The top five finalists for the 2013 Green Car of the Year has been announced and congratulations go to: the Dodge Dart Aero, Ford C-Max and Fusion, Mazda CX-5 and Toyota Prius C. This award from Green Car Journal is an annual award and this years honors will be given at the Los Angeles Auto Show Press Conference on November 29. The winner will be determined by Green Car Journal staff members and Jay Leno.
Past Winners Include:
- 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
- 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI
- 2010 Audi A3 TDI
- 2011 Chevy Volt
These cars are chosen by what the judges feel are “All are affordable mass-market products that provide drivers full functionality and mainstream appeal, paving the way for making a difference in fuel use and overall emissions in daily driving.”
Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal and president of the Green Car Institute says, “This is a very exciting time for the Green Car of the Year program. For two decades now, Green Car Journal has documented the ‘greening’ of the auto industry, from a time of mere concepts and demonstration programs to today, when the sheer number of environmentally positive production vehicles available to consumers is just eye-opening.”
The Dodge Dart Aero and Mazda CX-5 SkyActiv have conventional engines but have been named because of their high EPA fuel ratings. The Toyota Prius C is a favorite, also because of the high fuel ratings with the Hybrid version. The Ford C-Max and Ford Fusion are favorites to win due to their high efficiency choices including hybrid and plug in options. Of course they all had to qualify by having mainstream appeal to match up to their fuel efficiency ratings. One of these models will become the winner, but all five vehicles can be proud to make it into the top five.