Energy Efficiency Group Names the Year's "Greenest" Vehicle

February 7, 2007

Closeup photo of the rear hatch of the Civic GX.

The blue diamond-shaped "CNG" label—for "compressed natural gas"—distinguishes the Civic GX from its gasoline-fueled brethren.
Credit: Honda

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) named the natural-gas-powered Honda Civic GX as the greenest car of the year on February 6th, with the release of the latest edition of the ACEEE Green Book Online. Last year, the Civic GX lost out to the ultra-clean version of the Honda Insight, but with the Insight's retirement, the Civic GX again rises to first place. Hybrid vehicle fans need not despair, though, since the Toyota Prius, the Honda Civic Hybrid, and the Nissan Altima Hybrid are in second, third, and fourth place, respectively. The new subcompacts are also making their presence known, as the Toyota Yaris landed in fifth place. ACEEE rates the vehicles based on pollutant emissions, fuel consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions. A subscription is needed to see the full Green Book Online, but the top-twelve lists are available for free. See the ACEEE press release and the top-twelve lists.

People in California that buy the greenest car of the year have an added advantage: they can drive it in the High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes, even if just one person is in the car. As noted by Honda, the state has issued 85,000 HOV permits for hybrid vehicles, which is the maximum allowed, but permits are still available for buyers of the Honda Civic GX. See the Honda press release.