Which company debuted the world's first dedicated hybrid SUV?

And, what unexpected and serious step did Volkswagen take as a result of its diesel-emission cheating scandal?

This is our look back at the Week In Reverse--right here at Green Car Reports--for the week ending on Friday, February 12, 2016.

Friday, our Tesla-owning author David Noland laid out the differences between his 2013 Tesla Model S and a brand-new 2016 Model S 90D.

He really liked the performance, had some questions about its efficiency, questioned the Autopilot, and turned off lane-departure warning immediately.

2016 Tesla Model S 90D during Southern California test drive [photo: David Noland]

2016 Tesla Model S 90D during Southern California test drive [photo: David Noland]

Was he tempted to trade in his 2013 car, as the Tesla salesman urged him to do? Read the article to find out!

Thursday had a Tesla story too: We reported that the Tesla Model 3 will be unveiled on March 31, and potential buyers can put down $1,000 deposits that same day at Tesla Stores.

The news came from the release late Wednesday of Tesla's fourth-quarter results, which disappointed financial analysts.

But Tesla fans focused on the 200-mile, $35,000 Model 3, which Tesla CEO Elon Musk still suggests will go into production in late 2017.

We also covered the launch of the 2017 Kia Niro hybrid SUV at the Chicago Auto Show on Thursday as well.

2017 Kia Niro, 2016 Chicago Auto Show

2017 Kia Niro, 2016 Chicago Auto Show

The Niro is targeting a 50-mpg combined fuel-economy rating, and it's the first dedicated hybrid crossover utility to hit the market--though no word yet on all-wheel drive.

On Wednesday itself, we published our gas-mileage review of the new 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.

Cold weather kept it from living up to its combined EPA rating, but the all-wheel-drive compact crossover will be an important vehicle for Toyota--especially if it replaces the Prius V wagon, as rumored.

Tuesday, we interviewed the head of the Diesel Emission Forum, whose job is to promote the efficiency of diesel vehicles in the U.S.

With the VW diesel emission scandal still regularly in the news, he's likely had a hard time of it these past few months.

But his message remains the same: Diesels will be necessary to meet fuel-economy goals in future years.

Oil well (photo by John Hill)

Oil well (photo by John Hill)

On Monday, we covered an interesting report from the progressive Rocky Mountain Institute on the future of oil.

While change will happen slowly, it suggests, multiple trends cloud the long-term prospects for several different uses of hydrocarbons.

Over the weekend, we reported that Volkswagen will release its internal investigation into the diesel-emission cheating scandal on April 21.

But in a sign of just how serious the impact of that scandal is, the company has postponed its annual shareholder meeting--a highly unusual step.

Tesla Model S Valentine's Day video screencap

Tesla Model S Valentine's Day video screencap

Finally, if you're reading this on Saturday, you still have one day to get a Valentine's Day gift if there's someone special in your life.

We rather like the idea of a scarlet Tesla Model S delivering champagne and red roses--but there's a twist in the video we published too.

Those were our main stories this week; we'll see you again next week. Until then, this has been the Green Car Reports Week in Reverse update.

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