6 unboring hybrid cars

By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNN

(CNN) — For years, it seemed like electric cars were the hot new thing, and hybrid cars were just a boring half-step. Hybrid sales barely grew while EV sales took off.

Suddenly, lots of car shoppers have realized that a half-step is exactly what they want. Hybrid car sales are surging as buyers got the message that electric motors save gas and money but hybrids don’t leave you scrambling for chargers. Hybrids increased from just 5.5% of new car sales in 2021 to 8.4% this year, according to data from Edmunds.com.

Broadly speaking, hybrids come in two varieties. First, there are “regular” hybrids in which batteries power an electric motor, or motors, that are charged by the gasoline engine. The batteries can also be charged during braking as the electric motor is used to slow the vehicle, generating electricity. The electric motor is used when only a little power is needed, such as when driving at low speeds or cruising at a steady speed on a flat road. It can also add its power to the gas engine when lots of power is required, such as when accelerating up a hill.

The second type is the plug-in hybrid, PHEVs – or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles – combine aspects of hybrids and EVs. A PHEV works like regular hybrids but also has a charging port and more powerful batteries and electric motors. It can can be plugged in and charged and, when fully charged, can usually drive 15 to 35 miles or so without having to use the gas engine at all. Once that EV-only range is used up, they drive like a regular hybrid, relying on the gas engine for peak power needs.

Toyota Prius: The original but better

Back in the early 2000s, the Prius was one of the first hybrid models offered in the United States. It hasn’t seemed exciting in a long time – at least, until its redesign for the 2023 model year. Now, the formerly lump-shaped Prius is a genuine looker. Shark-nosed and low-slung, it looks like the high-tech car that it is, while getting an EPA-estimated 57 miles a gallon.

The Prius isn’t especially thrilling to drive but it is pleasing with a smooth ride and gentle feedback through the steering wheel. It’s also roomy and practical. Plus, it comes in all-wheel-drive and there’s a plug-in hybrid version, the Prius Prime.

Toyota Crown: A hybrid of hybrids

The Toyota Crown is an odd vehicle that stretches traditional definitions. It’s essentially a big hybrid sedan with the added ride height of an SUV. The Crown doesn’t photograph particularly well but, in real life, it looks striking. An optional two-tone paint job with a black hood, roof and trunk lid makes it stand out even more, if you’re looking for that.

It’s essentially a hybrid for those who don’t want to drive just another SUV. It’s big and roomy inside and, with that extra ground clearance, can bound over rough dirt roads. It might have been better if Toyota designers had leaned a little more to the SUV side and given the Crown a hatchback instead of a tiny trunk lid. There’s plenty of cargo space but loading and unloading is challenging because of a constricted rear opening.

Dodge Hornet: Hybrids for punch

The Dodge Hornet is very different from the V8-powered muscle-cars for which Dodge is best known. It shows a way forward for a car brand known for high performance cars but also facing fuel-economy challenges. The Hornet is available with hybrid and plug-in hybrid systems that add power and performance to a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine.

It’s not a new idea, but it’s fun to see a fun performance hybrid in a mainstream car brand. (Essentially the same vehicle, built in the same Italian factory, is available as the more luxurious Alfa Romeo Tonale.) As either a Dodge Hornet GT or the plug-in hybrid Hornet R/T, this car is a quick, responsive and enjoyable little SUV. Due to its small size and curved roofline, it’s not the most practical. But that’s not really the point.

Hybrid pickups: Power for pulling plus more

Truck makers, like Ford and Toyota, are using hybrid power to reduce reliance on big V8s for towing and hauling power. Electric motors provide plenty of torque that make V6 engines in the Ford F-150 Hybrid and Toyota Tundra IForce Max more capable.

Both pickups can also rely on their hybrid batteries to provide power for tools and equipment through electrical outlets in the bed. The F-150 Hybrid’s Pro Power OnBoard feature, however, is even powerful enough to keep the lights on at home during a power outage, something people have used their F-150s for during natural disasters.

Jeep Wranger 4Xe: Hybrid for off-road

Besides saving gas, electric motors also provide ample, and precisely controllable, pulling power. That means they’re great for off-roading and clambering over rocks. So when Jeep came out with the plug-in hybrid Wrangler 4Xe it quickly became one of the most popular PHEVs on the market. In fact, it’s become one of the most popular hybrids of any sort by combining fuel savings with capability. The 4Xe model now accounts for more than 40% of all Jeep Wranglers sold.

Corvette E-Ray: Hybrid for horsepower

The Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray provides another take on hybrid power to boost performance but at another level up from something like the Dodge Hornet. The electric motor that powers the front wheels of the E-Ray isn’t just – or even mostly – about saving gas. It’s about providing additional power while also making this the first all-wheel-drive Corvette.

The E-Ray’s total maximum output of 655 horsepower comes close to that of the 670 hp Corvette Z06. And this model accelerates even more quickly. At the same time, its EPA-estimated fuel economy is nearly identical to that of the base model Corvette Stingray which produces less than 500 horsepower. This blend of power and efficiency isn’t cheap, though. Prices for the E-Ray start at over $104,000, only a little less than the Z06.

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