But it's hard to say whether the Aura Green Line's performance issues and extra cost, compared to the XE version, are made up for by the fuel savings.
Unlike more expensive hybrid cars, like the Toyota Camry Hybrid, the Aura Green Line is a "mild hybrid." That means the Aura Green Line can't drive under purely electric power, even at low speeds.
What the Aura Green Line's electric motor - basically an enlarged starter motor - can do is allow the engine to shut off whenever the car comes to a stop and restart again the moment you lift your foot off the brake pedal. It also provides some assistance to the gasoline engine when lots of pull is demanded.
The main benefit of a mild hybrid system is its low cost compared to a full hybrid system. Also, it doesn't require a large battery pack.
In other hybrid sedans, those batteries are like a welded-in set of luggage, taking up trunk space.
In the Aura Green Line it's more like a welded-in rolled-up carpet deep in the trunk. This car has three cubic feet more trunk space than the Camry or Nissan Altima Hybrids, enough to make a significant difference.
