Top 10 Hybrids that Failed

2008-2013 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid / Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid / GMC Yukon Hybrid: GM’s full-size triplets received a hybrid powertrain for a few years, which consisted of a 6.0L V8 engine and two electric motors for a total output of 332 horsepower. Their combined city/highway fuel economy was actually not that bad, varying from 10.8 to 11.0 L/100 km. The Chevy and the GMC did not sell well because of their rather high price tags, but the Cadillac did fare better.

2009 Chrysler Aspen Hybrid: Back when the company was called DaimlerChrysler, the Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen SUVs were available with a hybrid powertrain that mixed a 5.7L HEMI V8 with two electric motors for a combined output of 385 horsepower and a mixed city/highway rating of 11.4 L/100 km. The Durango Hybrid wasn’t offered in Canada, but we did get the Aspen Hybrid for about a year, until the manufacturer pulled the plug due to slow sales.

2003-2015 Honda Civic Hybrid: Although the hybrid version of the Civic did last a while, covering three generations of the compact sedan, it never really sold well because of its very high price. Unlike the conventional Civic that was built in Canada and in the U.S., the Hybrid was imported from Japan. Power ranged from 93 to 110 hp, and the last generation boasted a combined rating of 5.3 L/100 km.

2010-2012 Honda Insight: The first Insight, a minuscule two-seater car produced from 1999 to 2006, was the first mass-produced, hybrid-powered vehicle sold in Canada, followed closely by the Toyota Prius. The second-generation, five-door Insight, launched for the 2010 model year, was more practical with room for five and a combined fuel economy rating of 5.7 L/100 km. However, its combined output of 98 horsepower, the work of its eight-valve 1.3L four and its electric motor, wasn’t very convincing. However, the dealbreaker likely was its offbeat styling. It didn’t last long.

2010-2012 Lexus HS: Introduced for the 2012 model year, the HS 250h was the brand’s first dedicated hybrid model until the more successful CT 200h came along. It was equipped with the Toyota Camry’s powertrain, a 2.4L gasoline four with an electric motor for a combined output of 187 horsepower and a mixed city/highway rating of 6.9 L/100 km.

2007-2011 Nissan Altima Hybrid: borrowing Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive technology, Nissan created a gas-electric Altima sedan with a 2.5L four-cylinder and an electric motor. It developed a combined 198 horsepower and delivered a decent mixed city/highway rating of 6.9 L/100 km. Again, its price was high and sales never picked up.

2014 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid: The hybrid version of the seven-seat Pathfinder mixed an electric motor with a supercharged, 2.5L four-cylinder engine for a total output of 250 horsepower. Its combined city/highway rating was 8.8 L/100 km, which wasn’t bad at all. Yet almost nobody bought one. On the other hand, this powertrain lives on in the Infiniti QX60.

2007-2009 Saturn VUE Green Line: One of the first hybrid SUVs on the Canadian market, the first-generation VUE Green Line was equipped with GM’s “mild hybrid” powertrain, which consisted of a 2.4L four and an electric motor. The second-gen VUE had a more efficient, two-mode system that produced 170 horsepower and delivered a combined rating of 8.5 L/100 km. the VUE disappeared when GM killed off the Saturn brand back in 2009.

2013-2016 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid: A recent retiree among hybrids, the gas-electric XV Crosstrek never struck a chord with Subie fans because of its high price. Its hybrid powertrain delivered 161 horsepower, 13 more than in the conventional model, but despite its combined rating of 7.7 L/100 km, real-world fuel economy was disappointing.

2013-2016 Volkswagen Jetta Turbo Hybrid: The Jetta hybrid was actually a fast car. Thanks to its 1.4L four-cylinder engine and electric motor, it produced a combined 170 horsepower and clocked a respectful 0-100 km/h time of 9.0 seconds during AJAC’s 2014 Canadian Car of the Year Program. Alas, like many hybrids, it was expensive and sales didn’t catch on, despite a combined rating of 5.4 L/100 km.