Dear Umbra, I'm in need of a new car. I'd love to get a Prius, but I often need more passenger seats than the Prius has. What is the most environmentally friendly and responsible choice for a driver who needs a larger car? It seems like the bigger hybrids (i.e., the Toyota Highlander) are expensive and don't get very impressive gas mileage compared to the Prius. Are there any industry plans to make SUVs that get more miles per gallon? What do I do in the meantime? Where is the minivan hybrid for us carpooling moms? Julie E.,
Los Angeles, Calif.