Rare is the week that I don't get queried about hybrid vehicles.
No question, hybrid technology is making a dramatic impact on the way automakers and consumers are looking at greenhouse emissions and improved fuel economy.
Japanese automaker Toyota and its luxury vehicle division Lexus are the current leaders in the hybrid vehicle race with six models that cover the "green" arena across America.
Toyota's Prius was the first out of the manufacturer's hybrid gate bridled with compact car dimensions to accommodate four adult occupants and garners 110 horsepower with fuel economy that yields 45 miles per gallon.
Prius also is the most distinguished among its hybrid stablemates with futurist looks to match its "energy of tomorrow" demeanor.
But if your membership in the fuel-saving club requires a less "look-at-me" approach to the Toyota line of hybrid cars, then consider the 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid.
The Camry Hybrid mirrors the standard Toyota Camry -- America's top-selling sedan -- with look-alike styling that helps blend this gas-stingy hybrid into the pack of midsize competitors.
The Camry Hybrid is the benefactor of the automaker's technological combination of a 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder gasoline engine, a 244-volt electric motor and continuously variable automatic transmission to generate a combined output of 187 horsepower, with fuel economy that averages 39 miles per gallon. No plug-in charging is required.
My weeklong test drive of the Camry Hybrid encompassed a trip to Chicago's lakefront from the northwest suburbs, with three adult passengers via the Northwest Tollway and Kennedy Expressway.
The car delivered remarkable gusto at typical interstate speeds -- so much so that I had to remind myself that I was in a hybrid vehicle with no sacrifice to vehicle performance.
In-stop-and go traffic, the electric motor helped crawl the car at speeds up to 4 mph before the gasoline engine kicked in.
When stopped, the system's idle-stop feature shuts off both engines to conserve fuel and reduce emissions. The system is automatically powered again with the release of the brake.
A gauge on the instrument cluster gives real-time readouts that during our commute registered as much as 43 miles per gallon.
Cabin acoustics absorbed engine and road noise superbly, leaving conversation levels between front and rear passengers at normal tones. Seat cushions are comfortably plush, and offered very good support for our 110-mile round trip.
Camry Hybrid's trunk holds nearly 11-cubic feet of cargo that easily swallowed two mid-size coolers, four folding chairs and several grocery bags of goodies with room to spare.
My Camry Hybrid tester came equipped with a user-friendly voice-activated DVD navigation system ($1,200) that delivered us to our lakeside destination with pinpoint accuracy.
The stylish Camry Hybrid is a very compliant vehicle that addresses day-to-day driving needs in good conscience, power and comfort, base priced at $26,200 without freight and rated a "Best Buy" by Consumer Guide Automotive.
