It’s Ea$y Being Green
By Brad Nevin
We aren’t going to go into the subject of global warming. We’re talking cars here, not the environment, okay? But it’s clear that when it comes to climate change, cars and their exhaust emissions are high on the list of guilty parties. Which is why more and more people are driving green—choosing vehicles designed to leave a gentler environmental footprint than all those big-shouldered gas-guzzlers.
And tree-huggers aren’t the only ones snapping ‘em up. The surging price of gasoline is making some consumers consider green cars. And some states are offering legal incentives as well, offering perks to hybrid drivers, including tax rebates and permission to drive solo in high-occupancy lanes.
Drivers who lean green now have more choices than ever, ranging from gas-electric hybrids to clean diesels to standard gas-powered cars that mind their mileage manners. Here are six of our favorites.
Smart FourTwo
A good thing in a really small package
Price: $12,250 (estimated)
P owertrain: 1.0-liter DOHC 12-valve inline-3
EPA city/hwy mpG: 33/41
Range: 287 miles
This is pretty much a city car. Catch one on the highway and you’ll inevitably do a double take: The smart fourtwo looks pretty tiny out there. But Americans are discovering what Europeans have known for years: When you’re bopping around town, the smart fourtwo is a blast.
Read article at WetFeet.com