The Toyota Prius is the Best Hybrid Car

Which vehicle is considered to be the best hybrid car? If you want to argue about fuel economy, the Toyota Prius wins hands down.

Since its introduction into the market in 1999, the Toyota Prius continues to remain strong in the US market. It does about 51 miles per gallon in highway driving and about 60 miles per gallon in the city is a huge selling point. This isn't bad for a car that can let you travel 566 miles per full tank of fuel.

In 2006, it is no wonder that this vehicle accounted for more than half of all hybrid vehicle sales. A year later, sales continued to push even further with 183,800 Prius' sold. During the first 4 months of 2008, over 66,100 Prius were sold and at this rate, analysts predict that it will hit beyond the 200,000 mark by the end of the year.

The 2008 Toyota Prius also has more trunk space than the Toyota Camry and roomier than the Honda Civic Hybrid.

The one thing that has not changed since the vehicle first came out is the hatchback design. Many car reviewers say that this is what makes the Prius stand out from other economy class cars.

Unlike conventional vehicles, you don't need a key to turn on the ignition. You simply push the start button on the dashboard. You can switch from gas to electric power at any time and see the energy flow from one to the other.

The Toyota Prius comes in three body styles namely the standard, base and Touring. The standard comes with 15-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, full power accessories, tilt steering wheel, touch screen controls, a hybrid system display and a six-speaker stereo with CD player.

The base which will cost a little more has the same features but it also comes with cruise control, a different set of wheels and heated side view mirrors. The Touring which is the top of the line Prius has a sportier suspension, 16-inch wheels and xenon headlights.

If you want to make your Prius more stylish, you can add an auto dimming mirror, auxiliary audio jack so you can plug in your mp3 player, Bluetooth, rearview camera and a few other accessories.

But what makes the Toyota Prius the best hybrid car is the engine which they call the Hybrid Synergy Drive.

The drive train consists of a 1.5-liter gasoline engine and two electric motors, one of which helps drive the front wheels and the other of which functions solely as a generator that recharges the car's battery pack.

This allows the gas engine to produce 76 horsepower and 82 pound-feet of torque, while the electric-drive motor produces the equivalent of 67 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Net peak horsepower is 110, mainly because the two power sources hit their peaks at different times. With all that, you can hit 60 miles per hour in under 11 seconds.

Aside form being fuel efficient, the Toyota Prius is one of the safest cars in the market. It comes with seatbelts, airbags, antilock brake systems, traction control and stability control if you like.

All these features made the Toyota earn four stars out of five for driver and front passenger protection in front impacts, 5 stars for front occupant protection and 4 stars for the rear.

The one thing that brings the Prius down is that it is less powerful and agile than other midsize cars. If you think about it, that's not bad given that it gets you from point A to point B without consuming that much gas.

If you choose to get a Prius now, you don't only save money but also get to avail of incentives in terms of a tax rebate and the use of the carpool lanes regardless of the number of passengers in the vehicle. Keep in mind that this varies from state to state.

Even if gas prices have gone down in the world market, the Toyota Prius is still worth getting because you get to do your share in protecting the environment. With that, you shouldn't look at other car manufacturers and only settle for the best hybrid car in the market