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Hybrid ScorecardSee which vehicles make the most of hybrid technology for the environment, and your pocketbook. |
Welcome to the UCS Hybrid Scorecard
The Hybrid Scorecard from the Union of Concerned Scientists is the only comprehensive ranking of hybrid vehicles available in the U.S. market. The Hybrid Scorecard compares hybrids with their conventional counterparts to determine how effectively automakers are installing hybrid technology into their respective fleets. The scorecard can help you identify what you're really paying for in a hybrid vehicle. It also demonstrates what automakers can do to make their hybrids a better environmental and financial deal for their customers.
UCS advises consumers to buy the cleanest, most fuel-efficient vehicle that meets their needs, whether it's a sedan, SUV, or pickup. Hybrids are often the best choice in each vehicle class. However, not all hybrids are created equal. For more UCS Hybrid Scorecard tips for consumers and automakers, please see our Hybrid Scorecard findings.
Click on headers to sort by category and vehicle names to get individual summary and detailed information.
SCORECARD KEY
- Environmental Score (0 is worst, 10 is best) is the measure of a vehicle’s improvement in global warming pollution over its closest conventional counterpart, along with its smog-forming emissions performance.
Example: The Toyota Prius gets an industry-leading 44 percent reduction in global warming emissions over its closest conventional counterpart (the Toyota Matrix), and a 9.5 out of 10 on the Environmental Protection Agency’s smog-forming emissions scale. These strong statistics merit a Hybrid Scorecard Environmental Score of 9.8, making the Prius the highest-rated hybrid.
- Hybrid Value (Very Low to Very High) is the environmental “bang for your buck.” It measures how cost-effectively a particular hybrid achieves its environmental performance.
Example: The hybrid system in the Lexus GS 450h is $2,130 and reduces global warming pollution by 13 percent over a comparable conventional model, giving it a Hybrid Value rating of “Medium.” The hybrid system in the Civic Hybrid costs $3,983, but achieves a 31 percent reduction in global warming pollution—over twice that of the Lexus GS 450h—for less than twice the technology cost, giving it a “High” Hybrid Value rating.
- Forced Features (None to $$$$$) is a measure of how many “premium” or “upgraded” features are included on a hybrid as standard equipment, but are not included on the base-model conventional counterpart. Forced features artificially drive up the price of hybrids.
Example: Lexus adds only $265 worth of additional features to the HS 250h sedan compared with its conventional counterpart, giving it a Forced Features rating of “$.”Its LS 600h L sedan, on the other hand, has an astounding $17,120 in additional “standard” features, earning it the worst Forced Features rating of “$$$$$.”
For more details about the methodology behind these metrics, go to the methodology page.
Additional Resources
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