As gas prices creep higher again, a great car option to consider is the Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in hybrid. Why then will production soon be suspended for five weeks? So far sales have been disappointing. Volts also got a bad rap for a series of fires after impact testing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration due to coolant leaks. GM has since modified the car and received a clean bill of health from the NHTSA.

In contrast, another hybrid, the Toyota Prius has topped 3 million sales worldwide. Although the Prius can be driven for up to 14 miles ...