Hybrid Car Review

Intellichoice selected several hybrids as 'Best Deals' for September, 2006. Hybrid vehicles are proving their value over 'long haul'.

"Our monthly analyses have consistently shown that, even with higher up-front costs such as purchase price and slightly higher insurance, the Total Cost of Ownership over five years is lower than that of each hybrid's competitors in the same category."

The Insight (out of production this month), Honda Civic Hybrid, Toyota Prius, Ford Escape Hybrid, and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid. They were listed under the following categories as the 'Best Deal' in September, 2006.

Class	Brand	Model
Subcompact	Honda	Insight (Manual)
Compact over $16,000	Honda	Civic Hybrid (Auto)
Midsize under $21,000	Toyota	Prius
Compact Utility over $21,000	Ford	Escape Hybrid 2WD
Intermediate Utility over $29,000	Toyota	Highlander Hybrid 2WD

IntelliChoice.com updates vehicle data several times a month in order to capture the many expiring rebates and ongoing programs offered by manufacturers--giving consumers the most up-to-date analysis.

IntelliChoice.com's "Best Deals" designation enables consumers to identify how rebates affect a vehicle's value throughout ownership and not just at the time of purchase. Ownership costs can vary significantly among different trim lines of the same model. Additionally, IntelliChoice.com continuously updates fuel costs based on the latest data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Vehicles designated an "IntelliChoice.com Best Deal of the Month" are typically cars and trucks that have good to great ownership cost values before any manufacturer rebate. However, a rebate can often turn a good ownership cost value into a great value, and a great value into an "IntelliChoice.com Best Deal of the Month."

This story was spotted over at autobloggreen.