For some of the models the pricing will be pretty much the same as the current version, while some of the other trim levels have actually fallen – something that we do not hear that often. There are four trim levels for the standard gasoline version, the L, LE, XLE and SE. Then there are two for the Hybrid version, the LE and the XLE. So what about the actual pricing we hear you ask?

The base L model of the 2012 Camry will cost $21,995, with the LE costing just $22,500; Autoblog points out that the price is $200 less than the 2011 LE model. Next in the range is the SE, which will cost you $23,000 that’s almost $100 cheaper than the current version. For $24,725 you could be driving away with the XLE model. However, you will have to pay a little more for the V6 version.

If you want to get the hybrid version, then you already know that you will have to pay a premium for the privilege. The 2012 Toyota LE Hybrid will cost you $25,900, while the base price for the XLE model starts at $27,400. The former is $1,150 cheaper than the 2011 model and the latter is $800 cheaper.

We are still surprised how Toyota has managed to keep prices down – maybe this is all part of their strategy to sell more units, as this has worked out brilliantly for Sony and their PS3 console.

For years it has been the Toyota Prius showing rivals that they are king, much like the iPad in the tablet market in that respect. Going back a few years’ hybrid cars were a leap forward in technology, but they still had a way to go if they ever wanted to offer a practical alternative to the standard gasoline engine.

Thankfully technology has improved at an increased rate over the past year, and the future is with plug-in hybrids – well for now anyway. We say this because the future is with electric vehicles, as we need to move away from being reliant on gasoline. The upcoming 2012 hybrid car range is proof that we are moving much closer to that, we just need another five years before it is considered a fully viable option.

So let us take a look at what we believe to be the best 2012 models: The first is the Prius, as Toyota is to offer not one but several options of this popular model. Not only that, the Japanese automaker is hard at work on their first plug-in Prius hybrid, which should be able to mount an offensive against the Chevy Volt, which also uses the say kind of technology.

That is not all Toyota will be offering, as we know they have plans for two other hybrid models, the Highlander and the Camry. They will not stop there either, as they also have big plans in 2012 for their luxury division, as they have a host of hybrid Lexus models planned. There will be updates to four current models, along with two new ones as well.

Soul Tek also notes that Ford is now starting to push their hybrid campaign, as not only do they have four current 2012 models coming, they are also working on a new form of hybrid car that will use lithium batteries instead of nickel. The auto website assumes that this will be based on the concept version of the plug-in Escape hybrid that we have already seen.

Not ones to miss out on all the hybrid action, GM also has a number of models planned, but it is the new versions of the 2012 Chevy Volt that we look forward to the most. The Volt has been doing very well in terms of sales, but only having one model limits growth. Thankfully there are a number of other models planned, such as a crossover, although we cannot help think that the rumored 2012 Cadillac Converj will overshadow this.

There are far more hybrid models planned, these are just a handful of what we believe will be most popular.

It is no secret that a new hybrid vehicle is more expensive than a standard gas version, and considering the reason why you want to make the switch is down to money – well it is a hard pill to swallow wouldn’t you say? OK, so we know that some drivers are looking at the bigger picture and thinking long-term – not just in their pockets but the environment as well.

Hybrid sales were very slow to start, but once fans started to see their favorites celebs driving around in them, that was when the buzz begun. Having said that, technology advances have also helped, which you can clearly see in the new breed of hybrid vehicles already or coming to market. You have to remember that these vehicles use around 50 percent less gas than a standard version, and remember that your town will be a quieter place, as they Hybrids run much quieter.

More often than not the government will give you tax breaks when buying greener cars, in some cases even offering free parking but is this really enough? Remember that you have to pay a higher ticket price in the first place, so you will have to keep it more than five years to get the full benefit.

There are other issues as well, such as the safety aspect if you break down, as emergency services will worry about electrocution from those batteries – much like track marshals do in F1 with KERS. The biggest downfall has to be with how expensive these hybrids will be when it comes to servicing or repair bills. Now that we have shared this little bit of knowledge with you will be able to make the right decision? If you choose not to go down the hybrid route, then why not try these fuel economy tips.

You may think that we have lost the plot, but just go with us on this one for a little while. We all know how popular the Toyota Prius has been, but there are a number of factors that go against it. Yes, when the car is being driven around town you get a great MPG return; but when you start to get on the open road that fuel- efficiently is greatly reduced.

This is where the diesel comes in, as it is able to cruise on the highway more efficiently than a hybrid. Now we know that technology has come a long way and yes there are some that can offer more miles to the gallon than a diesel, but at what cost. Firstly the Hybrid vehicles costs much more than a diesel, and secondly producing those batteries are not that kind to the environment.

Now we have the EV such as the Nissan Leaf and a number of others that are now coming to market. Yes they are great when it comes to driving around town. However, the problem arises when you want to go just that little further, these electric vehicles are not rated to travel for long periods at a time, as they will need charging.

Now if you had a smaller car that runs on gas you will have no such issue. Yes they will still spill out that horrible stuff out of the rear, but nowhere near as much as they once did. Also you have to remember that they do not cost as much, and you know that you can travel much further on a full tank of fuel rather than a full battery in the Leaf or other such EV.

We have not even got to the fact that how you have to charge your EV, You can do it at home, and also at a number of public places; but it is not yet ready to become a full substitute for gas. Now we do not want to put you off, but we just wanted to let you know that an EV or a hybrid still might not be practical for you at this moment. However, automakers are making huge strides in these technologies, and will not be long before they will be a more realistic choice for drivers.

Akerson believes that if the government were to raise the tax on gas by a dollar a gallon, it will force people to stop using their vehicles as much. Now, we can see why he would propose such a thing, but we are a long way from the idea working. Being forced to pay more tax on gas will not reduce the number of vehicles on the road, all it will do is anger drivers.

Take the UK for instants, they pay just over $10 for a gallon of fuel and almost 80 percent of that is tax. They also have a congestion charge in London, so drivers have to pay £10 per day to drive into the city. Now we have not really seen a huge drop in the amount of cars on the road, they just seem to pay up.

Having said that, London does have a great transportation system, so those drivers who do not wish to pay the high gas prices or congestion charge can use public transport. However, this will not work in the U.S. as the country is so vast and in some places public transport is not that great.

The other issue here is the fact that the alternative fuel cars are just not there yet. OK, so we know that we have hybrid cars and electric vehicles, but they are a long way off from offering a practical solution. The idea of a car is not just commenting to work, which is the only real purpose of the Nissan Leaf for example.

Having said that, if you do want to save fuel then the best way at the moment is with the likes of the Toyota Prius or other hybrid models. The issue here is that this requires money, something that is hard to come by at the moment. This would mean that the average American driver would have to get a car loan to pay for the new vehicle. Now we are not that great at math, but it would take years to even see a return in your investment – if ever.

To conclude the only people who would benefit from a gas tax hike would the U.S. government, carmakers like GM and car loan companies – where does the environment figure in all this?

Do you agree with a GM’s gas tax proposal?

Inside Line has had a bit of time with the new Prius V and the test drive threw up a few surprises. The main one was its performance, as it still comes with the same engine as the standard Prius. This does seem strange, as it now has to move an extra 230 pounds around. The result is an expected 10.4 seconds. For those who think that they might be able to squeeze a little more, Inside Line says that it will not happen.

Toyota’s aim with the Prius V, which is to have iPhone and Android integration is to persuade drivers to ditch their crossover SUVs in favor of this slightly larger hybrid vehicle. Now this could very well happen, but we believe that the Japanese automaker should have increased power output to more than the standard version.

The new larger Prius will get you to where you need to go, just as long as you do not have a deadline to meet. Now we are not trying to say that we should all drive fast, but the 2012 Prius V is just plain slow when it comes to even making a simple overtaking maneuver, as you need to plan it well ahead. The new hybrid is estimated to achieve 44mpg in the city, 40mpg on the highway and 42mpg combined. Expect it to go on sale in October 2011.

Green cars, such as EVs and Hybrids have seen an increase in sales thanks to these high gas prices – although most of us who do not have one of those vehicles will not be too happy with how much it is hitting our pockets. It came as no surprise that in the KBB study they voted the Nissan Leaf as number.

This car offers an equivalent of 99 miles per gallon, but in fact gives you 73 miles for each charge. What makes this car so green is the recycled products that are used extensively in the production. In at number two is the Chevy Volt, General Motors hates to think of their vehicle as a Hybrid, but that would be the easiest way to explain it; This has a rating of 93-mpg equivalent.

The Toyota was once the top dog, but now it sits in the third position with its 51/48-mpg rating. Fourth is the 2011 Lexus CT 200h with a combined rating of 42 mpg, and fifth is the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The other five on the list are as follows, the Honda Insight, Golf TDI, Hyundai Elantra, Fiat 500 and finally the Ford Focus.

Which of the top ten green vehicles for 2011 would you rather have?

The problem with the Prius was that it was a newly designed vehicle, and not one that we all knew and loved. However, that has all changed now that the likes of Ford, BMW, Audi, Lexus etc has got in on the act. Now in 2011 we will start to see a number of new models – with designs that we are more familiar with.

No more are Hybrids just plain boring cars with only fuel-economy in mind and nothing else, and the 2011 Lexus CT 200h is proof of that. This car has a sporty look and feel to it, and with four different driving modes it offers more than a standard wagon ever could.

Most carmakers know the importance of the Hybrid, which is why Porsche has the Cayenne S Hybrid option. Who would have thought that a brand with a racing pedigree like this would ever move into this market? Maybe Ferrari and Lamborghini will be next?

There is no denying how popular the Prius has been, so one would assume that this will also be the case with the 2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid – although there has been other version of this and there are not many changes to this model.

Finally we have the Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid and sits a little lower to the ground than the gas version; but do not let that put you off, as there are a number of features to this model that makes it a must-have for those wanting a more fuel-efficient vehicle but with a more aggressive stance. For a more complete list visit Motor Trend.

What Hybrid will you be choosing for 2011?

Infiniti has also made its EPA rating public, the M Hybrid is said to achieve 32mpg highway and 27mpg city. The combined EPA rating of 29mpg certainly seems a little low to us, but when you take into consideration that the car has a 3.5-liter V6 and can produce 350bhp, things do not seem that bad after all.

Autoblog, who has an image gallery of the new car makes a point about there not being too many cars on the road that offer this amount of luxury and power, as well as giving you a good return on fuel-economy. According to a press release the new 2012 Infiniti M Hybrid goes on sale on March 16th, 2011.

IBTimes has been looking at why the new sedan has been priced so high, and they say it is because the likes of Infiniti and other carmakers hope to make green vehicles such as hybrids more appealing to the “elite customer base.” It is said that the new Infiniti M Hybrid is able to not only compete with Rolls Royce but Porsche as well.

We cannot say how this new sedan compares with the luxury or performance brand of cars, only time will tell. However, looking at the performance figures from the official Infiniti website and that price tag, it’s not hard to understand the reasoning.

Do you think that the new 2012 Infiniti M Hybrid will be able to compete with the likes of Porsche and Rolls Royce?

This first thing to remember is that there is no need to panic just yet, but there will come a time when we would have drained our oil resources – we just hope that we are ready for change? For years this black gold has had a strangle hold over us, but we have seen a few changes in the auto industry over the years, but we are nowhere near where we need to be.

If you take a look at the market today there are a number of alternatives, such as hybrids, hybrid plug-in, electric vehicles, hydrogen and more. Most of you will already be familiar with the Toyota Prius; this uses a standard combustion engine and an electric motor. For years this has been the best selling hybrid, but the issue here is that it still uses gasoline.

Then we have the Chevy Volt, again this also uses gasoline, this vehicle is just a means to an end. Then there is the Nissan Leaf, this is an EV, and although it is a better alternative fuel wise, the limited range is a huge issue.

So we know that the auto industry is trying, but the technology is just not there yet. We do not know how long the oil will last, but if it were to happen soon then we will not be ready for it. Autoblog has an interesting twist on this, saying that maybe the Mayan calendar is on about change, and that change could be about what fuel drives our vehicles. Just remember one thing, oil is sued for far more things that oil.

Do you think that we are ready if the oil runs dry?