Oil Consumption is Rising, Imports are Skyrocketing, and Our Vehicles Are to Blame

On the Road to the Future: Interviews With Happy Hybrid Owners

The late 1999 launch of the Honda Insight finally put hybrid vehicles within the ready reach of American consumers. In the years since, the cars, which combine a gasoline-powered engine and a separate battery-driven motor to yield barrier-busting gas mileage, have grown steadily in popularity.

The Insight was followed soon after by the Toyota Prius, and then by the Honda Civic Hybrid. More, including some from Detroit, are on the way.

But what it's like to drive a hybrid? Does it feel like a real car, or is it more like driving a heavily fortified golf cart? Does it require changes in how one drives? Is the driver even aware of the differences?

Helping us answer these questions are six hybrid owners, many from within the NRDC family:

• Larry David, star, creator and Prius-owning producer of HBO's award-winning "Curb Your Enthusiasm."
• George DiCaprio, philanthropist, and, like his son Leonardo, a Prius owner.
• Bob Epstein, NRDC board member, co-founder of three technology companies and a Toyota Prius owner.
• Arianna Huffington, environmentalist, columnist and a Prius owner.
• Kay Schrenk, longtime NRDC supporter and a Civic Hybrid owner.
• Greg Wetstone, director of NRDC's advocacy center and a Civic Hybrid owner.

We first talked with David, DiCaprio and Epstein in 2002. Now we've expanded the conversation to include some feedback on the Civic Hybrid, and to hear a little about how the Prius is wearing.