What Edmunds.com says The 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid is an excellent choice for drivers who want a little fun between point A and point B. Too bad it’s only sold in the eight states that have adopted California’s emissions standards. Pros Excellent fuel economy, sporty handling, precise steering, top-notch interior materials, high crash test scores. Cons Can only be obtained in eight states, options are only offered in expensive packages, so-so backseat comfort. What’s New for 2009 The 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid remains unchanged from the previous year, except for standard automatic door locks and four more exterior color choices. 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid Vehicle Overview Introduction Hybrids and other green cars, though known for being economical and earth-friendly, have a reputation for also being rather slow, odd-looking and uninspiring behind the wheel. Bucking the trend is the 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid. Although it has the outward appearance and driving manners of a conventional sedan, the Altima Hybrid sips fuel while keeping harmful emissions to a minimum. Borrowing heavily from rival Toyota’s parts bin via a licensing agreement, the Nissan Altima Hybrid shares a fair amount of technology and components with the Toyota Camry Hybrid. It has a Nissan engine — a revised version of the 2.5-liter four-cylinder in the regular Altima and a specialized continuously variable transmission (CVT). These improvements result in a more refined powertrain with better acceleration …

Maureen

The Lexus 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 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. With redesigned seating, updated equipment, a new ECO driving mode and new brakes, the Lexus LS 600h and the long wheelbase Lexus LS 600h L achieve advances in comfort and driving dynamics. The full hybrid Lexus Hybrid Drive system that powers the Lexus LS 600h has a new ECO mode, which modifies the throttle action and performance of the air conditioning system to support fuel-efficient driving. The relationship between movement of the accelerator pedal and system output is automatically controlled, reducing response to aggressive inputs to improve fuel economy and promote smoother driving. The load on the engine is also reduced under acceleration, which also helps improve fuel efficiency. When the outside temperature is 20°C or higher, the air conditioning system automatically selects its air recirculation mode to reduce power consumption. The blower airflow is reduced when set to “high” and operation of the supplementary electrical heating system (the PTcompact heater) is stopped, further cutting the amount of power used. Also, the system will not signal for an increase in engine speed to boost power when the vehicle is at idle. Repackaging of the full hybrid system’s battery into two sections of six and 14 modules has reduced its overall size and freed up …

Justin