New Study Names Most Environmentally Friendly Cars

J.D. Power has released its first annual study of environmentally friendly vehicles. As expected, hybrids rank high in the list, but 22 of the top 30 vehicles were conventional gasoline ones like the Chevy Cobalt, Ford Focus and Honda Civic. The study used EPA data and J.D. Power's “voice-of-the-customer” data to come up with the list. Fuel economy, not surprisingly, was the main factor for customers. Another fun tidbit from the study was the fact that shoppers considering hybrids expected to get on average a 28-mpg improvement when moving to a hybrid vehicle. The reality is closer to 9 mpg. Click below for the full list of J.D. Power's environmentally friendly cars.

Comments

This only covers 2006 model year vehicles, which is why the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris aren't on the list.

Why isn't the Smartcar on this list?

@ Linda
you must be Canadian. So am I. The smart fortwo isn't on the list because it isnt'available in the U.S. yet. they will get only the second-generation car

I am a race car engine builder. Years ago I use to be a full time auto mechanic. Some of the most greenest people on earth are the worst, if not, most hypocritical people on the earth today. They buy or lease a brand new vehicle no matter what it would be (I am not going to be specific because they are all guilty). From the minute the own it, until the minute it is returned either with a lease or trade, absolutely nothing has been done to the vehicle. It needs everything: Tires, because of them not being rotated or balanced every 5,000 miles. Tire pressure. Don't let anyone else tell you, it should be checked at least once a week. It takes about 5 to 10 minutes. If everyone in the world did this one every week, you could not imagine how much cleaner that this world would be. It would make you sick. Spark plugs and spark plug wires just because they are too expensive. A pcv valve. On most vehicles, this is a $7.00 item. You cannot imagine what this does to an engine if it is not replaced when it should. Dirty air filter, because of it being a hassle or just plain laziness. A fuel filter. Most people let this one go the entire vehicles life until they get stuck on the side of the road. You can't imagine what an engines crankcase looks like after someone neglects that.

I had the priveledge recently of doing a complete teardown of a 2006 Honda Prius engine. I did a trace back from where the Toyota dealer was located. The engine had a little over 50,000 miles on it. When I had removed the oil pan and other entries to the crankcase, the person that owned it should have been arrested. I honestly do not believe that the oil was ever changed. It did not even look like oil an longer. It looked like black lard.

The point that I am trying to make is just because someone is driving a hybrid doesn't excuse them for not maintaining the vehicle. They have the SAME if not MORE responsibility to do so because of the technology being so new.

The next time you see someone who is driving a large Chevrolet dually pickup which is over 15
YEARS old, and yes has 2 fuel tanks on it, it is because there are a lot of use left THAT DO follow the owners manual like it's bible because it is. Most people like myself change their own oil, make their own repairs and don't bitch because they had spent so much money sending the job to a dealership in which the job wasn't done half as goon. This FACT. I change oil in all 4 vehicles that we own every 2,500 miles or every six months.

The people these days that piss and moan about gas guzzlers, big trucks, big pickup trucks, big SUVs, or just big cars in general, or; even, just gasoline powered vehicles should not bitch and moan at all. They should do one or two things: When buying a new or used vehicle, make sure that the owners manual come with the vehicle and follow it, and when you do, you really are being green. Or, the easiest one of all is don't own a vehicle at all. Walk, ride a bicycle, or take the bus instead of being hypocritical.

Nick Taylor

Car LeasingI honestly do not believe that the oil was ever changed. It did not even look like oil an longer. It looked like black lard.