If we asked you to make a list of green vehicles, we’re pretty sure very few of you would dare slip an SUV in there. After all, the brutes are generally perceived as the devil incarnate, having carved out an unenviable reputation for themselves over the years.
And yet, automakers are serving up ever-larger hybrid models. Think Toyota Highlander, Ford Escape and GMC Yukon, not to mention luxury models like the Lexus RX 450h, Cadillac Escalade and Porsche Cayenne.
Do they truly represent a viable solution, or are they rather the result of a brilliant (or dishonest, you choose) marketing strategy designed to benefit from the eco-friendly wave that’s been unfurling and the enthusiasm for green cars its left in its wake?
With the firm intention of answering that very question, we decided to show up to the Rallye international vert de Montréal behind the wheel of the Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid.
A crazy scheme with telling results
The model that was so graciously lent to us sells for $78,000, is as beefy as it is heavy, bears the Porsche emblem, is powered by a potent V6, and unleashes 380 ponies. You’d be hard-pressed to find something more extreme to pit against the Toyota Prius, Lexus CT 200h, Chevrolet Volt, Honda CR-Z, and Mitsubishi i-MiEV in a contest where fuel efficiency is the name of the game.
A few competitors, and several people who learned what we were up to beforehand, thought we were nuts to believe we had even the slightest chance of not making asses out of ourselves.
Well, we astonished them last weekend by placing 11th out of 19 where fuel economy was concerned, burning a meagre 8.2L/100km and beating the Honda Accord Hybrid and Honda CR-Z at their own game.
Admittedly, a few times we resorted to respecting the minimum legal speed limit on the highway to do so – but so did everyone else.
So, we were on equal footing, and all in all the results reflect reality. Whether you’re driving a Honda CR-Z or Porsche Cayenne, flooring it will inevitably cost you precious fuel.
And yet, automakers are serving up ever-larger hybrid models. Think Toyota Highlander, Ford Escape and GMC Yukon, not to mention luxury models like the Lexus RX 450h, Cadillac Escalade and Porsche Cayenne.
 |
| Photo: Auto123.com |
Do they truly represent a viable solution, or are they rather the result of a brilliant (or dishonest, you choose) marketing strategy designed to benefit from the eco-friendly wave that’s been unfurling and the enthusiasm for green cars its left in its wake?
With the firm intention of answering that very question, we decided to show up to the Rallye international vert de Montréal behind the wheel of the Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid.
A crazy scheme with telling results
The model that was so graciously lent to us sells for $78,000, is as beefy as it is heavy, bears the Porsche emblem, is powered by a potent V6, and unleashes 380 ponies. You’d be hard-pressed to find something more extreme to pit against the Toyota Prius, Lexus CT 200h, Chevrolet Volt, Honda CR-Z, and Mitsubishi i-MiEV in a contest where fuel efficiency is the name of the game.
A few competitors, and several people who learned what we were up to beforehand, thought we were nuts to believe we had even the slightest chance of not making asses out of ourselves.
Well, we astonished them last weekend by placing 11th out of 19 where fuel economy was concerned, burning a meagre 8.2L/100km and beating the Honda Accord Hybrid and Honda CR-Z at their own game.
Admittedly, a few times we resorted to respecting the minimum legal speed limit on the highway to do so – but so did everyone else.
So, we were on equal footing, and all in all the results reflect reality. Whether you’re driving a Honda CR-Z or Porsche Cayenne, flooring it will inevitably cost you precious fuel.