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Automobile Mag: Green Car
Automobile Magazine Green ReviewsAutomobile's comprehensive new and future cars section covers all the news, prices, specifications, photos, and more for every 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 make and model that will be in the showrooms soon including concept cars. |
| Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:09:00 -0700 First Drive: 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid |
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First Drive: 2011 Lincoln MKZ HybridA familiar fuel-sipper.We've already seen this gas-electric powertrain in the Ford Fusion Ford Fusion and the Mercury Milan, but Lincoln is upping the level of luxury with the 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. With hybrid credentials and a plush interior, the gas-electric MKZ is targeting a new breed of luxury buyers that avoid conspicuous consumption for more restrained products that also reflect a social conscience. The Lexus HS250h is the only direct competitor in the mid-size luxury-hybrid space, and Lincoln thinks it has a significantly stronger proposition with MKZ's better fuel economy and lower price. Photo Gallery: 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid - First Drive - Automobile MagazineFirst Drive: 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid |
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| Sun, 29 Aug 2010 15:08:00 -0700 Driven: 2012 Mazda 6 Diesel Prototype |
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Driven: 2012 Mazda 6 Diesel PrototypeSky-D Comes StatesideVolkswagen's monopoly on affordable diesel passenger cars in the U.S. is about to end. Starting in late 2011, American buyers will have at least one fuel-efficient diesel to choose from at the Mazda dealer. While the Mazda team refuses to officially acknowledge that the 6 sedan is the diesel engine's destination, the company has previously announced the engine will first appear in a "next-generation midsize sedan." Furthermore, we're driving Technical Prove-out Vehicles, or TPVs, that are next-generation Mazda 6 sedans, clothed in the current car's sheet metal. The 6, though, might not be the only diesel Mazda we receive. The CX-7 crossover seems a natural candidate and U.S. executives seriously want a Mazda 3 with a diesel, but that compact car presents a pricing challenge. Photo Gallery: 2012 Mazda 6 Diesel Prototype - Driven - Automobile MagazineDriven: 2012 Mazda 6 Diesel Prototype |
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| Tue, 24 Aug 2010 05:08:00 -0700 First Test: 2010 Ford Transit Connect Electric |
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First Test: 2010 Ford Transit Connect ElectricThe ideal candidate gets wired upReady or not, the electric propulsion age has begun. New battery-powered vehicles are about to travel where GM's EV1, the Tesla Roadster, and a few other low-volume demonstration projects dared to venture. Thanks to the availability of more efficient battery systems, electric cars you can actually buy are finally available. Photo Gallery: 2010 Ford Transit Connect Electric - First Test - Automobile MagazineFirst Test: 2010 Ford Transit Connect Electric |
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| Thu, 19 Aug 2010 06:08:00 -0700 Driven: Mitsubishi i-MiEV |
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Driven: Mitsubishi i-MiEVElectric Kei-Car Hits The StatesIn about a year, Mitsubishi will join the electric-car club by offering its i-MiEV city car to US consumers. The first 'i' in the name is a play on the Japanese word for 'love' and has been used on a conventional-powered mini (kei) car that debuted in 2003 and has been sold in Japan since 2006. The remainder of the name is an acronym for Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle. Photo Gallery: Mitsubishi i-MiEV Driven - Automobile MagazineDriven: Mitsubishi i-MiEV |
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| Tue, 10 Aug 2010 09:08:00 -0700 First Drive: 2012 Infiniti M35h |
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First Drive: 2012 Infiniti M35hMine's bigger than yours!Nissan's first in-house-developed hybrid will be on sale in the spring of next year in the form of the 2012 Infiniti M35h. The Nissan Altima Hybrid, which is available only in a handful of states, borrows Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive technology. Being a brand focused on premium, sporty cars, you can be sure that the mooing we've become accustomed to from four-cylinder CVT hybrids will not be part of the M35h's package. Photo Gallery: 2012 Infiniti M35h First Drive - Automobile MagazineFirst Drive: 2012 Infiniti M35h |
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| Tue, 03 Aug 2010 00:08:00 -0700 2011 Honda CR-Z EX manual |
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2011 Honda CR-Z EX manualA pretty cool little hybrid.Honda's CR-Z is a pretty cool little hybrid. There's a bit of sportiness that comes through the steering wheel and shifter as you putter along in city traffic or other roads that don't require much more than 45 mph to be enjoyable. What amazes me the most about the CR-Z is how little it reminds me of the Fit and the Insight, two Hondas I haven't really enjoyed. Photo Gallery: 2011 Honda CR-Z EX Manual - Editor's Notebook - Automobile Magazine2011 Honda CR-Z EX manual |
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| Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:07:00 -0700 First Drive: 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid |
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First Drive: 2011 Hyundai Sonata HybridThe homebrew hybrid.Hyundai's corporate work ethic and frugality have resulted in a strong emphasis on developing and manufacturing key components in-house. By avoiding the hybrid technology used in the Sonata Hybrid's chief competitors-the Ford Fusion, the Nissan Altima, and the Toyota Camry-the company has smartly dodged the licensing fees of patented technology and tapped existing hardware for its first gasoline/electric car. Photo Gallery: 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid - First Drive - Automobile MagazineFirst Drive: 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid |
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| Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:07:00 -0700 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid |
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2011 Porsche Cayenne S HybridSmooth SailingFirst an SUV. Then a sedan. And now a hybrid. It may be another gut punch for purists, but Porsche's foray into volume products and new segments continues with a hybrid model for the new, second-generation Porsche Cayenne. However, the Cayenne S Hybrid isn't an overweight Toyota Prius. Both the hardware and the software feature unique-or at least unusual-approaches to hybrid execution. The result is that the Porsche Cayenne doesn't drive like any other hybrid. Photo Gallery: 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid - Automobile Magazine2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid |
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| Tue, 22 Jun 2010 10:06:00 -0700 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Edition |
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2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup EditionA more fun Jetta TDI.If you're in the market for a Jetta TDI sedan and like to drive, this is your car. The firmer GLI suspension, larger brakes, and upgraded antiroll bars go a long way towards making the Jetta sedan exciting to drive. Of course those upgrades do nothing to address the modest horsepower of a TDI engine, but we're especially sensitive to the TDI's horsepower output because we've been driving the superb VW GTI for a few months. Anyone considering a TDI vehicle understands the lack of hp is more than made up for by the car's incredible 41 mpg highway rating and insanely long cruising range. Photo Gallery: 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Edition - Automobile Magazine2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Edition |
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| Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:06:00 -0700 First Drive: 2011 Honda CR-Z |
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First Drive: 2011 Honda CR-ZIs the 2011 Honda CR-Z a new CRX?Is the 2011 Honda CR-Z a new CRX? Well, the CRX's influence is not only obvious in the CR-Z's name (which stands for Compact Renaissance Zero) but also in its truncated tail and horizontally split rear window. The triangular taillights bear a strong family resemblance to Honda's current (and pretty dorky) Insight, but the CR-Z is lower, wider, and certainly cooler. The upswept character lines and D-pillar suggest motion even when the car is parked, but the long front overhang can't mask this car's economy-car roots. After all, the CR-Z shares its basic architecture with the Fit and the Insight, but it rides on a wheelbase that is considerably shorter. The CR-Z is an inch shorter overall than the Fit but is almost two inches wider and more than five inches lower. Surprisingly, headroom is generous, since the sport seats are mounted low. Photo Gallery: 2011 Honda CR-Z - First Drive - Automobile MagazineFirst Drive: 2011 Honda CR-Z |
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| Thu, 17 Jun 2010 08:06:00 -0700 First Drive: Smart ForTwo Electric Drive |
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First Drive: Smart ForTwo Electric DriveBattery Power Comes to America's Smallest CarBORN TO BE...AN EV "Electric mobility is the true nature of Smart," says brand manager Marc Langenbrinck. We have to agree that the Smart ForTwo certainly looks like it should be an electric car. The tiny two-seater, with egg-like styling and plastic body panels, is so wildly different, it's sort of a let-down to find out that it's powered by a conventional gasoline engine. But the ForTwo, which first came to market (in Europe) in 1998, had been around for nine years before the first Smart EV was unveiled, in 2007. A small test fleet was soon let loose in London. A total of 100 first-generation Smart EVs were produced before the second-generation electric made its debut in 2008. Deliveries of the current, second-generation car began in Germany last November. Now, the Smart ForTwo Electric Drive is coming to the USA. Photo Gallery: Smart ForTwo Electric Drive - Automobile MagazineFirst Drive: Smart ForTwo Electric Drive |
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| Fri, 21 May 2010 13:05:00 -0700 First Drive: 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid |
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First Drive: 2011 Porsche Cayenne S HybridFirst an SUV. Then a sedan. And now a hybrid.It may be another gut punch for purists, but Porsche's foray into volume products and new segments continues with a hybrid model for the new, second-generation Porsche Cayenne. However, the Cayenne S Hybrid isn't just an overweight Toyota Prius. Both the hardware and the software feature unique - or at least unusual - approaches to hybrid execution. The result is that the Porsche Cayenne doesn't drive like any other hybrid. Photo Gallery: 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid - Porsche Hybrid SUV Review - Automobile MagazineFirst Drive: 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid |
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| Fri, 14 May 2010 10:05:00 -0700 2010 Volkswagen Touareg V-6 TDI |
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2010 Volkswagen Touareg V-6 TDIThe V-6 TDI offers plenty of power for the 5300-pound Touareg.It's not a Mercury, but I can't help but think this Touareg is a bit of a cougar. You know full well that it has received plenty of cosmetic surgery over the past decade, but it's hard not to find the end product-especially with this monochromatic paint scheme-at least somewhat attractive. I'm not the only one, either; before I even left our parking garage, two bystanders commented on the Touareg TDI's good looks. Photo Gallery: 2010 Volkswagen Touareg V-6 TDI - Volkswagen Midsize SUV Review - Automobile Magazine2010 Volkswagen Touareg V-6 TDI |
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| Thu, 06 May 2010 10:05:00 -0700 2010 Lexus GS450h |
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2010 Lexus GS450hAlthough it looks the part of a luxury cruiser, it lacks the style and character of most of its competitors.The Lexus GS450h is proof that there is such a thing as too much torque. The hybrid system teams up with the 3.5-liter V-6 to produce V-8 levels of power to the tune of 340 horses. The problem is that the accelerator pedal is so sensitive that the torque is available at the slightest -- and I mean the slightest -- twitch of a toe. That may sound cool, but it's actually extremely annoying in this Lexus and makes the GS hybrid very difficult to drive smoothly at steady speeds. Surging to 60 mph from a standstill in 5.2 seconds (according to Toyota) is pretty impressive for a largish luxury sedan that's EPA rated at 22 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. Photo Gallery: 2010 Lexus GS450h - Lexus Hybrid Sedan Review - Automobile Magazine2010 Lexus GS450h |
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| Wed, 21 Apr 2010 06:04:00 -0700 First Drive: Chevrolet Cruze Prototype |
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First Drive: Chevrolet Cruze PrototypeChevy's global offering aims to be world-class.The folks at Chevrolet aren't hiding from the truth. They know that the Cobalt (and Cavalier before it) never met the small-car standards set by the likes of the first-generation Ford Focus, the Honda Civic, and the Toyota Corolla. Now Chevrolet is aiming to establish its car as the segment standard with the all-new global compact car, the Cruze. We recently drove several preproduction cars to preview the Cruze that will go on sale this fall. While our testers' interiors weren't ready for a showroom, the chassis and engine tuning were representative of production cars. Photo Gallery: Chevrolet Cruze Prototype - Chevy Sedan Review - Automobile Magazine Photo Gallery: Chevrolet Cruze Prototype - Chevy Sedan Review - Automobile MagazineFirst Drive: Chevrolet Cruze Prototype |
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| Thu, 01 Apr 2010 12:04:00 -0700 2010 Mercedes Benz S400 Hybrid |
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2010 Mercedes Benz S400 HybridThe car still provides all the comfort one expects of any vehicle in this segment.Despite the fact that it debuted way back in 2005, the lovely Mercedes-Benz S-class remains at the very top of its class. And the new hybrid model happens to add a (slightly) more responsible version. Pleasantly, the S400 Hybrid is also the least expensive S-class for sale today, with a base price of $88,825 versus the S550's opening rate of $92,475. Sure, you might lose some cachet with the more traditional folks at your country club, but the overall fuel mileage gains of 3 mpg overall are pretty enticing. (The S400 is EPA rated at 19 mpg in the city, 26 mpg on the highway, and 21 mpg combined, which matches the EPA's combined figure for the Lexus LS600hL. The S400's trip computer indicated that I averaged 23 mpg over 320 weekend miles. The base-V-8-powered S-class, the S550, on the other hand, gets significantly lower ratings of 15 city/23 highway/18 combined mpg.) Photo Gallery: 2010 Mercedes Benz S400 Hybrid - Mercedes Benz Luxury Hybrid Sedan Review - Automobile Magazine2010 Mercedes Benz S400 Hybrid |
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| Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:03:00 -0700 2010 BMW X5 xDrive35d |
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2010 BMW X5 xDrive35dCompared to its V-8 counterpart, this BMW X5 xDrive35d is just as comfortable, significantly more efficient, and less expensive.The diesel engines we've been promised for the past few years are finally hitting the U.S. market. Anyone who has travelled to Europe probably noticed that about half of the vehicles on the road were powered by diesel engines. The current crop of European diesels headed to America are incredibly clean and refined with virtually no noticeable diesel traits other than superior fuel economy. Photo Gallery: 2010 BMW X5 xDrive35d - BMW Luxury Crossover SUV Review - Automobile Magazine2010 BMW X5 xDrive35d |
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| Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:03:00 -0700 2010 Mercedes-Benz GL350 Bluetec |
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2010 Mercedes-Benz GL350 BluetecThe GL350 Bluetec's base price of $60,825 makes it the least expensive GL you can buy, and it gets the best fuel mileage to boot.The Automobile Magazine test fleet has been blessed with a variety of diesel vehicles lately. From the mighty Ram 2500 with a Cummins down to a mere Jetta TDI wagon, we've sampled the vast majority of vehicles currently on sale in the U.S. with diesel engines since January. Although the GL is at the top of the list in terms of price, it comes in mid-pack in terms of the overall experience. Photo Gallery: 2010 Mercedes-Benz GL350 Bluetec - Mercedes Benz Fullsize Luxury SUV Review - Automobile Magazine2010 Mercedes-Benz GL350 Bluetec |
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| Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:03:00 -0800 Tesla Roadster 2.0 Sport: Charging Expectations |
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Tesla Roadster 2.0 Sport: Charging ExpectationsIf small cars are particularly adept at changing direction, you might assume that small car companies can react to customer demands quickly, too. In the case of Tesla Motors, that assumption is correct.If small cars are particularly adept at changing direction, you might assume that small car companies can react to customer demands quickly, too. In the case of Tesla Motors, that assumption is correct. A host of updates to the Tesla Roadster addresses almost every concern we had after spending a week with the electric sports car - this Silicon Valley company is clearly listening to what people have to say. Photo Gallery: Tesla Roadster 2.0 Sport - Tesla Electric Convertible - Automobile MagazineTesla Roadster 2.0 Sport: Charging Expectations |
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| Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:03:00 -0800 2010 Audi A3 TDI FWD S-Tronic Premium |
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2010 Audi A3 TDI FWD S-Tronic PremiumThe Audi A3 is a unique vehicle at a reasonable price, offering a nice alternative to a hybrid or even a gas-powered premium compact.It's rare to have an Audi without Quattro pass through our garage. As all-wheel drive has become synonymous with the brand, it seems a front-wheel example of any Audi is an oddity. I happened to take this front-wheel-drive A3 TDI home on the night of Michigan's biggest winter storm. With a set of Michelin winter tires on, though, I hardly noticed that I had only two wheels to power through the slippery spots. Aside from the torquey engine occasionally spinning the front wheels, the A3 was composed and stable through thick city slush and at highway speeds. Photo Gallery: 2010 Audi A3 TDI FWD S-Tronic Premium - Audi Luxury Midsize Wagon Review - Automobile Magazine2010 Audi A3 TDI FWD S-Tronic Premium |
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| Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:03:00 -0800 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI - Four Seasons Wrap-Up |
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2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI - Four Seasons Wrap-UpVW's diesel is dignified but a little dull.When our 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI arrived at the office back in September 2008, the timing couldn't have been better. Fresh off a two-year sabbatical during which it received a cleaner, more powerful, and more efficient engine, the diesel Jetta was ripe for time in the spotlight with a market that demanded practical, economical automobiles. Four-dollar-a-gallon gasoline, increasing fuel-economy standards, and a gasping economy were practically an advertising campaign for a car that returned 41 mpg on the highway and had a base price of less than $23,000. Photo Gallery: 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI - Four Seasons Wrap-Up - Automobile Magazine2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI - Four Seasons Wrap-Up |
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| Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:03:00 -0800 First Drive: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid |
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First Drive: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg HybridVolkswagen's first hybrid.Why a hybrid? The Volkswagen Touareg has always been a bit of an odd man out in the world of SUVs. It arrived to the party a bit late, and since it plays in a segment of the market that's not exactly luxury, but certainly not entry-level, it doesn't exactly have any direct competitors. That said, we've always enjoyed the Touareg. Now we've driven our first example of the new, second-generation Touareg, this time with VW's first hybrid powertrain. Photo Gallery: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid - Volkswagen Hybrid SUV Review - Automobile MagazineFirst Drive: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid |
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| Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:02:00 -0800 Driven: 2010 Audi A3 TDI |
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Driven: 2010 Audi A3 TDILuxury goes green.The 2.0 TDI engine is the new optional powerplant for the A3, Audi's small-car offering that first arrived here for 2006. The TDI certainly makes a lot more sense than the 3.2-liter V-6 (which has been dropped) as the alternative engine offering in this car, particularly as the latest version of the A3's standard, 2.0-liter turbo four boasts the drivability of a V-6. Indeed, only a small fraction of buyers chose the V-6, but Audi expects the TDI -- which just went on sale in December -- to account for 40 percent of A3 sales. Photo Gallery: 2010 Audi A3 TDI - Audi Diesel Luxury Wagon Review - Automobile MagazineDriven: 2010 Audi A3 TDI |
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| Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:02:00 -0800 Driven: 2010 Volkswagen Touareg TDI |
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Driven: 2010 Volkswagen Touareg TDIAll swan songs should be this good.You might recall one of the great automotive oddities of the aughts: the Volkswagen Touareg with a 5.0-liter turbo-diesel V-10 engine, one which produced an absurd 553 lb-ft of torque but raised the price of entry for this supposedly mainstream SUV to an equally absurd $70,000. Those who closed their eyes and wrote the check invariably loved their ten-cylinder kid haulers, but you have to admit that it was a bit extreme, and eventually VW dropped the V-10 because it wasn't worth updating it to meet new American emissions regulations.Driven: 2010 Volkswagen Touareg TDI |
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| Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:02:00 -0800 2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid |
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2010 Toyota Camry HybridThe Camry Hybrid is the most unobtrusive of hybrid vehicles.As opposed to the Prius, which with its distinctive profile fairly screams its eco-friendliness to passersby, the Camry Hybrid is the most unobtrusive of hybrid vehicles. Disguised as a run-of-the-mill combustion-engined Camry, the only outward indication that there is a hybrid powertrain lurking under the skin is a small Hybrid Synergy Drive badge. Photo Gallery: 2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid - Toyota Hybrid Sedan Review - Automobile Magazine2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid |
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