I own a hybrid because it’s a wise economical decision for my situation, but I just don’t understand some of the commentary where it appears we have people actively cheering for higher gasoline prices? For what? So hybrid sales increase? We’re all worse off including the economy if gas prices are higher.

Focus on the quality and economy of a hybrid rather than the sales volumes or dreams of and wishes for drastically higher gasoline prices.

Car based CUV sales are slowly increasing. All CUV sales are more than the sales of mid-size sedan segment.

Its high time, price of Escape Hybrid is lowered to offer a better price to consumers. It will be better if Honda can launch Hybrid CR-V, since its the best selling CUV.

Thats why I said that they better concentrate on Insight.
The new base model Insight at 18.2K will steal all sales of CR-Z and Civic-H.

Yes, I think that GM played a trick with EPA test. According fueleconomy.gov website people get out of Chevy Equinox 24.2 MPG on average. That is about the same what people get from the same size 4-cylinder Toyota Venza but Chevy Equinox rated 22/32 EPA MPG when Toyota Venza rated 21/28 EPA MPG only.

EPA test needs to be improved to catch this kind of staff

Hi. According to Edmunds:
“Our main reservation concerns the 2LT’s elevated price, which pits the Equinox squarely against Toyota’s excellent four-cylinder Venza and Highlander models, as well as Subaru’s redesigned Outback. Heck, you can get a well-equipped Toyota RAV4 V6 Sport for less than this four-cylinder Equinox, and like the Highlander, the RAV has an available third-row seat. Even the base Equinox is a bit pricey, listing for about $1,200 more than an entry-level Honda CR-V or Subaru Forester. ”

Doesn’t sound like it’s really as price competitive as you said.

Furthermore,
” the power doesn’t really arrive until about 5,000 rpm, where a noticeable second wind kicks in. The six-speed automatic’s EPA-friendly programming results in premature upshifts and reluctant downshifts, even when “Eco” mode is not activated, and a heavy foot doesn’t mitigate these tendencies as much as we’d like. “

It looks like GM has seriously compromised Equinox’s real world performance to maximize its EPA rating.

Eh? I think CR-Z sold almost 4,500 in a little more than three months’ time. At that rate, it seems it’s going to sell as many as Ford Fusion hybrid’s non-federal governmental sales.
(There’s a poster above that said the U.S. government is buying one quarter of hybrids from Ford.)

EPA rating for Cruze eco:-
28 mpg city / 42 mpg highway (manual)
26 mpg city / 37 mpg highway (automatic)

Unfortunately, GM clearly miss the boat for 90% buyers who drive auto in the U.S., EPA 26/37 is nothing to brag about.

BTW, Cruze eco is outragiously expensive, just build a 6 A/T base model at their web site, MSRP: $19,625.