Check Out These Five Fantastic Hybrid Vehicles

It’s perfectly understandable if you’ve never owned a hybrid vehicle before, but it’s also not uncommon for plenty of you to have driven one or currently do so. Hybrid cars for sale have essentially become a guarantee when you visit a reputable dealership, but that wouldn’t be the case if manufacturers didn’t put forth the work to bring these vehicles to life. This hybrid revolution can be witnessed right here at DriveHubler Certified Pre-Owned among our vast array of hybrid models we have in stock.

Like your standard gasoline powertrains, hybrid models retain their fuel tanks, unlike plug-in hybrids. The difference between hybrids and plug-in hybrids can be summed up in one brief sentence: Plug-in hybrids don’t run on gasoline and must be plugged in to charge; regular hybrids use gasoline to power the car and utilize kinetic energy to recharge the included battery. Whether you knew that or not, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve come up with a list of five hybrid models you should consider when you’re about to go shopping, so read on to find out which five we’ve chosen, and when you’re ready to give a few a test-drive, we welcome you to come in and talk with one of our friendly and knowledgeable salespeople.

The Honda Accord Hybrid

We want to kick off our list of the top five used hybrid models with a fan favorite. The Honda Accord is one of the most successful Honda vehicles, and the hybrid model lends this sedan an opportunity to omit less emissions and extend its already immensely efficient reputation. The Accord Hybrid doesn’t remove itself too far from its roots, so this midsize sedan regularly matches its non-hybrid counterpart in various areas, which include infotainment tech, safety features, cargo space, etc.

The largest difference stems from that hybrid powertrain, which isn’t only more efficient than any other Accord powertrain, but it’s stronger than the Accord’s base engine. Looking at the 2020 model as the basis of our discussion, the only downside stems from drivers who are primarily manual-transmission drivers, as the Accord Hybrid doesn’t share the 6-speed manual transmission as the regular model.

What it does have, however, is the electronic continuously variable transmission (E-CVT) that comes with every other Accord configuration. With Accord Hybrid models like the 2020 variant, you get a 2.0L I-4 engine paired with a battery, resulting in 212 hp and 232 lb-ft of torque; more than the 192 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque the turbocharged 1.5L I-4 engine has in the regular Accord. The beauty of the hybrid powertrain shines through most, with EPA-estimated ratings of 48 MPG in the city, 47 MPG on the highway, and 48 MPG combined.

The Toyota Prius

How could we not include the venerable Toyota Prius? The Toyota Prius is a legendary name in the hybrid scene, and to many, the Toyota Prius may have been the first name they heard when introduced to the concept of hybrids. The Prius has been on a journey spanning over 25 years, and in the minds of many, you can’t go wrong with a Prius if you want a hybrid. What makes a Prius better than some of its competition, like the aforementioned Honda Accord Hybrid? The Prius is a great choice if you not only care about taking advantage of that hybrid powertrain but want something more – excellent tech, superb fuel efficiency, and a healthy dose of cargo space.

Keeping up with the trend we set earlier, let’s bring the 2020 Prius in for a closer look. The Prius doesn’t have the power the Accord Hybrid has – a 1.8L I-4 hybrid powertrain creates 121 hp – but it’s a sedan available with AWD, and fuel efficiency is best-in-class. With the 2020 Prius, you’ll get EPA-estimated ratings of 58 MPG in the city and 53 MPG on the highway (56 MPG combined) with FWD, and AWD models handle 52 MPG in the city and 48 MPG on the highway (50 MPG combined) which is also unbeatable by most hybrids. Various Prius models, like the 2020 Prius, have a total of 65.5 cu.ft. of space, but your Prius model may have between 24.6 and 27.4 cu.ft. of space available at all times, depending on the one you buy.

The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid

The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is the first hybrid SUV you’ll be reading about today. Why would you want an SUV, let alone an SUV Hybrid? SUVs are better suited for drivers with families or are designated car-poolers. SUVs like the RAV4 Hybrid are larger than your average sedan, greatly rival competitors, and even exceed them in various ways, like having more cargo space than the Ford Escape Hybrid and the Kia Niro. The RAV4 Hybrid is one of the more versatile vehicles we’ve spoken about so far, and that’s because of its standard AWD and towing capacity of 1,750 lbs.

Having the RAV4 in its lineup since the early 1990s has brought great fame to this SUV, and when the RAV4 Hybrid entered the lineup with the 2017 model, drivers got their hands on an equally-sized SUV, but one that’s more capable too. For example, the 2020 RAV4 comes with FWD standard and tows a lesser 1,500 lbs, along with a 2.5L I-4 engine that produces 203 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque.

We’ve already mentioned the all-wheel drivetrain and towing capacity of the RAV4 Hybrid, but this is all thanks to an equally sized 2.5L I-4 engine paired with the battery, which results in a higher output of 219 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. On the road, it offers an impressive 41 MPG in the city and 38 MPG on the highway. As an SUV, you also have a larger amount of cargo space available to you at all times – folding down the rear seats increases the total cargo space to 69.8 cu.ft., but not folding them lends you 37.6 cu.ft. of space, which is still more than half the maximum amount.

The Ford Escape Hybrid

We’re mentioning the Ford Escape Hybrid as a special mention of sorts, and that’s because alongside the hybrid Escape variant – and the purely gasoline-powered Escape – is a plug-in Hybrid variant of the Escape. With three distinct models to choose from, the Escape is a great choice for those who like choice, and both the hybrid and plug-in variants of the Escape are a great purchase to greatly enhance your vehicle’s overall efficiency. Both the Escape Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid have between 34.4 and 60.8 cu.ft. of space, and both utilize a 2.5L I-4 engine paired with a CVT.

The 2.5L I-4 engine in the non-plug-in hybrid model gets 200 hp and 155 lb-ft of torque, while the plug-in hybrid achieves 10.5% more horsepower with 221 hp and the same 155 lb-ft of torque. The beauty of the plug-in hybrid is that you get an additional 37 miles of travel range stemming from the electricity stored in the battery after you’ve given it a charge, finalizing a total range of 530 miles – using a 2020 Escape Plug-in Hybrid as an example. The 2020 Escape Hybrid earns EPA-estimated ratings of 44 MPG in the city and 37 MPG on the highway, with 41 MPG combined under a Front-Wheel Drivetrain. Meanwhile, the AWD 2020 Escape Hybrid meets ratings of 23 MPG in the city and 37 MPG on the highway (40 MPG combined).

The Ford F-150 Hybrid

What happens when you combine the country’s best-selling vehicle with a hybrid powertrain? You get the F-150 Hybrid. Not to be mistaken with the F-150 Lightning, which is the purely-electric plug-in pickup truck that’s making waves in the stratosphere of the automotive world, but rather with the hybrid powertrain available to a plethora of regular F-150 trucks starting with the 2021 model year. The hybrid F-150 models do wonders in adding extra efficiency to the powerhouse of a truck while still bolstering its towing capacity beyond several other powertrains the F-150 has on offer – like the 3.3L V6, turbocharged 2.7L V6 and the turbo diesel 3.0L V6 engines, the latter of which was discontinued a year later.

With the 2021 Ford F-150 as an example, the hybrid 3.5L V6 powertrain also pairs with a 10-speed automatic transmission like every other powertrain in the 2021 F-150’s repertoire. With a total of 430 hp and 570 lb-ft of torque, the hybrid F-150 has more horsepower and torque than any of the other powertrains – the five additional engines on the 2021 F-150 and the four engines for the 2022 F-150.

Along with the best horsepower and torque of the bunch, fuel economy ratings in the city are greatly enhanced – for example, FWD models have city mileage enhanced to 25 MPG after going as low as 18 MPG with the non-hybrid 3.5L V6 engine. The towing capacity of the F-150 Hybrid is the best we’ll mention today, with 2021 models and beyond hosting 12,700 lbs of towing power – something guaranteed through at least the 2025 model year.

Add Unparalleled Efficiency To Your Daily Drive With A Hybrid Vehicle

What it means to be in the market for your next vehicle is that you’re looking to take a large step in your life. Maybe you’re replacing an old favorite that’s hard to let go of, or maybe you feel like you can’t get rid of your current vehicle fast enough – our point is, whatever reason you have for searching for your next vehicle, you should consider one of these five hybrids.

If you purchase one of these five hybrids, you can guarantee you’re getting a solid automobile with many benefits over the regular gasoline-powered vehicles you may be accustomed to, including, but not limited to, saving money every time you drive down the street or on the highway. At DriveHubler Certified Pre-Owned, we offer a wide variety of hybrid models in all makes, models, and trims. Come in today and let us demonstrate how an investment in one of these vehicles can add immense value to your daily drive!

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