cars with the growing movement to live more environmentally friendly lifestyles.  Not surprisingly, the automotive industry has finally caught on and now offers more options in hybrid cars for all tastes and preferences. 

Even those who enjoy luxury brands like Lexus can find hybrids that fit their styles.  Those who are unfamiliar with the types of vehicles available in hybrid form can look at some of the more well known makes in the auto industry.

Toyota

Toyota has always been known for its quality brand and also has a reputation as one of the most environmentally friendly brands available.  In its bid to sell more than one million hybrid cars annually,

Toyota offers the top-selling Prius and plans to introduce 10 different hybrid options by 2014.  Right now, Toyota has several hybrid options in 2013 models including the Camry, Highlander and Yaris.  Many of these models tend to have a good mile per gallon range from 28 to 95 miles per gallon.

Chevrolet

A division of General Motors, Chevrolet was actually a late entry into the game of ecologically responsible vehicles.  However, within the past 10 years, Chevrolet has managed to move forward with hybrid vehicles such as the plug-in volt.  There are also hybrid forms of popular models like the Equinox, Malibu, Silverado and Tahoe.  With trucks, vans and cars, the miles per gallon on Chevrolet makes can range from 13 to 98 miles per gallon.

Volkswagen

One of the most attractive features of Volkswagen is that they emphasize the use of clean diesel.  Furthermore, these vehicles have also begun to show that they can reach a high level of miles per gallon on the highway as well as in the city.  Another plus of this make is that these hybrids tend to be some of the least expensive on the market.  Those who like Volkswagen will find that they reach between 22 to 45 miles per gallon.

Ford Ford has not been as successful in its quest to offer more fuel-efficient hybrids in its line, but it managed to place the most fuel efficient SUV on the market, the Ford Escape Hybrid.  Those who would still prefer a car or truck can look to models such as the Focus or F-150.  However, it is important to keep in mind that some models only offer around 11 miles per gallon while other boast 105.

BMW

BMW continues to be a popular model among high-end vehicles, but it has done its part in creating its own line of hybrids including the ActiveHybrid and Hydrogen models.  The good news is these cars tend to be as stylish as conventional BMW models.  However, these are not the most fuel efficient hybrids on the market.  The miles per gallon range tends to fall between 18 to 29 miles per gallon.

These are a few of the options when it comes to hybrid cars.  In some cases, the initial investment may seem steep with many of these cars costing more than $30,000, but there are sometimes tax incentives for those who invest in a hybrid.  Furthermore, many of these hybrids are becoming more fuel efficient with more miles per gallon in highway and city travel.  Knowing what each hybrid offers helps determine what works best for individual preferences.

Featured images:
  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://www.depositphotos.com
  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://www.depositphotos.com

Janae Pureau is an expert when it comes to the autmotive industry, as she has over 30 years of experience within the automotive industry, and has help multimillion dollar automotive companies market and advertise their services to the general public.