Now consumers in eight states - including Maine - can buy a fuel-thrifty, gasoline-electric hybrid car with Toyota's well-known hybrid technology, and it's not a Toyota.

Officials at Nissan, Japan's third-largest automaker, are licensing Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system and installing it in the new-for-2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid.

The result is the most fuel-efficient Altima ever, with federal government ratings of 42 miles a gallon in city driving and 36 mpg on highways. The five-passenger Altima Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient Nissan, surpassing even the smaller Nissan Versa car in judiciously sipping gasoline.

But with all safety equipment standard, including six air bags, front-seat active head restraints to reduce whiplash injuries, as well as stability control and traction control, the Altima Hybrid is offered only at Nissan dealerships in California and seven other states that have adopted California's strict vehicle-emissions rules. These states are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Distribution is limited because Nissan needs to meet these states' zero-emission vehicle mandates, said Larry Dominique, vice president of product and advanced planning for Nissan North America.

With a starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, of $25,025 - or $4,100 more than a gasoline-only, four-cylinder Altima with automatic transmission - the Altima Hybrid has some standard features not normally found in mainstream sedans.

These include dual-zone climate control and electronic, no-key entry system with push-button ignition, both in the base Altima Hybrid.

Still, Toyota's own mid-size, hatchback, the 2007 Toyota Prius with starting MSRP, including destination charge, of $22,795, undercuts the Altima Hybrid in price and is sold nationwide. But the Altima Hybrid has a lower starting price than Toyota's other mid-size hybrid - the Camry Hybrid sedan, sold nationwide and starting at $26,820.

All three cars match an electric motor to a four-cylinder gasoline engine and electronically control the sophisticated mixing and matching of gas engine and electric power.

The combination reduces fuel use and emissions while providing decent get up and go and, in short spurts, all-electric power.

None of the cars has to be plugged in to an electrical outlet. Electric power is generated on an ongoing basis and stored in a Nickel Metal Hydride battery as the vehicle travels. This sizable battery reduces trunk space to 9.1 cubic feet.

It's not surprising that Nissan chose Toyota's hybrid system for the Altima, matching it to Nissan's own 2.5-liter, double overhead cam four cylinder and Xtronic continuously variable transmission.

As the leader in hybrid development and the first automaker to sell a mass-produced hybrid to consumers - first, in Japan - Toyota has dozens of patents on its technology and has sold more hybrid vehicles than any other carmaker.

The decision to link with Toyota also gave Nissan a hybrid auto on the market sooner than if it had worked to create its own hybrid from scratch.

The test Altima Hybrid was impressive in its fuel mileage for a car with such a roomy interior.

Both front-seat legroom and headroom are more than in the already comfortable Camry.

Driving the test car like a regular auto, I got 35 miles a gallon in city/highway travel, which means one fillup of the Altima Hybrid's 20-gallon tank could be good for up to 700 miles. And yes, the recommended fuel is regular unleaded.

The gas tank in the Altima Hybrid is larger than the 17.2-gallon tank of the Camry Hybrid and 11.9-gallon tank of the Prius.

Nissan engineers didn't just copy Toyota's hybrid cars.

The Altima Hybrid has more horsepower than Toyota-branded cars, thanks to Nissan's larger and more powerful four cylinder, and the easy acceleration and power made the test car feel like an Altima with a V-6.

The Altima Hybrid's combined gas-electric peak horsepower is 198 compared with the Camry Hybrid's 187 horses and the Prius' 110 horsepower.

At 3,448 pounds, the Altima Hybrid doesn't feel sluggish or heavy.

I just wish the ride wasn't so stiff. In the test car, passengers felt many bumps, especially on patched pavement, and sometimes were jostled on rough road.

It reminded me of the no-frills ride of the Honda Insight hybrid car of 1999.

I also grew tired of the noticeable whir sound that emanated when the car was in what was supposed to be the quiet electric-only mode and when it was coasting without much engine noise.

I could cover up the whir with radio sounds, but Toyota officials have worked to counter this sound in their hybrids.

Fit and finish in the test car was exceptional, and I consider Nissan's optional navigation system to be the easiest to use. Too bad, though, the nav system isn't a stand-alone option. Instead, it's part of an option package priced at a lofty $7,250.

Head-turning quotient: Some people thought it was a slick minivan, while others saw it as a slick SUV. But nearly everyone who had anything to say about its appearance gave the CX-9 high marks for styling.

Body style/layout: The Mazda CX-9 is a large crossover utility/tall wagon. It is not a sport-utility-vehicle. Its body and frame are integrated - unitized - much in the manner of a car. It has four side doors that open and close like those of a large sedan or wagon. It has a rear lift-gate; and it's available with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

Engine/transmission: The CX-9 comes with a standard 3.5-liter, 24-valve V-6 engine that develops 263 horsepower at 6,250 revolutions per minute and 249 foot-pounds of torque at 4,500 rpm. The engine is linked to six-speed automatic transmission that also can be shifted manually.

Capacities: There is seating for seven. Maximum cargo volume is 17.2 cubic feet with middle and third-row seats upright, and 47.5 cubic feet with seats folded. Maximum payload, the weight of what can be carried onboard, is 1,479 pounds. The CX-9 can be equipped to tow 3,500 pounds. Fuel capacity is 20.1 gallons of regular unleaded gasoline.

Mileage: I averaged 20 miles per gallon in highway driving. My assistant, Ria Manglapus, averaged nearly 16 mpg commuting in the Washington metropolitan area.

Safety: Standard equipment includes electronic traction and stability control, head and side air bags, and four-wheel antilock brakes.

Price: Base price on the all-wheel-drive 2007 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring is $33,875. Price as tested is $36,660, including $2,190 in options (sunroof, Bose premium audio system, Sirius Satellite Radio) and a $595 destination charge. Purse-strings note: CX-9 prices start at $29,035 for front-wheel-drive Sport version, which this column recommends for better fuel economy and for people who live in low-snow and no-snow zones. Compare with Buick Enclave, Ford Edge, GMC Acadia, Lincoln MKX, Saturn Outlook, Subaru B-9 Tribeca.

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