A hybrid vehicle combines an electric, usually battery rechargeable engine and a traditional internal combustion engine. The combination is used to improve mileage, reduce pollution and decrease the dependency on fossil fuels.

It hopes that keeping the same prices will help develop interest in Ford and in particular the Lincoln brand that will market their hybrid luxury sedan, Lincoln MKZ, set to roll off the line in the fall for 2011. The Lincoln MKZ is one of the popular Lincoln models but sales have slumped 5% recently. This added to the fact that Lincoln sales lags by 10% behind other popular luxury brands is one other reason that the price will remain the same.

Part of the draw to purchase the luxury car is not the price tag. At $35,000 a pop, ‘doing the right thing’ for the environment and the significant savings at the pump are the big calling cards.

The hybrid version, besides reducing carbon emissions, will get twice the mileage as its internal combustion engine lookalike. The gasoline version gets 18mpg in the city and 27mpg on the highway, while the MKZ hybrid will get 41mpg in the city and 36 highway miles. This is comparable to the luxury Lexus HS 250h that is reported to get 35 mpg city and 34 on the highway.

Other ‘green’ options on the Lincoln MKZ are the wood trim comes from managed forests and the leather interior uses chromium free tanning process. The chromium free process is used as it allows the leather to be recycled.

Ford (NYSE:F) Offering Gas & Hybrid Vehicles at Same Sticker Price was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

In addition to the environmental aspect of buying a hybrid car, many families are interested in getting the new vehicles to save on their overall auto expenses, such as gas. But for those families with poor credit and with the economy being unstable, it has become much more difficult to find sources of financing. As the auto industry is feeling the brunt of the economic problems in the nation, lenders are making it even more difficult to sell cars. People who were once considered to have a solid credit score and history, now are finding that their credit score may still not be good enough. It may not be impossible for those with good credit to finance a new hybrid vehicle but it certainly has become more difficult a process. There is a lot more time involved in getting a loan than ever before. In the past, some have been able to get mortgages and auto loans a lot faster and a lot easier instead of credit only being extended to those who can truly afford it.

Lenders are now taking more time to qualify an applicant Applicants need to prove their credit worth even more. There is no longer an easy pass to credit. That may be good news for the lending industry but not so great news for car dealers and consumers. If you are thinking about purchasing a new hybrid vehicle, it is in your best interest to take your time in doing so and not just rush out to keep up with the Jones’. You need to make sure your credit is in order and your score is as high as possible before even approaching a lender. Make sure you check your credit report for mistakes and do what you can to get the most up-to-date information on your credit report. Avoid applying for new credit for several months before approaching a lender and save up as much money as you can for the down payment. By being prepared, you may be more likely to get approval from an auto lender right away and be able to purchase the kind of car you are looking for, such as a hybrid. If you fail to ensure your credit is worthy enough for a loan, you are likely setting yourself up for rejection.

There are many more companies offering hybrid vehicles so you are likely to have more options than ever before. In addition to preparing your finances prior to applying for a car loan, you also should be online looking and comparing vehicle amenities and pricing. The more you know walking on to that car lot, the more likely you will leave with a car you not only can afford but one that you are truly happy with.

Can You Handle the Hybrid Financing? was created by and is property of American Consumer News.