As global automakers work out implementation timing for new fuel-efficient powertrain technologies such as gasoline direct-injection (GDI), twin-scroll turbochargers, and full-hybrid powertrains, Hyundai announced that the all-new 2011 Hyundai Sonata is the first vehicle in the industry to offer all three technologies with the new Sonata 2.0T (turbo) and Sonata Hybrid joining the hot-selling GDI-equipped Sonata in Hyundai showrooms later this year. At the New York Auto Show, Hyundai unveiled its... 

The new Lexus CT 200h is the first full hybrid vehicle to be launched in the premium compact segment. Entering production in late 2010 and set for sale worldwide, the full hybrid model will provide a new gateway to the Lexus range and attract new, younger customers to the brand. The CT 200h was designed and developed with the European market in mind. Lexus’s first five-door compact car, its size, packaging, full hybrid technology and low emissions fully address the requirements of discerning,... 

The 2010 Chevrolet Equinox is of paramount importance for the new GM. You could think of it as the number-one draft pick for an 0-16 team or the make-or-break third album after a sophomore stinker. Small crossovers have become the best-selling SUVs, but the segment has been dominated by Honda and Toyota. GM needs a winner to unseat them. Thankfully for us consumers, GM’s desperation has resulted in just that. The original Equinox was a decent vehicle, notable for its spacious cabin and peppy... 

The BMW ActiveHybrid X6 is the world’s first Sports Activity Coupé with full hybrid drive offering a driving experience quite unique both in the segment of BMW X models and in the hybrid segment as a whole. Through its combination of a V8 gasoline engine and electric drive, the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 offers a significant increase in dynamic performance together with a reduction of fuel consumption and emissions by approximately 20 per cent. This joint enhancement of driving pleasure and... 

The 2010 LS 600h, the full hybrid Lexus flagship, gains a range of technological and styling improvements for the 2010 model year, changes that have been unveiled for the first time at the Frankfurt Motor Show. With redesigned seating, updated equipment, a new ECO driving mode and new brakes, the LS 600h and the long wheelbase LS 600h L achieve advances in comfort and driving dynamics. The full hybrid Lexus Hybrid Drive system that powers the LS 600h has a new ECO mode, which modifies the throttle... 

A new powertrain lineup, with a more powerful and fuel-efficient 2.5-liter I-4 engine and a new six-speed automatic transmission, leads the list of enhancements for the 2009 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner models. Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner, the popular compact SUVs, boast better fuel economy, thanks to a combination of the new engine and fuel-saving six-speed transmission. Other fuel-efficiency measures, such as refined aerodynamics and new low-rolling-resistance tires, also enhance fuel economy... 

The 2009 GMC Sierra Hybrid is a powerful full-size pickup that achieves 40-percent greater city fuel economy and a 25-percent improvement in overall fuel economy while delivering the capability expected of a full-size truck – including a 6,100-pound (2,767 kg) towing capacity. Partnering General Motors’ patented two-mode hybrid system and a powerful 6.0L gas V-8, the Sierra Hybrid delivers highly efficient performance, including all-electric driving up to 30 mph (48 km/h). That allows... 

For 2009, the Saturn Aura midsize sport sedan demonstrates that fuel efficiency-minded customers don’t have to sacrifice uplevel amenities such as a six-speed automatic transmission, leather seating, alloy wheels and Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity, as a new 2.4L four-cylinder Aura XR model joins the Saturn family. Saturn also has good news for those seeking to go further on a gallon of gas: Both Aura XE and XR four-cylinder models achieve EPA fuel economy of 33 mpg highway and 26... 

For most of this decade, Toyota’s 46-mpg Prius has enjoyed a virtual monopoly in the extreme fuel-miser segment. Only Honda’s 42-mpg Civic Hybrid comes close, and its sales have been hampered by lethargic acceleration and a not-hybrid-looking-enough sedan body design. Enter the four-door 2010 Honda Insight, which takes dead aim at Toyota’s green machine by offering comparable fuel economy and a look-alike hatchback layout at a considerably lower price. Of course, those with a longer... 

Honda says its FCX Clarity is the first fuel-cell powered vehicle to be offered to the general public in the United States. Two hundred examples of the FCX have been produced, and offered through three California Honda dealerships. The vehicle is available only via a 36-month lease for $600 per month, and only in the Torrance, Santa Monica and Irvine, California areas – chosen for their proximity to hydrogen refueling stations. Reviewers say the Clarity offers a driving experience similar...