The Next Status Vehicle: The Solar Prius

If you must drive, replace your gas guzzler with a fuel-efficient model.

The most fuel-efficient 2008 model on the lot, the hybrid Toyota Prius, gets 48 mpg in the city and 45 on the highway. The least fuel-efficient 2008 SUV, the Mercedes-Benz G 55 AMG, gets just 11 and 13, respectively.

In other words, you'll go almost four times as far on a tank of gas in the Prius, so the $4 you pay to fill your SUV is like paying $1 in the Prius. Put another way, for one dollar, you'll go 12 miles in the Prius, but less than three in the SUV.

If you're buying a new car, consult The Daily Green's list of the 10 most fuel-efficient 2008 models.

If you're in the market for a used car, consult the federal government's fueleconomy.gov site, which provides fuel-economy information about most cars, trucks and SUVs on the road.

Photo: Toyota

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High-end 2009 Toyota Prius models will feature a new energy-conservation feature that will tell passers-by at a glance that its driver is serious about going green: Solar panels.

The cars' solar arrays, according to unconfirmed reports, will produce enough electricity to keep the air conditioner running, eliminating a summertime drain on the gas tank (or battery).

Already the most fuel-efficient 2008 vehicle being sold on American car lots, the hybrid gas-electric Prius would get even more efficient.

Perhaps as importantly for the status-conscious, the solar arrays should be a very visible symbol of not only a car-buyer's eco-savvy, but his or her wealth, as well. In an era of $4-plus gas, that could add a new social strata above the SUV drivers who have watched their vehicles lose cultural currency quickly in the past few months.

For less glamorous tips for saving gas, see The Daily Green's 10 Ways to Save 20% on Gas Every Day or How to Spend $1 Per Gallon (or Less) on Gas.

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