Hybrid SUVs – Have Your Cake And Eat It Too

Hybrid SUVs

In the past, someone who needed to take their kids and their kid’s stuff around town had two options: a station wagon or a minivan. To many people, particularly dads, these aren’t very appealing options. Sure, they get the kids and the groceries home in one piece, but they can’t really drive you up a mountain or tow your boat. Well nowadays, we have a wonderful combination of kid towing power, and the “coolness” factor: the SUV. While SUV’s can be great, they do come with their disadvantages, including 10 miles per gallon of gas! In these days of skyrocketing gas prices, that’s not too appealing either. But there is a new option on the horizon; a vehicle that can carry the kids, and a trailer, and still get 30mpg. It’s the hybrid SUV.

For those of you who don’t know yet, a hybrid vehicle is one that has both a gas and an electric engine. The gas engine charges the electric engine while it runs, so theirs no need to plug them in like the old electric cars. But electricity gets you a lot farther than gas so they get great gas mileage and are better for the environment too. Hybrid cars have been getting drivers 50 to 60 mpg for years, but until recently cars were all you could get. Now they’re developing larger versions of hybrids as well. While they don’t get 50 to 60 mpg, they do get better gas mileage than many gas engine cars.

The first hybrid SUV available was the 2004 hybrid Ford Escape. This vehicle is still available and is advertised to get over 30 mpg. There are now other types of hybrid SUV’s available, but the Escape is still the cheapest and has the best fuel economy. . If you’re looking for a lot of power, Toyota makes a Highlander hybrid. It’s slightly more expensive than the Escape, but it has 270 hp and 3,500lbs towing capacity. If you’re looking for more luxury, Lexus now makes the Rx400h. It’s the most expensive of the three available models, but it has all the features you’d expect from Lexus. Plus, it has the same power and towing capacity of the Highlander

Besides the great gas mileage and the benefit to the environment, hybrid vehicles can help you with your taxes as well. The federal government has started offering a tax credit for purchasing certain hybrid vehicles. There are a few things you need to know about the credit though. First of all, it is only offered for some hybrid vehicles; so you should check if yours is on the list before you buy. Second, the credit is only available for a certain number of each vehicle; if you buy near the end of the year, you’re not going to get the credit. The best time to buy is at the beginning of the year. You can check to see if quotas have been met to see if your vehicle still qualifies.

These vehicles are still worth looking at if you want an SUV without the hefty bill for gasoline every month. And, with the newer options, you don’t have to give up power or luxury to get great gas mileage.

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