Tag Archives: fuel economy

Honda Cuts Price of 2011 Insight Hybrid

The 2011 Honda Insight is officially on sale today with a less expensive base model that starts at $18,950. It’s the latest attempt by Honda to counter Toyota’s ongoing success with the Prius hybrid, which at more than 115,000 sales … Continue reading

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Driving Impression – Chevrolet Cruze

Chevrolet is finally replacing its aging Cobalt with the Cruze sedan, which is already on sale in more than 60 countries in Asia and Europe since 2009. The new Cruze is a design hybrid since its engineering was done at Opel in Germany and Daewoo in Korea. North American versions went into production at Lordstown, Ohio this summer. Continue reading

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Driving a Toyota Camry Hybrid

The Toyota Camry hybrid is a technological triumph that produces significant increases in fuel economy, particularly during urban and suburban driving that many of us face. However to achieve this Camry hybrid employs a number of sophisticated systems that affect … Continue reading

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Toyota Ups 2011 Prius Pricing. Hybrid Costs More than $30,000

The Prius entered the Japanese market in 1997 as the world’s first mass-produced hybrid – negating the conventional wisdom of German and U.S. engineers and executives that the Japanese only copy and couldn’t innovate. Toyota’s complicated, but effective Hybrid Synergy Drive System was introduced in 2004 on the second-generation Prius, another technical coup.

The first-generation Prius was rated at an estimated 41 EPA combined MPG, and the second-generation model achieved a 46 MPG EPA combined rating. Using a combination of technologies, Toyota increased fuel efficiency for the new Prius to an EPA estimated 51 MPG in city driving, 48 MPG highway and a combined 50 MPG. Mileage is especially improved in cold-start conditions and at higher speeds, according to Toyota. Continue reading

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