Higher-efficiency Hondas and increasing interest in diesels

(Honda)

Higher efficiency
The 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid (pictured) has a more efficient, lighter lithium-ion battery pack. The new Civic gets 44 mpg city and highway, compared to 40 and 43 mpg, respectively, for the 2011 version.

(Mercedes-Benz)

Diesel surge
Hybrids might be high-tech, but don't count out diesels: More drivers are researching diesel vehicles and more are willing to lease them, reports Lease Trader, a website that helps people research vehicle leases. The Mercedes-Benz E350 Bluetec (pictured) showed the biggest jump in searches, at 6.4 percent. The Lease Trader observation gets some backing from the publication thedieseldriver.com, which reports that sales of diesel vehicles in the U.S. doubled last year.