Easier on the Air

Not everyone wants--or can afford--an electric car, but there are still a sizable number of environmentally friendly gasoline-powered vehicles on the market, according to “Green Guide to Cars and Trucks.” Here is a sampling of California-certified vehicles, with a rating of 100 representing a zero-emissions ideal. The highest-rated gasoline-powered car, the Chevy Metro, received a 38:

*--*

Make/Model Engine Transmission Green Score (liters/cylinders) Subcompacts Mitsubishi Mirage 1.5/4 M 34 Honda Civic 1.6/4 A 31 Two-Seat Roadsters Mazda Miata 1.8/4 A 25 Compacts Dodge Neon 2.0/4 M 32 Saturn SL 1.9/4 A 31 Small Wagons Ford Escort 2.0/4 M 31 Saturn SW 1.9/4 A 30 Mid-Size Cars Plymouth Breeze 2.0/4 M 30 Toyota Camry 2.2/4 A 26 Mid-Size Wagons Subaru Legacy 2.2/4 M 26 Mercedes-Benz E320 3.2/6 A 23 Large Cars Toyota Avalon 3.0/6 A 25 Chrysler Concorde 2.7/6 A 23 Compact Pickups Chevrolet S-10 2.2/4 M 26 Ford Ranger 2.5/4 A 23 Small SUVs Toyota RAV4 2.0/4 A 25 Isuzu Amigo 2.2/4 M 23 Medium SUVs Mitsubishi Montero 2.3/4 M 24 Isuzu Rodeo 2.2/4 M 23

*--*

M = manual transmission

A = automatic transmission

Source: American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

(https://www.aceee.org/greenercars)