Eco-Friendly Car of the Year Nominees
Best Car for Green Drivers
2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI
As a nominee for Cars.com's Best of 2012, the Volkswagen Passat has clearly impressed us as a roomy, high-quality sedan. The TDI clean-diesel version is also our Best Car for Green Drivers. Rated at an EPA-estimated 30/40 mpg city/highway with an automatic transmission, the Passat TDI is an alternative to the base gasoline model, rated 22/31 mpg with an automatic. The Passat TDI wins this award both for its execution and because of what it represents: an efficient alternative to hybrids — whose driving quirks are objectionable to some buyers — and to plug-in cars that are priced higher and have inherent limitations.
Best Deal for Green Drivers
2012 Hyundai Elantra
Of our eco-friendly nominees, the 2012 Hyundai Elantra is the most affordable. Offering an EPA-estimated 40 mpg on the highway, it shows just how efficient a roomy, high-quality car can be without the added expense of hybrid or other alternative technology. Equally impressive is how the Elantra achieves its high mileage with either a manual or an automatic transmission and in its base form, whereas competitors hit their mark only with one transmission and/or with the added expense of high-efficiency option packages. Clearly, news of the gasoline engine's death has been greatly exaggerated.
