September 13th, 2007

Green Cars for 2008 Go Vrroooomm

Posted by Jessica Jensen

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For those of us who looooove cars, it’s a special time of year. It’s the new model year roll-out season! That means we can get great deals on last year’s models and we can lick our chops at the new cars coming out. And naturally we are talking about hybrids and diesels (for use with biodiesel fuel) on the horizon. Gas guzzlers are so 1992.

In 2008 there will be the ever outstanding, super high-efficiency Toyota Prius and Camry and the Honda Civic. These will still be the leaders of the hybrid auto pack. But there will also be some new additions on the green road as well.

The 2008 Hybrids Are Coming

Mazda is coming out with an all-new version of the hybrid Tribute SUV. It will come in both two and four wheel drive version. The 2WD will get 34 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway (not too shabby) and the 4WD will get 29 city/27 highway. However, the Ford Escape SUV will still beat the Tribute’s fuel economy. Click here to learn about the Tribute.

Chevy is coming out with a Hybrid Malibu that will get 24 in the city and 32 on the highway (which is not too great, really when you compare it to the Prius or Honda Civic in the 50 mpg range– but hey, what do we expect? It’s from another US car company that’s been slow to embrace fuel efficiency!) Lexus is also coming out with luxury sedan, the LS 600h L. But, like Lexus’ previous hybrids, the fuel efficiency leaves a lot to be desired: the 600 only gets 20 in the city and 22 on the highway. We’d like to see some Lexus offerings that use the hybrid technology to focus on fuel saving rather than on increased performance. Call us dreamers!

 We really like the looks and efficiency of the 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid. It is really sexy–some people call it the “poor man’s G35.” And its fuel performance is impressive, getting 42 mpg in the city and 36 on the highway. To learn more about the Nissan Altima Hybrid, click here.

Do you want something zippy and cute and still highly efficient? Give the MINI Cooper a thought. It’s more green than you might think. It gets 32 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway, which means its more efficient than some of the “hybrids” these days. And starting at $18,000, it’s quite a bargain.

Why Not Make the Switch to Biodiesel?

Biodiesel is a wonderful alternative to standard gas. Biodiesel is a clean-burning alternative fuel that is produced from vegetable oils. Biodiesel is an appealing alternative fuel because it is made from renewable resources, and it is biodegradable, non-toxic and produces lower emissions. Biodiesels also typically get much better mileage per gallon of fuel. And fortunately biodiesel fueling stations are popping up all over the country.

If you want to embrace biodiesel, why not get a great used Mercedes? Or if a new car is on your mind, Volkswagen has Jettas and Beetles and soon more models coming out in diesel versions. They are apparently already available in some states (although not yet in California, sniff sniff), so call your local VW dealer to see what models they have.

Green Car Resources to Check Out

Have you used Yahoo’s green cars site? It’s very helpful. You can find info on pretty much every hybrid, natural gas, diesel (for use with biodiesel gas), electric and green concept car under the sun. You might also want to check out the EPA’s FuelEconomy.gov site, which has excellent information on hybrids, tax incentives, and allows you to do good side-by-side car comparisons. We dig it. 

 Be safe and have fun on the road!

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