Hybrid Car Review

So, the Toyota Prius Touring edition was selected as the best overall value for 2009 by Consumer Reports. But, sometimes value is in the eye of the beholder, which is why you need to evaluate the whole picture.

As Scott Burgess points out, Edmunds.com sets their own 'value system', which put the Prius Touring at No 41. And then there's Intellichoice, who created their own Best Overall Values of 2009 and set the Prius Touring Edition at their own level.

How can each list be so different? It all depends on what you see as 'value'.

All three used 'cost to own' a car, but use their own system to evaluate cost.  But either way, hybrids tend to score very highly whenever these lists come out.

At Edmunds, their Best in Value was awarded to several different hybrids.

• Best in Value for Sedan under $25,000: Toyota Prius
• Best in Value for Sedan Under $30,000: Nissan Altima Hybrid
  
• Best in Value for SUV Under $35,000: Mazda Tribute Hybrid
• Best in Value for SUV Under $45,000: Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  

 At Consumer Reports, there were five hybrids on their list.

• Best Overall: Toyota Prius Touring and Toyota Camry Hybrid
• Best Value Family Cars: Toyota Prius Touring Edition, the standard Prius, plus the Camry Hybrid
• Best Midsized SUVs: Highlander Hybrid
• Best Value Small Cars: Honda Civic Hybrid.

Hybrids were all over the Best Overall Values of 2009 from Intellichoice:

• Compact over $17,000 - Honda Civic Hybrid
• Full-Size Pickup 2WD 1/2 Ton - GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab Hybrid 2WD
• Full-Size Pickup 4WD 1/2 Ton - GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab Hybrid 4WD
• Midsize over $21,000 - Toyota Prius Touring and Toyota Prius
• Midsize under $21,000 - Toyota Prius Standard
• Midsize Crossover - Toyota Highlander Hybrid
• Compact Utility/Crossover - Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid
• Sport Sedan/Wagon over $38,000 - Lexus GS 450h Sedan

I almost forgot to mention, Kelley Blue Book selected the Ford Escape Hybrid as one of its 2009 Best New Family Cars.  KBB uses a host of factors (emphasizing fuel economy), not  necessarily based on value, so it's not really part of the above discussion.  But it's just one more award added to the list hybrids have accumulated over the past decade.