Posted on 11/30/2006 9:54:39 PM PST by doug from upland
Toyota Camry Hybrid Named Green Car Of The Year
(AP) LOS ANGELES The Toyota Camry Hybrid has been named the 2007 green car of the year by the magazine Green Car Journal.
Four magazine staffers and seven outside judges helped pick the car, which editor and publisher Ron Cogan said raised the bar for cars in terms of performance, efficiency and protecting the environment.
The Camry was picked from a field of five finalists, including the Mercedes-Benz E-320 Bluetec clean diesel; Honda Civic GX, which runs on compressed natural gas; Lexus GS 450h Hybrid; and Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid.
The magazine praised the Camry Hybrid for its fuel efficiency -- 40 miles per gallon in the city and 38 mpg on the highway.
"This hybrid variant drives like its traditionally powered cousin, and while a driver is aware of when silent all-electric propulsion makes way to internal combustion power, it's seamless enough to be unremarkable," the magazine said in a statement.
Have they settled their lawsuits for the MPG claims yet?
I imagine that signals no support for oil exploration from our RINOvernator.
I don't know.
I didn't hear any mention of it in his speech. He did say "I'll be back."
I'm so happy I could puke. <./New Jersey response> :O)
My 2002 4-cylinder Camry XLE has averaged 30.8 miles per gallon in the 87,000 miles since I bought it new in December 2001.
I just don't get this. My 2005 4-cyl gasoline Camry gets 34 mpg. So, we should add all sorts of complexity, batteries, electric motors, etc. to gain 6 mpg.
Then that stuff has to be disposed of when the car is taken out of service with a a lot of additional pollution.
I just do not get it. Greenies at work and we all feel better.
I've driven both, for a week each. I didn't calculate their gas mileage; I have a lead foot and gave up worrying about my gas mileage years ago - and a hybrid isn't a pancea.
But they're both nice cars to drive - and the Lexus is incredible! One of the fastest sedans I've driven (not that I've driven them all!), plus plush and probably really dependable.
Of course you pay a premium for the hybrid.
Then again, you pay a premium for a Porsche, too.
My 2002 BMW 325i gets 33 mpg on the highway cruising at 70 mph.
My employers bought a hybrid SUV to use at work. When the vehicle is idling or driving at a low speed the engine turns off and the electric motor drives the vehicle. But when the engine is not running the AC will not work unless the Max AC selected. That causes the engine to start again to run the AC. So, during the summer, everyone drove the vehicle with the AC set to max, the engine always ran, and any fuel savings was lost.
My guess is that hybrid drivers in Pheonix, Atlanta, Texas, Florida, etc., will do the same thing.
I was amazed that media whore Mayor Antonio Villa-reconquista was not there.
Here is a good idea. Let's mock the technology so that other countries will make all the innovations and get the jobs. That sounds good.
For those in the L.A. area, Ron will be on KNX 1070 sometime at around 4:17 pm today.
I got a better idea, let's pass laws forcing Americans to buy certain types of vehicles and pass laws forcing auto manufacturers to make certain types of vehicles.
We can call it "freedom". :D
I passed on the Lexus GS450h because of the tiny trunk (due to the hybrid battery) and the 15K extra cost - and got the new GS350, instead. It is a fantastic car, great design, beautiful interior, and even the non-hybrid version gets up to 32 mpg on the highway.
I say let the marketplace work. And, let's end the dependence on foreign oil. If some of you are asleep, alternative fuel vehicle technology is moving rapidly forward.
Unfortunately, it took laws to force catalytic converters on manufacturers. Without them, we would not be able to breathe in Southern California today. I remember coming home from Little League practice in the summer and my lung hurting when I took a big breath. The vehicles are infinitely more cleaner today than in the past. Some of us think that's a good thing.
Undoubtedly a great choice. I haven't driven the 350, but it's coming in the next few weeks. I drove the 300 AWD and didn't like it. Beautiful car, but not a lot of fun. But that new 3.5 liter V6 is a sweetheart; I drove it in the Avalon and it rocked!
Cheers
Jim
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