About Hybrid SUVS

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By Allison Boyer
eHow Contributing Writer

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While some criticize hybrid SUVs as being worse with gas mileage and emissions than many non-hybrid cars, these are often the greenest choices if you need a larger vehicle. There are quite a few hybrid SUVs on the market, and there are plans for more in the coming years. Before making a purchase of any vehicle, though, make sure you understand both the benefits and disadvantages of hybrid SUVs.

History

The idea of a hybrid electric vehicle has been around for centuries. In fact, the first electric vehicle was build int 1839. The concept was put on the back burner for decades. However, hybrid technology has once again become popular. Hybrids have been on the market in the United States since 1999, when Honda introduced its Insight.

Hybrid SUVs followed in 2004 with the Ford Escape. When introduced, the Escape was 75 percent more fuel-efficient than its non-hybrid counterpart. Following the Escape, other manufacturers also introduced hybrid SUVs to sell alongside their growing fleets of hybrid cars.

Types

New hybrids are hitting the market every year. As of January 2009, there are a number of hybrids on the market including the following: Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner, Mazda Tribute, Toyota Matrix, Pontiac Vibe, Saturn Vue Green Line, Toyota Highlander, Lexus RX 400h, Mercedes ML 320 CDI, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Chevrolet Tahoe, BMW X5, GMC Yukon, Cadillac Escalade, Chrysler Aspen, Volkswagen Touareg, and Dodge Durango.

Considerations

Hybrid SUVs are often criticized because they aren't as good on gas as you may think. They can also be very expensive. When purchasing a hybrid SUV, make sure that you check into the gas mileage you'll get with you new vehicle. Topping the pack are the Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner and Mazda Tribute, which all average 32 miles per gallon. The Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe are the cheapest hybrids on the market, though they are considered compact car crossovers. The Saturn Vue Green Line is the cheapest full SUV on the market.

Features

Every hybrid SUV is slightly different, but they all have the same duel fuel system. These SUVs still have a fuel tank and gasoline engine. Whenever possible, they make use of an electric motor, which runs on a battery that charges during braking. Maybe hybrid SUVs have other green features as well, such as recycled materials used for their interiors.

Benefits

By far, the biggest benefit of the hybrid SUV is that it s better for the environment. When compared to the same model in a non-hybrid version, you'll also same money on fuel. Hybrids are a natural step between gas engines and the electric cars of the future. By choosing a hybrid SUV instead of a traditional SUV, you're also supporting te research and development of this technology.