Underestimated: Honda's upcoming hybrids?

A very insightful hybrid

When it comes to hybrid cars, Toyota is king, but Honda has been in the hybrid game about as long as Toyota. However, Honda has never been as bullish as Toyota regarding hybrids. I've always figured that Toyota has taken a more aggressive approach to hybrids because the Hybrid Synergy Drive isn't just powering Toyota's hybrid vehicles, but also Toyota's fuel cell vehicles. That isn't the case for Honda's hybrids.

Today, however, Honda is singing a very different hybrid tune, and the automaker is now preparing to fully take on Toyota and, particularly, the Toyota Prius.

In the past I've preferred Toyota's hybrid vehicles over Honda's because I live in LA and congestion is my only driving condition. In such conditions, a Prius is simply more fuel efficient than the Civic hybrid. Nonetheless, I've always been a big fan of the Civic hybrid.

Thus, I'm incredibly excited about Honda's upcoming hybrid vehicles, set to launch next year. While the Chevy Volt is always the hot topic in Prius-fighting circles, I think Honda's new hybrids are being completely underestimated. The Volt will electrify, but cheap, cost-effective hybrids offer far more potential in the short term, and Honda, I bet, is primed to give Toyota a run for the hybrid money.