2017 Toyota Highlander Hybrid redefines SUV market by James Raia The Toyota Highlander Hybrid debuted in 2005. It attracted immediate attention as a midsize, three-row sport utility vehicle achieving 30 miles per gallon in city driving. Not much good has happened in sales since. But Toyota can blame itself. It’s obsessed with hybrids. A year … Read more
The Weekly Driver Podcast – Episode 3 – Hybrid Hype by Weekly Driver News Service The 2000 Toyota Prius was the first nationally available hybrid vehicle in the United States. A few months earlier, Honda introduced the Insight, the so-called “Peanut Car.” But it’s never made much of an impact in its original edition or … Read more
2017 Nissan Rogue Hybrid: Nice try, can’t match SUV stars by James Raia The Nissan Rogue is a decade old. It arrived in late 2007 as a 2008 model and joined the quickly expanding crossover SUV segment. It was oddly named because it didn’t offer much to differentiate itself from well-established competitors. The 2017 Rogue … Read more
2017 Toyota Prius Prime: Efficient new hybrid shines by James Raia The 2017 Toyota Prius Prime, a plug-in gas-electric hybrid, is a new addition to the country’s largest selling hybrid family. It replaces the Prius Plug-in and it’s the most ambitious Prius on the market. Its exterior design, full of sharp angles and a unique … Read more
2017 Toyota Prius Prime: Cool technology for modern hybrid by James Raia The 2017 Toyota Prius Prime plug-in hybrid is the most upscale addition to the Prius family. Its exterior design removes the stodgy image of many of the models in the ountry’s best-selling hybrid lineup. The Prime’s interior is chock-full of technology, most visibly … Read more
2017 Kia Niro: New compact SUV redefines hybrid by James Raia The 2017 Kia Niro is new in the South Korean manufacturer’s lineup. It’s a sub-compact hybrid utility vehicle that looks more like a handsome, streamlined wagon. And it performs well enough to earn the loose translation of its name — strength. Unveiled at the … Read more
2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid: handsome, comfortable, efficient by James Raia Ford introduced its alternative energy lineup, including the Ford Fusion Hybrid, in early 2009 as 2010 models. The midsize sedan is now well into its second generation with a healthy list of upgrades for 2017. The Fusion Hybrid has been the most attractive hybrid sedan … Read more
2017 Toyota Avalon Hybrid: Stylishly efficient by James Raia When your older sibling is the most popular hybrid vehicle in history, the pressure is on. Could the Toyota Avalon Hybrid hold its own while its ever-expanding Prius family members thrive? The answer is a resounding yes. Introduced in late 2012, the 2017 Toyota Avalon Hybrid … Read more
2017 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid: Efficient, luxurious, priced right by James Raia One major consideration for car buyers considering a hybrid is the cost increase from the gas-only equivalent. Lincoln avoids the potential consternation. The 2017 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid is priced the same as its gas-only sibling. Lincoln for several years has been trying to regain … Read more
The General Assembly signed into law legislation effective July 1, 2014, that repeals the annual hybrid vehicle tax. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Important News