Ford Escape Hybrid
Green Living
Fuel for Thought
Efficient cars for the economically and environmentally minded motorist’s garage.

There’s a different type of road rage these days. The price of gas is raising the ire — and blood pressure — of many drivers, while environmentally conscious motorists are heeding their carbon footprint. So it’s no surprise how this dynamic has signaled the start of a new era when “hybrid” and “smart car” have officially entered our vehicular vernacular.

Fuel-efficient cars are an alternative that is quickly gaining more converts. According to a recent forecast by J.D. Power and Associates, sales of hybrid and diesel-powered cars will more than triple by 2015. The new study predicts that hybrids will account for 7 percent of the car market in 2015 — up from 2.2 percent in 2007.

So whether it’s to ease up on the environment or your own checkbook, there is a fleet of fuel-efficient cars to choose from that come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. Here is a list of some fuel-efficient cars available now and a few still in production:


Toyota Prius


Toyota Venza

HYBRIDS

As the name implies, hybrid cars combine two sources of power to run your car: gasoline and electricity. Stopping and starting your car saps your car of energy, but hybrids reclaim that energy and route it to the car’s rechargeable batteries.

Toyota Prius
Considered the granddaddy of hybrid vehicles, the Prius has picked up plenty of buyers and accolades along the way. Consumer Reports named the Prius the green car “Top Pick,” and Toyota has sold more Priuses than other hybrids combined.
45/48 mpg
Base price: $22,000

Saturn Vue Green Line Dual Mode
Available this month, the vehicle has more horsepower than the current single mode and allows for different modes for highway and city driving to conserve gas. According to hybridcars.com, the Dual Mode is poised to become the most efficient SUV on the market.
32/25 mpg
Base price: TBD

Ford Escape Hybrid
Touted as “the most overall fuel-efficient SUV on the planet,” the Escape even has eco-friendly seats made from post-industrial materials.
34/31 mpg
Base price: $29,305

Toyota Venza
Now available, this brand new crossover vehicle will have 30 mpg and offers the best of a sedan and SUV. The Venza features a sleek sedan concept but also has important SUV features such as cargo space and all-wheel-drive performance.
Base price: TBD

ELECTRIC

Tesla Roadster
This luxury, all-electric two-seater sports car goes from 0 to 60 in less than four seconds. Now in production and currently accepting reservations for 2009 models, Tesla Roadsters are built to order based on customer preferences. A $5,000 refundable reservation fee is required to lock in the next available production slot.
www.teslamotors.com
244 miles per charge
Base price: $109,000

Chevy Volt
Available in 2010, there is considerable anticipation surrounding this car’s revolutionary propulsion system that takes you beyond the power of the battery. The Volt will use a lithium-ion battery with several onboard power sources to recharge the battery while you drive beyond the 40-mile battery range.
Base price: TBD; estimated to be around $40,000


Smart Car

OTHER FUEL-EFFICIENT CARS

SAAB 9-3
At 3,400 pounds, big and bulky doesn't mean your gas tank has to take a hit. The 9-3 sport sedan offers great power with 210 horsepower and a 4 cylinder turbo charge engine. Available at George’s Imports.
30 mpg (highway)
Base price: $39,480

Toyota Corolla
This car has remained the most popular Toyota car for many years because of its excellent gas mileage and competitive pricing. 
35 mpg (highway)
Base price: $15,350

Mercedes-Benz R320 Bluetec
The operative word for this nonhybrid crossover is big: big fuel tank and lots of room. The R320 can travel more than 500 highway miles between fill-ups and boasts plenty of passenger space — three rows that can hold up to seven.
24/18 mpg
Base price: approximately $47,000
  
Smart Car
Who says bigger is better? A newcomer to the fuel-efficient fleet is the smart car. At less than 9 feet long and a gas tank that carries 8.7 gallons, the smart car   embodies a pioneering concept. It is widely considered to be the most fuel-efficient, nonhybrid gasoline-powered vehicle in the country today.

You’ll have to be patient because there is a year-long wait. Smart Center Merriam (Aristocrat Motors) has a reservation program to get your name on the list for $99. You can specialize your smart car however you want. For those who aren’t willing to wait a year and want to get into a smart car immediately, vehicles occasionally become available to reservation holders.
33/41 mpg
Base price: $11,590

There are many more fuel-efficient vehicles available from local dealerships throughout the metro. The popularity of these cars will serve as a sign of the times — symbolic of a growing population of motorists in search of a fuel-friendly alternative.



Web Exclusive: Tax Credits


An added incentive to buying a hybrid is a credit from Uncle Sam. Many currently available hybrid vehicles may qualify for a tax credit — some as high as $3,000 (for the Escape Hybrid 2WD).

Here are some things to consider:
•    The tax credit generally applies to vehicles purchased or placed in service on or after December 31, 2006, to December 31, 2010.
•    A caveat: Credit amounts start to phase out for a given manufacturer once it has reached a quota of more than 60,000 eligible vehicles. Credits are no longer available on Toyota and Lexus vehicles, for example, because their tax incentives expired in September 2007 when their number of hybrid cars sold exceeded the quota.

The credit is only available to the original purchaser of a new, qualifying vehicle. If a qualifying vehicle is leased to a consumer, the leasing company may claim the credit.

For a complete list of currently available alternative-fuel credits, visit www.fueleconomy.gov.