Back in 2008, the world faced a big economic recession, rising fuel prices and tough emission standards. In that kind of environment, it was hard to keep selling big luxury cars with big gasoline engines and it seemed like the market turned towards smaller and more economical cars overnight. All of a sudden, manufacturers were left with gas-guzzling monsters that nobody wanted to buy and even if they found the customer, big fuel prices presented a problem. The electric cars like we have today were still in the development process, but the hybrid technology was available and pretty soon the markets were flooded by all kinds of hybrid models, from compact cars like the Toyota Prius to luxury models like the Mercedes S-Class. Today, we are going to present to you 20 of the best luxury models with hybrid powertrain which are currently on sale. The advantages of hybrid powertrain are primarily better fuel economy and lower emissions but some hybrid cars have surprisingly good performance as well. The trick is the torque of electric motors which is available immediately and boosts the performance of the existing gasoline unit. The downsides of hybrid cars are weight and price, and this technology is still much more expensive. The manufacturers were very active in presenting hybrid versions so now we have a lot of different models, not only in compact class but in the mid-size and full-size segment. Also, there are more than a few luxury SUVs with the hybrid option and even a couple of supercars with this drivetrain. We will cover them all on this list, so let`s start.
- Audi A3 Sportback e-tron
Behind this long name, there is regular A3 but with a hybrid drivetrain, luxury interior and plug-in charging. The base power is a 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine paired with electric engines to provide a combined output of 204 hp. The fuel economy is exceptional and you can achieve up to 83 mpg, which is really good. The power is delivered to the front wheels through the 6-speed automatic and performance is good with 7.6 seconds to 60 mph. What`s not good is the price and the A3 Sportback e-tron starts at $38,000 with the top of the line version going for almost $50,000, which is just too much for a premium hybrid compact.
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