Eco-Friendly Car of the Year Nominees
Best Car for Green Drivers
2009 Toyota Prius
There's really no contest here, as the Prius hybrid gets the best mileage of any car on the road today, with an EPA-estimated 48/45 mpg city/highway. What's more, it's not hard to do better than those estimates in real-world driving. On top of its frugal fuel use, the Prius is also very affordable for a hybrid, with a starting price of $22,000. If you're able to find one — they've been in high demand recently after last summer's spike in gas prices — it's hard to go wrong with the Prius if you're looking for a green car. Plus, it has exceptional reliability to boot.
Best Deal for Green Drivers
2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
If you don't have the dough for high-tech hybrids, fear not: GM offers an XFE Cobalt coupe at just $15,660 that gets a class-leading 37 mpg on the highway (only with the manual transmission, though). Cabin quality and driving dynamics are decidedly pedestrian, but that sort of mileage would be impressive in just about anything. Step up to the 1LT trim — the highest you can go while keeping the thrifty stick shift — and you get basic comforts like power windows and keyless entry. Those are much-needed conveniences for most people, though serious penny-pinchers will probably want nothing of them.
