greenfamilycar blog

In the world of auto reviewing, your life is filled with short-term relationships with some pretty hot cars.

They swoop into your life and spend a few days tantilizing your senses with powerful engines, luxurious interiors and sound systems that are so advanced you could swear you were front row at a live concert. Then, just as the relationship starts to get serious, she’s gone. Off to woo another.

So it’s a good idea not to fall in love with any of these beauties. You can enjoy their company and appreciate their attributes, but in the end you have to remind yourself that it’s only a fling and both of you will eventually be moving on.

Unfortunately, once in a while a vehicle comes along that is so special that you just can’t help yourself. You throw caution to the wind and fall head over heels in love. This no longer is just a fling — it’s the real deal.

That’s what the 2010 Lexus RX450h was for me. It was true love, Lexus style.

This SUV is in a class by itself when it comes to a luxury hybrid that has enough space for dogs and kids, but not too much that you feel like you’re a truck. It sits high enough above the road to create great visibility, yet not too tall to prevent kids and pups from climbing in. And because it’s a hybrid, the engine is as quiet as a humming bird, especially when traveling in electric-only mode at lows speeds, like through a parking lot or into a driveway.

But the best part if the gas mileage. I managed 28.5 mpg during our little summer fling, which is at least 10 mpg better than any of the other non-hybrid crossover SUVs on the market. This baby is not only cute, but smart too. She’s loaded with cool, high-tech visuals designed to help us better know how to calculate the best possible fuel economy, making driving the RX450h just a little more delicious.

The techie treats are everything in the RX450h, including side view cameras that provide a fisheye view of the blind spots alongside the vehicle. And there’s a weather tracker that gives the future weather forecast for wherever you may roam.

However, as with many relationships. Once the initial flash of infatuation has subsided, some realities begin to seep onto the scene. That moment came for me when I looked at her price tag. Just a smidge under $60k is what I would need to welcome this lovely lass into my garage. That may be a small price to pay for perfection, but it’s a little too rich for my blood.

So off she went, into the unsuspecting arms of another soon-to-be-smitten driver.

It was clearly one of those relationships I will remember forever . . . or at least until the next model comes my way.

Nissan announced today in Japan the launch of the first all-electric production model vehicle to be produced and distributed in the U.S.

The Nissan “Leaf” will begin sales in the U.S., Japan and Europe by the end of 2010, followed closely by two more zero-emission models.

Here’s the report from Reuters:

YOKOHAMA, Japan – Nissan Motor Co took the wraps off its much-awaited electric car on Sunday, naming the hatchback “Leaf” and taking a step toward its goal of leading the industry in the zero-emissions field.

Japan’s No.3 automaker and its French partner, Renault SA, have been the most aggressive proponents of pure electric vehicles in the auto industry, announcing plans to mass-market the clean but expensive cars globally in 2012.

Nissan will begin selling the first Leaf cars in the United States, Japan and Europe toward the end of 2010, adding two more models soon after. It expects production to start with around 200,000 units a year at the global roll-out in 2012.

Read the rest here.

The hatchback will have a cruising range of just 100 miles and a top speed of just under 80 mph. But because there are no gears to engage, Nissan says the Leaf will be quick off the block. If it’s anything like GM’s all-electric vehicle the EV1 (that was scrapped for political purposes in the late ’90s) we can assure you that it will be fast.

Nissan hasn’t released pricing on the Leaf, but promises that it will be comparable to the price of a similar gasoline-engine car.

The autumn launch of the Leaf  is significant  because that’s also the target date for the Chevrolet Volt, another all-electric vehicle that is getting positive reviews from those lucky enough to drive a test version.

Let’s hear it for this electrifying news!

 As Congress debates carbon cap and trade legislation and the Obama Administration begins to prepare for the year-end climate conference in Copenhagen, we want to know what you think about your vehicle’s carbon “tiremark” (see luvgreen for a carbon footprint calculator), as well as about the prospect of raising the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Efficency) requirements at a time when the U.S. auto industry is having such a tough time.

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