Foreign Owned Automakers Top "Green" List

Washington DC February 6, 2007; The AIADA newsletter reported that three gasoline-electric hybrids, the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, and Nissan Altima, were rated among the most environmentally friendly cars of 2007 today by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. The Honda Civic was ranked number one.

The fastest selling new models in the top ten list were the Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit, both small, gas-powered vehicles.

According to the Boston Globe, no cars built by American manufacturers made the green list. "Certain companies committed years ago to fuel-efficient technologies," said James Kliesch, research associate for the Washington-based nonprofit environmental group.

"Today, those automakers have a clear competitive advantage in the world of green vehicles."

The vehicles rated most damaging to the environment included the Mercedes-Benz GL320 diesel, the Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel, and the Ford F-250 pickup truck.

The council uses fuel economy, emissions, and vehicle weight to create a formula that ranks vehicles from 0-100 with a score above 50 needed to gain a spot near the top of the list.

Next year, new diesel technology using federally mandated cleaner fuel is expected to allow some diesel vehicles to climb the list.