Honda Civic GX Earns Top Spot in Greenest Vehicles of 2009 List

Three Honda vehicles earned recognition from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) as the "greenest vehicles of 2009" with the Civic GX natural gas car taking the title of the greenest vehicle for the sixth consecutive year.

The Civic GX, first introduced in 1998, is the cleanest internal combustion vehicle certified by the EPA, and is 90% cleaner than the average gasoline-powered car on the road today.

Using a singular measure that incorporates fuel economy, health-related pollution impacts and global warming emissions, all vehicles are analyzed and given a "Green Score." This score is used in ACEEE's ranking system, resulting in a ranking of each vehicle's total environmental performance, including a list of the 12 greenest vehicles.

The Honda Civic GX natural gas car earned the title of the greenest vehicle for thesixth consecutive year. This is the ninth year in a row that a Honda vehicle received the number one ranking.

The Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid claim spots two and three, while the Smart Fortwo, the Toyota Yaris, and the Nissan Altima Hybrid complete the top six. This year, the Chevrolet Cobalt/Pontiac G5 twins and Chevrolet Aveo land in the 8th and 11th spots, respectively, showcasing the improving performance of domestic vehicles in ACEEE’s annual ranking.

Just missing out on a top-12 spot are the diesel-powered Volkswagen Jetta and Jetta Sportwagen, part of a new crop of light-duty diesels this year. These notable newcomers mark the official arrival of “clean diesels” that meet emissions standards in fifty states, previously unachieved by diesel-powered vehicles.

Greenest Vehicles of 2009