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There are a lot of hybrid vehicles on the market today, and more are around the corner. With the recent increases in the cost of gasoline, many people are finding the additional economy to be pretty attractive. Hybrid technology didn’t really become popular until the 90s, though it has really been gaining momentum during the last few years. Companies such as Ford and Lexus are showing that a hybrid vehicle doesn’t have to be a funky shaped car, but rather a normal vehicle that is designed around accomplishing normal things.

We have grouped the most popular hybrid cars together in a short but sweet comparison around what’s important.

Economy

Our testing has shown that the Toyota Prius receives the best economy of the current popular hybrid sedans. Following that is the Honda Civic Hybrid and the Honda Accord Hybrid. The Nissan Altima Hybrid is a few miles per gallon behind, but still a noticeable improvement over the non-hybrid version.

Top Pick: The Toyota Prius is the indisputable champion here.

Versatility

There is much more to a vehicle than fuel economy or horsepower. A good vehicle will have a good mixture of both economy and power, trunk space and air bags. A hybrid vehicle is still a vehicle, as opposed to a battery on wheels. Many of the cars that we tested had great range, but in terms of versatility, the Toyota Camry Hybrid and the Lexus GS 450h are the two which really stand out.

The Camry for its price, ease of use, and availability to just about anyone. The GS 450h because of the power, good looks, and thrilling performance.

Top Pick: The Lexus GS 450h. Sure, it might be a bit more expensive, but no one who’s ever driven it has complained.

Overall Value

When comparing the overall value of the car, we are referring to a combination of the price, performance, economy, range of features, and overall sense of satisfaction with the car. The vehicles that really stand out here are the Honda Civic Hybrid, Lexus GS450h, and the Toyota Camry Hybrid. We don’t feel that the Prius or the venerable Insight are really worthy of being included in this segment, as both of those cars carry significant limitations.

The Civic and the Camry both have great mileage, and benefit from being hybrid versions of every day cars. Though we prefer the styling of the Civic, it is hard to argue with the ease of use and comfort that the Camry offers. However, we also feel that the GS 450h has them both beat by a large margin when it comes to every day use. The Lexus GS 450h is also packed with every bell and whistle you can think of, while still maintaining a formidable engine and power train.

Top Pick: The Lexus GS 450h once again. This car makes no sacrifices, and even though it is a hybrid, it is still blast to drive, use, and own. I’m sure every owner appreciates all of the technology and time that has gone into their vehicles.

Overview: Your head collides with your seat, and the world around you begins to disappear with frightening ferocity. The car continues to rocket forward, and so long as your foot remains on the gas pedal, you are helpless to stop it. The speedometer rises so fast you can’t begin to focus on where it’s at, and once it finally does level off, you find yourself on the upper end of the 100 miles per hour spectrum. This car makes no compromises, no concessions, and yes, it is a hybrid. And boy, do we love it.

Driving the GS 450h

At first glance, this sedan appears sedate and rather bulky. The swooping lines and well defined curves create a majestic, if somewhat regal, appearance. Once you climb inside, the same qualities can be found within the cabin. The interior is well appointed, and the voice activated GPS unit gets a nice big LCD screen.

The controls are all easy to locate, and there are hints at the vehicles hybrid nature throughout the cabin. Press the button for the vehicle to turn on and the voltmeter lights up, letting you know just how much juice the electric motor is going to give you.

Then, in that brief moment after you’ve pressed the pedal, you can perhaps wonder what this car will feel like once it begins to accelerate. And then it happens: the car launches forward with such force that you may find yourself taken completely off guard. We only wish that there was some way to record our facial expression the moment that we realize that this was no somber sedan- it must have just been terrific.

The GS 450h takes off faster than a Cobalt SS, Mustang GT, and is nearly as fast as the 307 horsepower 350Z. Yes, a 350Z! It becomes clear that this sedan, though not a sports car, was not meant to be on the tame side of things. Hitting triple digit speeds in this Lexus is comfortable, and oddly quiet. Gosh, we can hardly contain ourselves!

Conclusion

This sedan is proof that a hybrid does not have to be a boring, sleep inducing vehicle. Never mind all of the features and technology inside the car, it’s the technology and sheer force underneath the hood that gets us excited. And, despite all of this power (nearly 340 horsepower from a 3.3 liter six cylinder/electric motor combination), the GS 450h is still capable of churning out over 30 miles per gallon. That we really like.