We know all about the technology that makes the hybrid versions of Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango SUVs work. It's quite similar to the 2-Mode system that General Motors uses in its GMC Yukon and Chevy Tahoe hybrids and was jointly developed by these two corporations along with BMW. Our own Sam Abuelsamid has driven the Chrysler hybrid 'utes and managed a respectable 22.1 miles per gallon, beating Chrysler's early predictions of 19 mpg city and 20 mpg highway. At that time, the hybrids had not yet had their official EPA mileage ratings bestowed upon them, but that situation has since been rectified, with the 2009 models achieving 20 city and 22 highway. That figure measures up rather well with its most direct competitors, the aforementioned full-size SUVs from GM, which match the Dodge and Chrysler units in the city but trail on the highway by two miles per gallon. This figure gives Chrysler, with its 400-horsepower hybrid, the best fuel mileage in its category. Chrysler's also quick to point out that its full-sizers are priced nearly $8,000 less than the units from GM and qualify for a $2,200 tax credit.


[Source: Chrysler]

General Motors is finally starting to regularly break out the sales figures for its hybrid vehicles and while the numbers are improving, they still look very weak compared to the competition. August was the company's best month yet for hybrids with a whopping 1,629 units delivered of the six available models. Buyers took home a combined 797 examples of the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon plus a single Escalade hybrid. The Escalade only went on sale in late August so we'll be looking for the September numbers to see if there really is any demand for a $70,000+ luxury hybrid SUV. Over on the mild hybrid side of the tally, the Saturn Vue was the winner with 417 sales, followed by the Malibu at 388 and finally the Aura with a mere 26 sales. These numbers are still pretty weak but at least they are trending upward. Over 12 months the current rate amounts to over 19,500 units, a number that will likely grow significantly when the two-mode Vue goes on sale in a few months. With six hybrids on sale though, that's still pretty tame compared even to Ford, which sells every one of the 25,000 Escape and Mariner hybrids it offers. Ford will likely jump well out ahead in the new year with the Fusion hybrid. Next month, we'll be carefully watching Chrysler's numbers as well, since the first sales of the Durango and Aspen hybrids should be recorded.

Related:

• In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid Limited FWD
• In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2008 Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid
• In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2008 Chevy Tahoe Two-Mode Hybrid

[Source: General Motors]

Click above to watch the video

"How 'bout a sticker on the side of your SUV that says 'It's a Hybrid?' You won't save the planet or use less fuel, but people won't be giving you the finger or calling you the village idiot, or an environmental disaster..." With those words, Gary Busey comes up with a brilliant marketing idea which he freely shared on Youtube. What a nice guy, huh? Come on... dude's a genius.

In all seriousness, this is a joke and is part of a series of videos featuring the actor giving fake entrepreneurial advice entitled "Busey on Business." It's really pretty funny and plays on the fact that many people consider Busey a few bricks short of a wall, if you will. Click past the break to watch the video... it's worth it. Thanks for the tip, Erik!

[Source: Busey on Business via Youtube]

Sport Utility Vehicles may be the anti-poster-child for the green movement, but there may not be a better choice for certain types of families. As a class of vehicle, the SUV has been around since the 1950s, and while sales may have peaked a few years ago, the tall wagon with good ground clearance and towing capability will always find a few buyers.

Fortunately, the SUV has gotten a little green lovin' in the form of hybrid drivetrains from major manufacturers, including the undisputed heavywight champion of the hybrid world, Toyota. Likewise, the Detroit 3 have gotten in on the hybrid SUV game, and the combatants come in all shapes, sizes and of course, prices. We decided to take a look at the top five hybrid SUVs to see what the fuss is all about. Read on past the break to find out what we found out. Note: if mileage figures are quoted, they are 2008 EPA numbers.

Which one is the best for you? Let's find out!!

Click the 2009 Escape Hybrid for a high res gallery

We've spent plenty of seat time behind the wheel of the Ford Escape hybrid. The last time we had one, it managed to return an average of thirty miles per gallon. This mileage figure is remarkable, since the Vue hybrid, which you just saw at number two on our list, didn't do quite as well. Remember, too, that the Ford Escape hybrid is the same vehicle as the Mercury Mariner hybrid and Mazda Tribute hybrid. Let's take a look at the comparison between the standard Escape and the hybrid model.

According to the EPA, the regular Escape will get 20 miles per gallon in the city and 26 on the highway when its four cylinder engine is paired with an automatic transmission. The hybrid improves those numbers dramatically, coming in at 34 in the city and 30 on the highway. We'll back those numbers as being fairly accurate. This means that an Escape hybrid driver will save a significant $860 per year on fuel compred to the non-hybrid driver. For a vehicle which is priced well under $30 grand, that's a worthwhile improvement, and it makes the Escape hybrid number one on our list.

For the sake of comparison, the non-hybrid version of the Lexus RX sport utility manages to get 18/23 miles per gallon. The government reckons you'll spend $3,203 on a year's supply of gasoline for this vehicle. On the flip side of the coin, the RX hybrid gets 27/24 and will run you $2,562 for your yearly fuel. So, choosing the hybrid will save the driver $641 a year for gas. Still, the hybrid Lexus is meant to improve the performance of the vehicle in addition to its added efficiency. We hear it moves along quite nicely too, and the driver likely enjoys their time in the highly inviting cockpit and enjoys the stellar reliability that the Lexus is so likely to deliver. Still, this is a list of green vehicles, and the RX just doesn't match up with the top few vehicles on our list. Read on.

Click the Highlander for a high-res gallery

We got the chance to drive the Toyota Highlander hybrid a while back and came away thinking it was a bit overpriced. It's a bit cheaper than the Tahoe or Yukon, but not by much. When current incentives for the GM products are factored in, the difference may be a wash. So, let's examine its efficiency. Like the Tahoe, the Highlander hybrid also comes as a standard model, so a comparison can be made. The regular Highlander with four-wheel-drive gets 17 mpg in city and 23 on the highway. It'll run $3,188 for a year's worth of gas. The hybrid model improves things a bit to 27 city and 25 highway, leading to a savings of $855 for your year's supply of fuel.

All in all, the Highlander hybrid is a worthwhile improvement over its normal sibling. Is it worth the cost, though? That's hard to say, so we'd suggest looking at all of your options before making a choice. Let's move on.

Click the Saturn Vue Hybrid for a high res gallery

The Saturn Vue was the first hybrid model from General Motors and has lived on through an entire model cycle. For 2008, the Vue was completely redesigned, though the mild hybrid system was carried over with few changes. We think that the new model is rather attractive, so it gets points for style. The fact that it uses a lower-tech hybrid system brings it back down, though. There will be a new 2-Mode Vue hybrid available shortly, but it's not out yet, so we're sticking with the mild unit (someday, a plug-in version will be available as well). Still the 5kW motor/generator is able to make a decent improvement in fuel economy. According to the EPA, the non-hybrid Vue manages 19 mpg in the city and 26 on the highway. Total estimated cost for a year's worth of fuel is $2,757. The hybrid version manages 25 in the city and a whopping 32 on the highway, which should result in a savings of about $600 in a year. The Vue gets extra brownie points for coming in at just $25,370. That price makes it the cheapest hybrid SUV on our list. Still, we think there's a better option. This one.

Click the Tahoe hybrid for a high-res gallery

Marketing is extremely important when launching a new vehicle. The idea that you can "Build it and they will come," doesn't actually work in the real world, even when the vehicle is designed to save money at the pump. Such is the case with General Motors and its most recent hybrid vehicles: large SUVs. Despite the fact that the Tahoe and Yukon hybrids are all new and boast an extremely high-tech and well-integrated hybrid system, sales of the gas-savers stands at a mere trickle. High-cost is surely a factor, but, as experts point out, the marketing of the new vehicles has been sorely lacking.

GM's main marketing man, Mark LaNeve, agrees that the automaker could be doing a better job. "There's very little awareness that we even have these products. We're going to be constrained by battery availability, but we still think that we could work it up to 5 to 10 percent of our full-sized SUV sales." Since it began reporting hybrid sales five months ago, GM has sold 1,540 Tahoe and Yukon hybrids out of 57,818 total sales of its big SUVs. Expect to see much more advertising for these hybrids in the coming months.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]