Honda Named Greenest Automaker

UCS bestows the award to the automaker with the lowest combined score for its smog and greenhouse-gas emissions in its U.S. auto fleet.

Honda has seen incremental growth in its average fuel-economy standards. Since 2005 it has increased its fleet’s average gas mileage by 7.2%. Just last year the automaker increased its fleet’s overall fuel economy by 1 mpg to an average of 31.3 mpg, which is above the industry average of 28.8 mpg.

UCS warns, however, that Honda barely kept the award this year. It almost lost it to Toyota and Hyundai. According to the organization, Honda needs to focus on providing more hybrid vehicles in the near future. That’s what the automaker plans to do. Honda is scheduled to launch its new Honda Civic Hybrid sometime next year, with an EV Honda and a plug-in Honda coming in 2012.

According to UCS, Hyundai has skyrocketed up its green list and has real potential of placing first next year. Ford, ranked sixth, is the greenest domestic automaker. Chrysler remains the dirtiest automaker for the fourth year in a row.

Honda Is the Greenest Automaker. Again. (Autopia)