Tag: Hybrid Vehicle

Consumer Reports unveils top 10 vehicles for 2026. See which cars made the list.

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Consumer Reports’ verdict on the top new cars for 2026 is in, and it brings some welcome news for car shoppers looking to cut down on their fuel use while also staying safe on the road.

This year’s mix of top cars, trucks and SUVs include several models that come in below the average $50,000 starting price for a new vehicle.

For the first time, the top 10 also all come in electric or hybrid versions, according to the product testing and research group, which released its rankings on Tuesday. Compared to gas-powered vehicles, the hybrid and EV options offer perks like better acceleration, quieter cabins and improved fuel economy, according to Consumer Reports.

“Everything here is electrified, so to speak,” said Alex Knizek, director of auto test development at Consumer Reports.

Consumer Reports purchases and tests about 50 new vehicles every year, assessing the cars based on their performance in dozens of road tests, as well as government and insurance industry crash tests. The organization also considers reliability and consumer satisfaction scores pulled from survey data.

Most cars that claimed the highest rankings are repeats from last year, with the exception of three new vehicles that managed to infiltrate the top 10. Read on for Consumer Reports’ list of the best vehicles for 2026.

For those looking to save money, Consumer Reports also compiles a list of the top 10 used cars each month.

Best small car: Honda Civic

The Honda Civic, long lauded for its value, is a new entrant into Consumer Reports’ top 10 this year. The car’s base price in 2026 is $24,695.

Of the car maker’s three Honda Civic sedan models, Consumer Reports said the hybrid version is the best. It offers all the perks of the gas-powered models, in addition to better fuel efficiency — at 44 miles per gallon (mpg) — and superior acceleration — going from 0 to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds, according to Consumer Reports. Honda introduced the hybrid version of its Honda Civic vehicle in 2003, according to JD Power.

According to Knizek, the hybrid model is both quieter and more powerful than the gas-powered model.

Honda Civic Hybrid

John “JP” Powers; photo courtesy of Consumer Reports

Best midsize Car: Toyota Camry

The Toyota Camry, now sold exclusively as a hybrid, also snatched one of the top slots on the list, with Consumer Reports touting its “practical interior space” and “user-friendly controls.” The vehicle has a base price of $29,100.

“It handles well, it rides well, looks pretty good, too,” Knizek said. “So it’s just a well-rounded sedan.”

One downside: The low placement of the front and rear seats may make them challenging to access for some.

Toyota Camry

John “JP” Powers; photo courtesy of Consumer Reports

Best subcompact SUV: Subaru Crosstrek

With a base price of $26,995, the Subaru Crosstrek comes in both hybrid and gas-powered versions. Consumer Reports said the vehicle offers secure handling and can handle “off-pavement excursions.”

Knizek praised both the Crosstrek and the Subaru Forester (listed below) for their reliability and visibility.

“Where they really shine is they’re reliable,” he said. “But they are fuel efficient, and this is going to sound silly, but you can see out of them really well.”

Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

John “JP” Powers; photo courtesy of Consumer Reports.

Best compact SUV: Subaru Forester

Another Subaru car on this year’s top 10 list is the Forester, which starts at $29,995. Subaru introduced a hybrid version of the car last year, which it says gets 40% better fuel economy than the non-hybrid model.

Consumer Reports pointed to the Forester’s excellent visibility, comfort, safety and spacious interior.

Subaru Forester Hybrid

John “JP” Powers; photo courtesy of Consumer Reports.

Best midsize SUV: Toyota Grand Highlander

Consumer Reports said the Toyota Grand Highlander is a good pick when it comes to three-row SUVs, with a roomy interior and 18-inch wheels making for a smooth, comfortable ride. The vehicle gets 35 mpg overall and has a base price of $41,660.

“There are other three-row SUVs, but to get one that’s this spacious and has a fuel-efficient hybrid option is pretty rare,” Knizek said.

Toyota Grand Highlander

John “JP” Powers; photo courtesy of Consumer Reports.

Best luxury compact SUV: Lexus NX

The Lexus NX got high marks for its high-quality interior design and comfort, with Consumer Reports praising its “especially plush and supportive” front seats.

The vehicle, with a base price of $44,175, is available as a fully gas-powered car, regular hybrid or plug-in hybrid. The hybrid version of the Lexus NX combines a powerful 304-horsepower engine with fuel efficiency, with the vehicle able to travel 37 miles solely on electricity, according to Consumer Reports.

Lexus NX Plug-in Hybrid

John “JP” Powers; photo courtesy of Consumer Reports.

Best small pickup truck: Ford Maverick

At a starting price of $28,145, the Ford Maverick caught Consumer Reports’ attention for its affordability. It comes in both hybrid and gas-powered models, achieving 37 mpg and 23 mpg, respectively. The truck can tow 4,000 pounds, according to Ford’s website.

With a smaller frame, the car is also more nimble, Knizek said. “If you’re in a city-type of setting and you need a truck, this is something a little bit more manageable,” he said.

Ford Maverick Hybrid

John “JP” Powers; photo courtesy of Consumer Reports

Best luxury midsize SUV: BMW X5

Consumer Reports described the BMW X5 as one of the best luxury cars it has ever tested, praising its supportive seats and well-fashioned interior. The car comes in both a gas-only version and a hybrid model with a 39-mile electric-only range.

With “a lot of luxury brands, just on average, we don’t see the best reliability. But BMW has really bucked that trend, the X5 included,” Knizek told CBS News. “Beyond the reliability of it, it’s just a really, really compelling luxury SUV.”

The X5 is the most expensive car on the top 10 list, with a base price of $67,600.

BMW X5

John “JP” Powers; p[hoto courtesy of Consumer Reports

Best electric vehicle: Tesla Model Y

Consumer Reports ranks Tesla’s Model Y, launched in 2020, as its best electric vehicle. The car’s reliability has increased with time and is integrated into the automaker’s Supercharger network, which “still has yet to be topped,” Knizek said. The car’s base price is $39,990.

Some downsides: Knizek said the controls on the inside can be distracting. Consumer Repiorts also recommends against using the self-driving feature Tesla advertises.

Tesla last week decided to wind down production of two older car models, the S and X, according to the Associated Press. Both models saw a decline in sales last year, Kelley Blue Book data shows.

Tesla’s Model Y is the only fully electric vehicle on Consumer Reports’ list of top 10 cars for 2026.

John “JP” Power; p[hoto courtesy of Consumer Reports

Best full-size pickup truck: Ford F-150

The Ford F-150, with a starting price of $37,290, has both a gas-powered and a hybrid version. The vehicle stands out in the truck category for its reliability, Knizek said.

“The reliability has slowly crept up over time,” he said. “It’s nice to be able to point people toward a truck that’s going to serve them pretty well.”

Some of the bells and whistles Consumer Reports liked: blind-spot monitors and driving aids that simplify backing up and hooking up a trailer.

Ford F-150

John “JP” Powers; photo courtesy of Consumer Reports

Edited by

Alain Sherter

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February 3, 2026
Zero-emission school buses coming to Derry

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DERRY — The future of school buses is electric, and thanks to a multimillion-dollar grant, the majority of the district’s diesel fleet will be replaced with new, battery-powered buses.

The Derry Cooperative School District and its transportation provider, First Student, celebrated a $8.6 million grant received from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program. The money will be used to purchase 25 zero-emission school buses for the district.

“It’s the movement forward,” said Superintendent Austin Garofalo. “We’re all looking at hybrids or looking at electric vehicles. The fact that they can do that with a bus, it’s just amazing.”

Local and state officials, school district staff, and representatives from the EPA and First Student gathered outside West Running Brook Intermediate School on Wednesday to celebrate the clean future of school buses.

Students from the school’s Kid’s Care Club, an organization devoted to community service, attended the event. Three of the students spoke about how excited they are to have the new buses.

“I think it’s really cool that our school is doing something to help the environment,” said Henry Fournier, a sixth-grader. “I’m proud to be part of a school that cares about the future.”

David Cash, the EPA’s New England regional administrator, said the new buses will be better for everyone.

“This is, again, all about your future and all about your health,” Cash told the students. “This new bus right here will help protect your health, be better for the bus drivers, be better for the teachers, and be better for the school district.”

In May, the EPA and First Student announced that Derry would receive the grant and 25 zero-emission school buses. The program has brought $31 million to New Hampshire for 110 new school buses.

Derry was awarded the most money out of any New Hampshire community that applied and tied with Pembroke for receiving the most school buses.

School Board Chairman David Clapp said this was one less worry for taxpayers in Derry.

“The education funding in New Hampshire is tough and when you get grants like this to help, every little bit counts,” Clapp said. “Usually, we’re trying to figure out how to mitigate issues. Now, we’ve got something that we won the lottery in and it’s awesome.”

Clifton Dancy, the school district’s director of information services and transportation coordinator, said he was proud to celebrate such a remarkable moment for the district.

“We are overjoyed to have received the largest grant in New Hampshire – more than $8.6 million from the EPA’s Clean Bus rebate program,” Dancy said. “This generous funding will enable us to acquire 25 zero-emission buses. To put that into context, we have 29 buses, 25 of them will be electric.”

First Student representatives said the goal is to have the electric buses on the road for the 2025-26 school year.

Ben Henry, First Student’s general manager for Northern New England, said the money will go toward updating the First Student bus station in Derry so it can accommodate the new buses, including adding charging ports for the vehicles.

The new buses were part of a bipartisan initiative championed by U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., who also spoke at the celebration.

“This is about making sure that we’re responding to the needs of our communities,” Pappas said. “The health benefits are there, the energy benefits are there, the cost benefits are there. So this is a huge win-win situation.”

Hassan said this was a moment where Derry residents did not have to decide between taking care of the environment and taking care of their wallets. She said this is one time where her constituents can have it both ways.

“This is one of those examples, too, where it isn’t just about choosing between costs and the environment. This both addresses climate change and lowers costs,” Hassan said. “This is about saving money and investing in the future. It’s a really, really good day for Derry and New Hampshire and our country.”

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By Katelyn Sahagian | ksahagian@northofboston.com

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October 17, 2024
As consumers pump the brakes on EV purchases, hybrid production ramps up

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There’s been a noticeable change at the Ford F-150 plant in Dearborn, Michigan. Production manager Cortni Reeves said that on one particular day, one out of every seven trucks is a hybrid.

“Every 53 seconds,” she said, “we have a truck come off this assembly line.”

A year ago, only one out of 10 trucks produced was a hybrid, marking a 30% increase in hybrid production and showing that hybrids are what consumers are demanding.

It is a sharp about-face for electric vehicles. A recent AAA survey indicates a decline in American interest in purchasing electric vehicles, with only 18% of U.S. adults likely to buy an EV, down from 23% last year.

In contrast, the survey found interest in hybrids is growing, with 31% of consumers expressing a likelihood of purchasing one. The main concerns deterring potential EV buyers are high costs, limited charging infrastructure and range anxiety.

Meanwhile, hybrids, which run on both battery power and gasoline, saw sales surge 53% in 2023 to a record high. Hybrids now make up 9% of new car sales, compared to about 7% for electric vehicles, according to MotorTrend, an American automobile magazine and the Department of Energy.

“There’s really no compromise for the hybrid customer,” said Andrew Frick, president of Ford Blue, which makes the company’s gas and hybrid vehicles.

Ford recently set a new record for monthly hybrid sales and plans to quadruple production in the next five years. Frick said the company wants to cater to customer demand and can do so by finding a “balanced approach of gas, hybrid and electric vehicles.”

The Biden administration’s regulations are pushing automakers to rapidly electrify their vehicles since transportation is the top source of planet-warming emissions in the U.S. Over its lifetime, an EV produces 50% less CO2 than a gas-powered vehicle, while a hybrid cuts it by 25%, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Decarbonizing the American auto fleet would take longer if consumers choose hybrids over EVs.

But while EV sales are seeing a decline, Eric Tingwall, testing director with MotorTrend, says EV sales are still happening, but are “growing much slower than they had been a year ago or two years ago.”

Tingwall believes hybrids may be the bridge to an electric future for mainstream buyers.

“The near-term future is hybrid, plug-in hybrid, electric, and some gas vehicles as well,” Tingwall said.

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Ben Tracy

Ben Tracy is CBS News’ senior national and environmental correspondent based in Los Angeles. He reports for all CBS News platforms, including the “CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell,” “CBS Mornings” and “CBS Sunday Morning.”

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June 7, 2024