Sometimes I ask myself, why make a hybrid truck or SUV? Shouldn't we be moving to smaller and lighter vehicles, as well as making our engines more fuel efficient? SUV's guzzle gas, how can they be cool?
Well at least the big truck and SUV manufacturers like Chevy, Ford, and GM are making hybrids of their popular truck lines - its better than nothing. A truck hybrid is still a pretty useful thing, for example if you work in the trades or construction. So, when Kelley Blue Book listed the Ford Escape hybrid SUV at a decent #5 out of the 10 best Green Cars, I decided to take a look at how their favorite hybrid trucks and suv's compared.
Kelley Blue Book's 3 ranking Hybrid Trucks / SUV's (top 10 list of Green Cars for 2008):
The Ford Escape (Kelley Blue Book #5 out of 10 Best Green Cars for 2008) gets 29-34 MPG (city)/27-30 MPG (hwy).
KBB says:
The Toyota Highlander hybrid SUV (Kelley Blue Book #9 of 10 best Green Cars for 2008), gets better mileage, coming in at 27 MPG (city)/25 MPG (hwy). The trade-off between the two seems to be how much you need the extra power of the Chevy V-8 hybrid engine, or the better fuel economy of the V-6 hybrid Toyota.
The 2008 Chevy Tahoe Hybrid (Kelly Blue Book #10 out of 10 best Green Cars for 2008). This gasoline hybrid V-8 engine is no doubt a mean machine. KBB says 4-wheel drive Chevy Tahoe hybrid can tow more than 8,000 pounds. However, looking at the fuel economy of 15-16 MPG (city)/21-22 mpg (hwy) (source), the Tahoe Hybrid still has a ways to go on efficiency.
Its good to know there are options for getting an efficient hybrid truck or SUV if you need one. While I prefer the sleek design and efficiency of hybrid coupes, I can't forget the tradition of powerful american work vehicles. Some people need a truck or an SUV, so I'm glad companies like Ford, Chevy, and GM are making them, because in the end even a hybrid truck is still better than a non-hybrid one.
Well at least the big truck and SUV manufacturers like Chevy, Ford, and GM are making hybrids of their popular truck lines - its better than nothing. A truck hybrid is still a pretty useful thing, for example if you work in the trades or construction. So, when Kelley Blue Book listed the Ford Escape hybrid SUV at a decent #5 out of the 10 best Green Cars, I decided to take a look at how their favorite hybrid trucks and suv's compared.
Kelley Blue Book's 3 ranking Hybrid Trucks / SUV's (top 10 list of Green Cars for 2008):
The Ford Escape (Kelley Blue Book #5 out of 10 Best Green Cars for 2008) gets 29-34 MPG (city)/27-30 MPG (hwy).
KBB says:
"The Escape Hybrid sweetens the sensible balance of a compact crossover SUV with lower fuel costs and the amusement of quiet, all-electric operation in parking lots."
The Toyota Highlander hybrid SUV (Kelley Blue Book #9 of 10 best Green Cars for 2008), gets better mileage, coming in at 27 MPG (city)/25 MPG (hwy). The trade-off between the two seems to be how much you need the extra power of the Chevy V-8 hybrid engine, or the better fuel economy of the V-6 hybrid Toyota.
The 2008 Chevy Tahoe Hybrid (Kelly Blue Book #10 out of 10 best Green Cars for 2008). This gasoline hybrid V-8 engine is no doubt a mean machine. KBB says 4-wheel drive Chevy Tahoe hybrid can tow more than 8,000 pounds. However, looking at the fuel economy of 15-16 MPG (city)/21-22 mpg (hwy) (source), the Tahoe Hybrid still has a ways to go on efficiency.
Its good to know there are options for getting an efficient hybrid truck or SUV if you need one. While I prefer the sleek design and efficiency of hybrid coupes, I can't forget the tradition of powerful american work vehicles. Some people need a truck or an SUV, so I'm glad companies like Ford, Chevy, and GM are making them, because in the end even a hybrid truck is still better than a non-hybrid one.
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