Honda also attempted to master it with their CR-Z, which according to the automaker was alleged to be a hybrid sport-hatchback, but just as the Lexus CT 200h, the Honda CR-Z also lacked in the “sports” section of the equation. This is the reason why we got attracted towards this new development.

Just a couple pf weeks’ age, Honda showcased a tempting small package known as the EV-STER at the Tokyo Motor Show. The concept EV-STER talked about a quick small ride around the town on complete electric power. Now, we’re getting reports that seeing the positive response the car got at the auto demonstrates, Honda has decided to give it green-light and have decided to put that into production. According to the sources, the car will be ready in before the next year ending and might even offer a lot conformist gasoline engine along with the electric gearing.

All this doesn’t mean that Honda will be bringing the EV-STER in the North American markets; but we were be more than happy if it brings, or for that matter even if it gets build up.

Volvo has also announced that the expected fuel costs for the vehicle will be around one-third in comparison to a straight burning engine. The 2012 Volvo V60 Diesel-Hybrid coaster wagon was first launched at the 2011 Geneva Auto Show. Volvo also said that the fuel efficiency will be equal of 124-mpg, and the wagon will be having CO2 emissions of around 49 g/km.

In a statement the Volvo CEO and president, Stefan Jacoby said “There is incredible concern from the buyers”. “We are sure that the initial couple of 1000 cars will be ordered even before the production of the cars gets on the go next autumn.”

The initial launch market for the 2012 Volvo V60 Diesel-Hybrid does not include U.S.

Volvo also said that they will be manufacturing around 1,000 models for 2013 model year, with the increase in production from 4,000 to 6,000 for 2014 model year. The Swedish auto manufacturer also says that it expects that around 80 % of amount sales will be group cars.

Around 30 % of the total number of cars manufactured will be sold in Swedish market and other Nordic nations, told Volvo in their statement. Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands will receive about 5 to 15 % each of the remaining.

A report from the U.K. arm of Volvo said that the V60 will be determined something around $70,177 to $77,974.

The electric motor and 2.4-ltr 5-piston chamber diesel engine of the car will be delivering a total power outturn of 285 bhp.

The production model of the car will be established in one color initially and that will be Electric Silver. The cabin of the 2012 Volvo V60 Diesel-Hybrid has been fitted with some new features, and the normal gauges in the cabin have been substituted by a 1-piece LED screen having options for display. There also is a possibility to intercommunicate with the V60 diesel-hybrid using a mobile application.

Acura is Honda’s luxury marque, and marked their 25th anniversary last year. The 2013 Acura ILX sedan is one of their moves to grab as many customers as possible from the luxury car segment and at the same time to hold on to them.

Acura is also testing a totally new design expression which they are calling “aero-fused dynamics.” Acura targets to sale all the 40,000 models of the car next year.

The 2013 Acura ILX is a face-wheel-drive model and will give three engine choices to its rivals, counting a 2.0-ltr 4-cylinder gas engine paired with a 5-speed automatic drive and a 2.4-ltr 4 engine with a 6-speed automatic.

Acura will also be offering the 2013 Acura ILX with their very first hybrid petrol-electric engine, which they say have been derived from the Honda Civic Hybrid. The ILX’s hybrid system is developed around a 1.5-lter 4-cylinder engine capable of cranking 93-bhp of peak power, and will be paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission.

The estimated fuel efficiency for the 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid is around 44 mpg for metropolis driving and 44 mpg for highway driving. Acura also told that its variant of the hybrid car system will focus primarily on performance than fuel efficiency.

The 2013 Acura ILX will come loaded with plethora of contemporary features such as HDD, Pandora (Web radio), a rear camera and SMS.

Acura will showcase the concept edition of the car first, at the Detroit Auto Show in January. The concept version of the car will be sporting belligerent 19-in 5-spoke rims, 235/35ZR19 Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires and huge cross-drilled brake rotors. But before you get any excited, let us tell you that none of these features will be avialable on the production Acura ILX.

As a result we have the 2012 Honda Insight hatchback, which has something going on for it. Among the things that work in favor of 2012 Honda Insight, there is the reasonable price of the car; the Insight has starting price of under $20 grand, as a matter of fact it is the most inexpensive hybrid in the market in present time. One another highlight for the insight is its incredible fuel efficiency, which definitely is not as great as of the incredibly thrifty Prius, but still it’s sufficient to make it one of the most fuel efficient hybrid models in the market.

The first and foremost weakness affects Insight is its lack of ride comfort. Though it still offers a lot less remote and extra appealing driving experience than Toyota’s Prius, the Insight doesn’t feel even half as refined on the streets, and that could be attributed to the suspension of the car which is way less forgiving on the pavements. The suspensions also falls short in terms of utility. As far as cargo capacity is concerned, the Insight trails the Toyota Prius, and while the upgrades for model year 2012 brings a tad extra space for the rear seats, the second row of the car still remains a lot less spacious than the Toyota Prius’ in every aspect.

If you own a hybrid and are among the very few who loves cruising along completely on electric power, than its worth mentioning here that it wont be possible in Insight, because it has a “mild hybrid” setup, which doesn’t allows the car to travel comfortably on electricity. And this complete setup is available with one another disadvantage: when it stops, the air conditioner goes off, which could be annoying in hot weather.

In general, the 2012 Honda Prius is not a poor choice, if you want an inexpensive transportation. But still the Toyota Prius is a better choice in this race with its incredible versatility and refinement. You should also give a look at the Honda Civic Hybrid, which also is a pretty nice car to drive around and it returns a lot better fuel efficiency.

Features and Body Styling:

The 2012 Honda Insight could be had in 3 trims: Insight base, Insight LX and Insight EX.

The list of standard features for the Insight base trim includes the likes of automatic climate control, keyless entry, driver-seat height modification, 15-in steel wheels, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, all over power accessories, a 2-speaker audio system having an auxiliary audio jack and a CD player and a trip computer.

The Insight LX trim brings cruise control, a front middle armrest and storage bin, steering wheel audio controls, floor mats, 4 speakers for the audio system and a USB/iPod audio interface.

The Honda Insight EX trim is fitted with automatic headlights, 15-in metal wheels, a leather-covered shift knob and steering wheel, heated mirrors having integrated turn signals, Bluetooth, steering wheel shift paddles, a 6-speaker sound system and vanity mirrors.

The Insight EX can also be fitted with a piloting system that features voice controls, a touchscreen user interface, a rearview camera and a digital sound card reader.

Power:

The hybrid power system of the 2012 Honda Insight contains a motor and a 1.3-ltr 4-cylinder gas engine. The power assembly here is coupled with a Ni-metal hydride electric battery pack. The gasoline engine here generates max power of 88 bhp and 88 lbs-ft of utmost torque, while the motor here generates 13-bhp of peak power and 58 lb-ft of peal torque.

The power generated here is transferred to the front wheels of the Insight through a CVT (continuously variable transmission).

Fuel Economy:

The 2012 Honda Insight delivers fuel efficiency of 41 mpg in city and 44 mpg on highways, which comes to a combined fuel efficiency of 42 mpg.

Safety:

All the 2012 Honda Insight comes loaded with safety equipments including traction control and stability control, brake assist, side curtain airbags, antilock brakes (back drum, front disc) and front slope airbags and active front head restraints.

Experts Say:

The 2012 Honda Insight certainly is reliable and fuel-efficient, but it still falls short of its archenemy, the Toyota Prius.

Aptera initially abandoned their plans of manufacturing Aptera 2e EV (electric vehicle), which was a 3-wheel vehicle. The company in their statement told that they were out of resources.

Aptera told that they have got a “provisional commitment” from the Department of Energy, U.S. for a loan of $150-million for funding the electric sedan which is said to be Camry-sized, but they were unable to secure the required funds from other sources.

Speaking at an interview Paul Wilbur, the Aptera CEO told, “We want a big wolf to lead the pack.”

In his statement released on Friday, Aptera CEO said that as their 3-wheeled Aptera 2e EV failed to entice the potential financiers, the company decided to reprioritize its product table to 4-door sedans. He also told that the company is negotiating for manufacturing the 4-door sedan in General Motors’ shuttered plant in Moraine, Ohio.

The Aptera CEO also told that the alleged electric sedan will be priced less than $30,000 and is supposed to deliver over 190-mpg equivalent.

In comparison, the Compact Nissan Leaf priced at $36,050 delivers 99 mpg-e.

The previous investors of Aptera included Google Inc., the business enterprise-capital segment of the search-engine giant; technology brooder Idealab and NRG Energy, which is an overtly traded power-generation group with heavy investments in different energy development segments including solar, wind and nuclear.

So first let’s begin with BMW X6, which is based on the full-size SUV BMW X5, but is a carlike crossover. To make you understand it even more, the X6 has been designed only for 4 occupants and the cargo space, external visibility and headroom for rear occupants gets limited by its sloping roof line. So in this manner, the X6 is a sporty equivalent of the conventional coupe.

Now, what BMW has done with for their 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid X6, is that they have put a Hybrid system on the same platform. The hybrid system here has been co-manufactured with GM and the firm in the past famous as DaimlerChrysler, and has the potential to propel the BMW X6 ActiveHybrid at low speeds with the help of the power transferred from its batteries to a couple of electric motors which have been covered inside the transmission. Jointly the ActiveHybrid system and the turbocharged V8 engine that we saw in X6 xDrive50i, generates utmost power of 480 bhp and 575 lbs-ft of peak torque. The power generated here is way more than the maximum power of xDrive50i, but because of the ActiveHybrid components introduced in here the weight of the xDrive50i moves up by 500 lbs, which consequently compromises the cornering performances and acceleration of the car.

But then, what’s expected from a hybrid car is fuel efficiency not performance, correct? The good thing here is that the power and weight of the ActiveHybrid betters the X6 xDrive35i generating 300 bhp only by 1 mpg combined driving.

The BMW X6 according to us is one of the finest handling SUVs in the market, but that’s not the case with the hybrid model. The ActiveHybrid X6, with its extra weight and the absence of Dynamic Performance Control System fails to match up the performance of many of its non-electric siblings.

Finally, we’d say that the 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 is a rather confusing and complicated vehicle for we don’t know who. It displays some advanced engineering, but fails to show any impact on the possession experience. The ActiveHybrid X6 is suppose to deliver the performance of a V8-powered BMW X6 along with the fuel efficiency of inline-6-powered BMW X6 engine, but it offers  all that for the price of striking high-performing BMW X6 M.

Body Styling and Features:

The 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 comes in a single trim and single body style of a SUV having seating space for 4 occupants.

The list of standard features for the ActiveHybrid X6 comprises of automatic and adaptative xenon headlights, front and back parking sensors, auto-leveling suspension, a sunroof, 20-in wheels, heated 14-way power seats with modifiable bolsters and lumbar, a power tailgate, automatic-dimming mirrors, running boards, keyless door/ignition, a navigation system fitted with synchronized traffic and voice controls, soft-close auto doors, driver memory functions, tilt-and-telescoping power steering wheel, Bluetooth, leather upholstery and dash trim, a 12 speaker audio system with 6 DVD/CD changer, a head-up display, iPod/USB adapter, BMW Assist telematics and back up audio jack and HD radio.

BMW also offers the ActiveHybrid X6 with a Cold Weather package which is fitted with equipment such as heated back seats, a heated steering wheel, retractile headlamp washers and a back seat infiltrate ski bag.

The optional equipments for the ActiveHybrid X6 includes the likes of ventilated and messaging seats on the front, automatic high beams, satellite radio, a back seat entertainment system, 19 in wheels, back manual window shades, sport seats and an enhanced sound system.

Power:

The 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid X6’s power plant features a gas engine and a couple of electric motors, which are mated with the gear transmission. The gasoline engine here is a twin-turbo 4.4-ltr V8 engine, which also features in BMW X6 xDrive50i, and cranks max power of 400bhp and max torque of 450 lbs-ft. The couple of electric motors takes the utmost power output to 480 bhp and utmost torque of 575 lbs-ft. The standard transmission here is specific 7 speed automatic transmission with manual shift. The power is transferred to 4 wheels of the ActiveHybrid X6.

Fuel Economy:

The 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid X6’s expected fuel efficiency in city drive is 17 mpg, while for highways its 19 mpg. The combined fuel efficiency for the 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 is of 18 mpg.

Safety:

The occupants’ safety in the 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 is taken care by traction control, stability control, adaptative headlights, antilock disc brakes, hill drop control, trailer stability control, side airbags for front seats, BMW Assist emergency telematics, front and rear side curtain airbags and active front head restraints.

Experts Say:

The 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 boasts a lofty price and doesn’t bring anything exceptional from its hybrid power plant. Along with this, the ActiveHybrid X6 also suffers from restricted back seat space and inadequate cargo utility, these all inadequacies stops us from recommending the ActiveHybrid X6 to the people looking for a hybrid model.

The Mercury models were suppose to be a bit high-end siblings of their Ford equivalents, but for the past three decades the Mercury models have been a tad more than the Ford counterparts with different taillights, grilles and badging. Now, while this has been a good situation for the customers, it hasn’t helped Ford in the way they wanted it to be, and has turned into a reason for a lot of people to pick Mercury rather than Ford. Eloquently, the Mercury marque has been stopped because of dipping sales figures, with the model year 2011 being their first car.

Needless to say, the 2011 Mercury Mariner Hybrid SUV that we’re seeing today is basically a 2011 Ford Escape Hybrid. Per se, it shares the strength and weaknesses of the progenitor. As far as the strengths are concerned, the Mariner gets the incredibly fuel economy of Escape Hybrid and also the access to some of the top-class features, for example an ingenious automated parallel parking help system and Sync voice-activated multimedia system. All these features you won’t find in many of the rivaling vehicles.

And as far as weaknesses are concerned, the Mariner Hybrid suffers from less nimble handling in comparison to its many of the non-hybrid sibs, some vital convenience features missing from the interiors and dissatisfactory braking performance. In addition, the Mariner Hybrid is priced a lot more than the traditionally powered Mariner, though we think that the incentives of the manufacturer might bring that down.

Given that all the other rivaling models (apart from Escape Hybrid) are very less and are way in between, buyers might also want to consider the Honda CR-V, Chevrolet Equinox, Toyota RAV4 and Subaru Forester, which are all great vehicles in general and still delivers respectable fuel economy. One another good choice according to us is the clean-diesel VW Jetta TDI wagon, and so is the Toyota Prius, providing you don’t want all-wheel drive.

Overall, we think that the 2011 Mercury Mariner Hybrid is pretty good at what it does and what it was meant to be: a little crossover SUV which can deliver decent fuel economy and has available AWD (all-wheel drive). But we still would suggest you to have a look around before finalizing the Mariner for its last model year.

Body Styling and Features:

The compact crossover SUV, 2011 Mercury Mariner Hybrid is offered with all-wheel or front-wheel drive in its single body style and trim.

The list of standard equipments featuring in the Mariner Hybrid includes external mirror having an incorporated blind-spot mirror, 16-inch alloy wheels, complete power accessories, cruise control, double-zone automatic climate control, power-modifiable driver seat, wood-grain internal trim, a leather-swathed steering wheel, the Sync electronics interface, MyKey parental settings and a 4-speaker audio system having CD player, satellite radio, steering-wheel controls and auxiliary audio jack.

There are plenty of other optional packages available with the car including the likes of Leather package, which brings heated front seats, leather upholstery, ambient lighting and driver’s adaptable lumbar support. Go for the Hybrid Premium package and you could get all the equipments of Leather package and in addition heated side mirrors, rear parking sensors, a 6-speaker stereo (containing 10 GB of music storage and CD/DVD player), hybrid system graphics and a navigation system having real-time traffic, HD radio and Sirius Travel Link. The 7-speaker stereo system and navigation system could be had jointly as a separate package. The individual options here include the Auto Park parallel parking system, remote engine start and a sunroof.

Power:

The 2011 Mercury Mariner Hybrid gets its power from a 2.5-ltr 4-cylinder gasoline engine paired with an electric generator/motor; together the engine and the motor generate maximum power of 177 bhp. The power generated here is transferred through a CVT (continuously variable transmission), which delivers seamless transitions between electric and gad modes. The AWD (All-wheel-drive) models are offered with an extra electric motor for powering the rear wheels when you need further traction or acceleration.

Fuel Economy:

The estimated fuel efficiency of the front-wheel-drive 2011 Mercury Mariner Hybrid puts it right on top of the crossover SUV segment with 34 mpg of fuel efficiency in city and 31 mpg on highways, which comes to a total of 32 mpg in combined driving. The all wheel drive models have estimated fuel efficiency of 30 mpg in city and 27 mpg on highways, which comes to 29 mpg of combined.

Safety:

The 2011 Mercury Mariner Hybrid SUV offers safety to the occupants with its antilock brakes (rear drum, front disc), front-seat side airbags, and stability control and side curtain airbags having rollover sensors. Some other standard safety equipments here includes new MyKey feature, which lets the parents to program limits for the speed of the vehicle and volume of the stereo.

Experts Say:

Ultimately we’d say that the 2011 Mercury Mariner Hybrid crossover SUV brings all the amenities of a compact crossover SUV, but at the same time delivers respectable fuel efficiency and ecological responsibility.

The recall summary of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says, “The 52 models of the 2011 Lotus Elise that are being recalled have turn-signal modules that is not companionable with the brushed up front headlight contour, which comprises vital front LED turn-signal units”. “The unsuited module under certain circumstances may cause the turn-signal LED lamps to blaze an unpredictable frequency, when you press the hazard warning switch.”

“The driver here will not be alerted visually some of the turn-signal lamps of the car aren’t operating properly, and hence consequently it will increase the risk of crash.”

The Lotus dealers will be replacing the turn signal unit. We haven’t got any confirmed dates for the initiation of the recall.

If you want further details on the recall, you could contact Lotus @ (800) 245-6887.

Big Foot, Aliens, and Sporty hybrid, what common between these three? You don’t know! It’s fine. Let us help you, the common thing between those three is that they are said to exist, but no one actually have seen them. Now, we won’t be talking much about Aliens and Big Foot, and hence lets come to sporty hybrid, which it’s said to exist in market but no one actually has seen a lot of them. But the 2012 Lexus CT 200h plans to change that, when the least expensive hybrid from Lexus opts for a totally different track than what we normally see in the hybrid segment, one which actually sends the car in a sporty way.

Priced at $29,120, the 2012 Lexus CT 200h gets a lot of its components and features from its siblings the Lexus HS 250h and Toyota Prius, but the lower stance of the car and the exclusive suspension components of the car allow it to deliver a lot sportier handling. The CT 200h also offered with changeable drive modes, together with a Sport setting, which perceptibly sharpens the steering and accelerator responses; consequently giving it a lot more enjoyable drive to the CT 200h than many other hybrids in the market. Though, regardless of the respectable handling chops, the driving fanatics surely will lament the absence of feedback from the steering and chassis.

But, considering the fact that the 2012 Lexus CT 200h shares its engine with its cousin Toyota Prius, the CT will not be seen a lot at the fuel stations. The CT 200h weighs couple of hundred pounds more than the Prius and sports bigger tires, and hence it exactly doesn’t get the fuel efficiency of Toyota, but still with the combined fuel economy of 42 mpg is kind of impressive here. The problem here is unhurried acceleration, and in our performance testing the CT sprinted from 0 to 60 mph in 10.4 secs, which is around 0.3 secs sluggish than the normal Prius.

The blend of incredibly high fuel economy and slow acceleration puts the CT in a strange position in the top compact segment. The only other car that comes close to matching the fuel saving and 4-door hatchback practicality of CT is the Audi A3, which is powered by a diesel motor. Hereafter, you most likely will be looking at the normal 2-door, gas-powered cars such as the BMW 1 Series offering better-handling or the Volvo C30, offering great styling. All these models are rather desirable, but at the same time the 2012 Lexus CT 200h still is a considerable choice. The CT is reasonably priced, incredibly furnished, is practical and certainly is the greener of them all.

Body Styling and Features:

The 2012 Lexus CT 200h is offered in a single body styling of a premium 4-door compact hatchback, which is obtainable in: base trim and Premium trim.

The standard features on 2012 Lexus CT 200h let in the likes of heated side mirrors, 17-in wheels, a steering wheel which is tilt-and-telescoping here, keyless entrance/ignition, double-zone climate control, a 10-way power-modifiable driver seat, Bluetooth (having sound streaming), premium vinyl covering and a 6-speaker audio system having satellite radio, a CD entertainment player and auxiliary USB/audio slots.

The Premium trim brings a sunshine-roof and heat up front seats.

There are a large number of optional equipments available for the Premium trim. Go for the Premium Audio package and you could get an advanced 10-speaker sound system having a 6-disc CD changer and an automatic-dimming rearview mirror. Going for the Leather package and you could get driver-seat memory functionality, rain-sensing wipers, automatic-dimming car mirrors and leather upholstery. The Navigation package further brings the Lexus Remote Touch interface, a HDD based navigation arrangement (having synchronized voice and traffic control), a support camera, augmented Lexus Enform telemeter and Bluetooth functionality.

Also available for the Premium trim is the Special Edition F Sport package, which includes a sport-tune up suspension, exclusive wheels, a mesh grille, a bigger rear spoiler and exclusive upholstery. Separate elective equipments here include the likes of adaptative cruise control having a pre-collision arrangement and LED headlights.

The 2012 Lexus CT 200h has starting price tag of $29,120.

Power:

The 2012 Lexus CT 200h gets its power from a 1.8 l 4-piston chamber gas engine and a duo of generators/electric motor. The total maximum output for the power assembly here is 134 bhp and the power here is transferred through dedicated CVT (continuously variable transmission) to the front tires of the CT 200h.

Fuel Economy:

The fuel efficiency is of the biggest highlights for the 2012 Lexus CT 200h. The estimated fuel efficiency here is of 43 Miles per gallon in city and 40 Miles per gallonon highway, which comes down to 42 mpg combined.

Safety:

The normal safety features for the 2012 Lexus CT 200h comprises traction and stability control, double face knee airbags, antilock disc brakes, back and face side airbags and side drape airbags. Another normal safety features for the CT 200h comprises of Safety Connect, which is a  telematics service that gives a stolen vehicle locator, usual collision notification and crisis assistance and Vehicle Proximity Notification System, which produces a small tone to notify cyclists and pedestrians of the impending Lexus.

Experts Say:

The 2012 Lexus CT 200h is one of the finest and imposing premium-compact hatchbacks, owing to its sporty handing, high fuel economy and attractive price.

To the critics, the newly fangled 201 BMW ActievHybrid 7 sedan is just another hybrid car with a price tag that overshadows its paybacks. Up to some extent, the critics do have a point. The ActiveHybrid 7 sedan with starting price tag of $102,000 for the short-wheelbase (there also is a long-wheelbase L model), is about 25% pricey than the normal BMW 750, on which its actually based. And in return you get around 13% extra power, 15 to 17 % better fuel efficiency and certain additional features that sweeten the deal.

But what’s different here with the ActiveHybrid 7 sedan is that BMW isn’t claiming it to be a vehicle that’ll save the planet or even aren’t saying that it is a tempting value proposition. So, what exactly the ActiveHybrid 7 sedan is? This is what you must be thinking, so let us answer it. The 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 sedan is a sensible retort to the market. Apparently BMW figured it out that a lot of people, who have bought the Toyota Prius, could obviously pay for something nicer, and that’s because; those buyers opted for Toyota Prius because of their ecological scruples, not their wallets.

So we have BMW ActiveHybrid 7 Sedan, which will take care of both your ecological conscience (of culpability) and also your wallet (of a huge amount of money). Along with the intrinsic exclusivity of 7 Series, you could be grateful to the urbane hybrid technology. The ActiveHybrid 7’s gasoline engine is a special edition of BMW’s 4.4-ltr twin-turbo V8 engine, and although the engine doesn’t turns off at lower speeds just as that of Toyota Prius, but still it brings decent increase in both fuel economy and power from a 20-bhp battery-powered electric motor. Some other technologies incorporated here for saving fuel includes an automatic-off functionality for the V8 engine at rest, the usage of electric motor as a starter and regenerative braking.

The big question that needs to be asked here is that does this all results in a gripping automobile? Well, if we’ve to go by numbers the answer will be “No”. We’re saying that because if your primary concern is fuel economy, then there are better vehicles than the ActiveHybrid 7 sedan, which delivers 20 mpg of combined fuel economy. And also if you want better performance then the Alpina B7 or 7 Series’ 760i version are probable better choices. In the meantime, we have the brand new S400 Hybrid from Mercedes-Benz, which comfortably undercuts the price of BMW by a huge margin and also delivers enhanced fuel economy. That said, if you want a luxurious sedan that blends hybrid street credentials with decent acceleration and lively handling, the 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 sedan is your only choice in current market.

Body Styling and Features:

The 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is a full-size luxurious sedan which comes in extensive-wheelbase 750Li and 750i trims.

The base 750i trim ActiveHybrid 7 sedan comes fitted with a wide assortment of standard equipments comprising limited hybrid badging, 19-in alloy wheels, soft-close doors, a power-closing trunk, an adaptative adjustable suspension, automatic adaptive xenon headlights, a sunroof, rear and front parking sensors, automatic-dimming and power-folding heated mirrors, rain-sensing wipers and keyless ignition/ignition.

The interiors for the 750i includes 14-way-modifiable heated front seats having memory functions, automatic 4-zone climate control, wood trim, a tilt-and-telescoping power steering wheel, a leather-trimmed center console and dashboard and leather covering. The normal technology features for the car includes the iDrive electronics controller, Bluetooth, iDrive display and displays for hybrid information in the instrument panel, a voice-actuated hard-drive-based navigation system giving synchronized traffic updates, a back-up camera and a 16-speaker DVD/CD audio system having an auxiliary audio jack, HD radio and digital music storage.

Certain optional equipments for the 750i comes fitted into packages. The Cold Weather package which comprises of heated back seats and heated steering wheel, in addition there also is a ski bag for the trunk infiltrate. Go for the Driver Assistance package and you could get a lane-departure warning system, a blind-spot warning system and usual high beams. Some separate optional equipments here includes the likes of 20-in wheels having dark external trim, performance tires, back sunshades, a surround-view parking camera, satellite radio, several interior wood accents, an USB/iPod jack, a 6-DVD changer, a back-seat entertainment system and a NightVision infrared display having pedestrian detection.

The ActiveHybrid 7’s 750Li trim brings an air suspension which is self-leveling and an extended wheelbase which gives better back seat space. Along with aforementioned options, the 750Li can also be had with a Luxury Rear Seating package that gets power rear seats having massaging and cooling functions.

Power:

The 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 sedan’s power system comprises of an electric/gasoline hybrid power plant. The turbocharged 4.4-ltr V8 engine is the same that we’ve seen in some other BMW models, but here it is significantly tweaked – for example, there isn’t any generator or starter. The maximum output power here is 440 bhp and 475 lbs-ft of maximum torque. The electric motor here gets its power from a lithium-ion battery, which is mounted on the trunk and brings 20 bhp more to the maximum power and 155 lb-ft to the maximum torque. The total output power for the assembly is 455 bhp and 515 lbs-feet of maximum torque. The total power generated here is transmitted through an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Fuel Economy:

The estimated combined fuel efficiency for the 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 Sedan is around 20 mpg.

Safety:

The normal safety features for 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 Sedan comprises stability control, antilock brakes, front knee airbags, front-seat side airbags, active front head restraints and side curtain airbags. There are plenty of elective safety features incluing the likes of side- and rearview cameras, a blind-spot warning system, a lane departure warning system and infrared night-sight with footer detecting, which shows the images either in the main display or in the head-up display (if so set).

Experts Say:

The 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 sedan brings both, extra power and better fuel-efficiency, but its significantly expensive.