Car Guru writes for DriveAway Holidays, DriveAway Holidays New Zealand and DriveAway Holidays Blog
As people become more aware of environmental issues and conscious of their actions, demand for hybrid cars, to buy and rent, has risen.
A hybrid car is a car which can run on two or more fuel sources - most commonly an engine and an electric motor powered by batteries. The motor and batteries help the engine work more efficiently which means you spend less on fuel and emit fewer emissions.
The Toyota Prius is probably the most well known hybrid car. It first went on sale in 1997 and since then, more than 10,000 Prius' have been sold in Australia. The Australian Government's Green Vehicle Guide website rates all new vehicles based on greenhouse and air pollution emissions and fuel consumption. The Prius is currently the top performer in all 3 with a fuel consumption of 4.4L per 100kms.
To give you an idea of what this means - a Hummer H3 Adventure has a fuel consumption level of 13.2L/100km, Toyota Rav 4's fuel consumption is 9.6L, a Mercedes Benz C Class C180K is 7.6L and a Honda Civic 1.8L sedan has a fuel consumption of 7.2L. According to Toyota, a Prius has up to 50% less consumption than a comparably-sized family car and that one tank of fuel could theoretically get you over a whopping 1000km!
While hybrid cars are still quite expensive to buy - a Toyota Prius 1.5L petrol/Electric combination CVT will set you back $37,400 (from www.toyota.com.au), renting one may be within your budget.
DriveAway currently have Hybrids available to rent in France and the USA, but with car rental suppliers adding more ‘green' cars to their fleets, this is sure to grow over the next few years.
Renting a hybrid does cost more than renting a similar sized non-hybrid car (due to supply and demand and the fact that hybrids are more expensive for the rental company to buy), but you will save money on fuel and of course, it's better for the environment. Click here for more details.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A




Making Cheap Apartments Worth Your While
By: Chris Cornell | 22/11/2009Living in a cheaper apartment is one way of cutting down on expenses. However, this should not take place at the expense of denying oneself basic safety.
Renting Apartments: How to Live In Peace with Your Housemates
By: Chris Cornell | 22/11/2009Living together with friends can be fun as long as some ground rules are established. Housemates need to respect one another in order for shared housing to work out happily.
Deciding Whether to Live Alone or With Housemates When Looking For Apartments for Rent
By: Chris Cornell | 21/11/2009Housemates can be a boon or a bane depending on how you look at it. It always helps to weigh the pros and cons of living with others so that you don't lose out in the long run.
The Etiquette of Apartment Rentals Enquiries
By: Chris Cornell | 21/11/2009Making a phone call can be the most important action you can take when you're looking for an apartment to rent. It's an efficient way of finding out about vacant property without having to pound the streets.
Apartments: How to Be a Good Neighbor
By: Chris Cornell | 21/11/2009It's easy to forget about the rest of the world when you're living in an apartment. The world may not forget about you so easily though! Residents in shared dwellings often have to abide by more stringent etiquette than those in landed properties.
Accommodation in Cortona
By: Uri Nachimson | 21/11/2009La Mucchia casa vacanze is a self catering accommodation in Cortona, Tuscany, is a place planned specially for persons who are too hectic with their work and are looking forward for some rest or recreational activities.
The Benefits and Pitfalls of Vacation Rentals
By: Mark Ferrer | 20/11/2009You might have heard of vacation rentals as the freshest sorts of travel accommodations to hit the travel industry. Ever since properties in the real estate market became tremendously affordable, future retirees and investors are dipping their feet in the vast pool of second homes or rental homes. This increase in the popularity of investment homes has propelled holiday homes in a new level of recognition. But before you lose yourself in the hype, better learn the benefits as well as the disadva
Luxury Vacation Rentals by BRIC Vacation Rentals
By: marcus | 20/11/2009Destination - Playa del Carmen, Mexico . Choosing the destination is often the easy part of planning a family vacation over the popular holiday weeks into the New Year. The difficulty arises in the plethora of choices available when it comes to finding the perfect accommodations. We found on our annual, family vacation that BRIC Vacation Rentals – www.BricRental.com - were able to provide us the perfect solution
So Where's The Cheap Fuel Hiding?
By: Car Guru | 31/08/2009 | Travel TipsCheapest Fuel Prices.
Take a Drive with your four-legged Mate!
By: Car Guru | 31/07/2009 | Travel TipsTaking your four legged mate on a drive.
Top Winter School Holidays Trips - Australia
By: Car Guru | 31/07/2009 | DestinationsTop Winter School Holidays Trips around New Sout Wales & Victoria!
The Best Drives in Ireland
By: Car Guru | 31/07/2009 | DestinationsA self Drive holiday in Ireland. Three of the Best Drives tours in Ireland.
Consider a Holiday in a Place Less Travelled?
By: Car Guru | 31/07/2009 | TravelConsider a Holiday in a Place Less Travelled?
A Guide to Motorhome Rental in Australia
By: Car Guru | 24/03/2009 | TravelWith over 60,000kms of coastline, a road trip in Australia is a must do! Campervans and motorhomes have become increasingly popular but many people are put off by a seemingly complicated process. Not so. Read on for our FAQs on Australian motorhome rental.
Would you fly No Frills to Europe?
By: Car Guru | 18/03/2009 | DestinationsWould you fly No Frills to Europe?