POLL: 2009 Green Car of the Year finalists announced
The editors at Green Car Journal have announced their picks to succeed the Chevy Tahoe hybrid as the Green Car of the Year. The five finalists for 2009 cover all the bases including hybrid, diesel and really small. The vehicles up for the award include the Ford Fusion hybrid, the Saturn Vue 2 Mode hybrid, the BMW 335d, the VW Jetta TDI and the Smart ForTwo. To qualify, the cars have to be in production by January 1, 2009. Last year at the LA Auto Show, editor Ron Cogan announced the Tahoe as the winner based the fact that it brought a huge improvement in efficiency to what was then still a huge market segment. As we now know that's no longer the case. We'll learn who the winner is in a few weeks, but for now, please cast your own vote from among these new models.
[Source: Green Car Journal]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
paulwesterberg 12:46PM (10/31/2008)
missing option: Tesla Roadster
Reply
GoodCheer 1:04PM (10/31/2008)
I think in terms of total lifecycle environmental impact, the Prius still beats any of these. Just because it's not new doesn't mean it shouldn't be considered... or am I being naive?
Reply
Sasparilla 1:31PM (10/31/2008)
Any "Green Car of the Year" contest that endorses the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid has lost its claim of green legitimacy as there is nothing Green about the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid (last year any version of the new Honda Accord, and alot of other cars, was greener than the Tahoe Hybrid).
Paul is right, the Tesla Roadster should be at the top of the list.
Reply
Brn 4:14PM (10/31/2008)
You'd really choose a sports car over a Tahoe? I think the Tesla is great, but it's extreme impracticality makes it anything but green. At least the Tahoe is capable of performing work. The Tesla is merely there for joy rides.
Btw: I think the Tesla is a great innovation and will lead to good things. However, the current car is a joy riding machine for the wealthy.
Chris M 2:48AM (11/01/2008)
Considering that approx. 2/3 of the vehicles on the road are single person commuters, I'd say the Tesla Roadster is more practical than the Tahoe, except for workers hauling tools and soccer moms hauling a busload of kids.
Sasparilla got it right. This "green car of the year" award is a complete sham and a joke. Their previous winner, the Tahoe Hybrid, is not selling well, due to the high price and poor fuel economy compared to the competition, it was only "green" compared to the standard issue Tahoe.
I'm betting the winner is whichever auto company offers the biggest bribe to this "green car journal".
oollyoumn 3:57PM (10/31/2008)
The Fusion is due in the same time frame as the Insight, why not include the insight. Why include diesels, I don't see much green about them. Don't get me wrong I like diesels, I've owned a couple even dating back to a Peugeot 504D, but it is a big stretch to call these things clean even in their current form. Even China will not give them green status. If manufactures can just meet the US pollution standards they call the oil burner a "Clean Diesel". Just remember there are gas cars, many of them, that are 90% or more cleaner than the standards.
Reply
Sam Abuelsamid 3:59PM (10/31/2008)
Because the Insight will not be in production by January 1, the Fusion will be.
brandon 5:20PM (10/31/2008)
The VW clean diesel is "cleaner" than most gas cars. It would be PZEV if not for the NOx. In evaporative emissions it is hundreds of times better than almost all gas cars. It produces 0.000 g/mi of particulate matter. In NOx it is about the same is every non-hybrid gas car.
Serge 5:12PM (10/31/2008)
"To qualify, the cars have to be in production by January 1, 2009"
By that qualification Toyota Prius has to be on the list and would be my choice.
Reply
Mike G 6:22PM (11/01/2008)
Wow I had not seen a picture of that Ford Fusion hybrid, looks great - and I'm pretty picky!
Reply
Don 9:10PM (11/02/2008)
I'm going with the Smart. Cheap and miserly.
Reply
Chris M 10:37PM (11/02/2008)
How did they bypass the Tesla Roadster and Honda Insight? Well, they only count 2009 models that started production before 2009! Since those 2009 models won't start production until 2009 has actually started, they weren't considered.
What about the Prius? Well, they don't really consider it a "new" model as it has been in production for several years.
So there you have it, a set of ridiculous arbitrary rules to eliminate most of the competition to the Detroit 3, no matter how green. Somehow, BMW and VW snuck in, but be assured "green car journal" will find some way to eliminate those intruders!
Reply
Joihan777 12:02AM (11/03/2008)
I think the Fusion has the best qualities.
The Tesla is w-a-a-y expensive, the BMW is too. The Jetta & Saturn don't do anything for me and the Smart would likely be a second car for most families. Lastly, the Prius doesn't "do" performance.
The Fusion looks great, Ford's quality is getting on par with Toyota, the performance is supposedly good (haven't driven it) and it will hopefully be very attainably priced.
Reply
Praveen C 1:14PM (11/04/2008)
The Ford Fusion deserves much credit. 5 mpg more than the Camry Hybrid. That is fantastic. Also Ford's work in the Hybrid arena needs to be much appreciated. They have been out there in the market with a Full Hybrid since 2004. I have done my research and they DO NOT use any Toyota technology. It is very common in the Automotive business to share patent info so OEMs are not infringing on each other's technology.
Reply
Chris M 7:06PM (11/05/2008)
While it is true that Toyota doesn't make the engine or hybrid parts for Ford, the design is remarkably similar in its arrangement of motors and planetary gears - so similar that Ford had to make a licensing agreement with Toyota to prevent a patent infringement lawsuit.
Sam Abuelsamid 8:14PM (11/05/2008)
Not true. Ford and Toyota came to similar designs concurrently by different paths. Each has unique elements that are patented and the two companies actually cross-licensed their patents. No money every changed hands between the two.
Thomas Haunert 1:41PM (11/06/2008)
The 2009 Ford Fusion HEV will have a much broader appeal, making it the most relevant new vehicle for the US market.
It is well suited for city and highway travel, very modern and stylish exterior and an interior quality second to none.
Reply
Praveen C 12:13PM (11/08/2008)
I fully support Sam's comments. Look underhood of a Camry Hybrid and the Escape Hybrid and see if you can find any differences..
Reply
Alex Nunez 3:11PM (11/07/2008)
This award is idiotic. So, the Ford Fusion Hybrid can conceivably be named GCOTY at the same time it makes its world debut? The whole "in production by January 1" rule is a joke. Instead of awarding the '09 prize at the end of '08, let it go out at the end of '09, once all the finalists have been on the market for a while. Until that happens, I call BS.
Reply
Juven 6:46PM (11/07/2008)
Im going wtih the Ford Fusion
Reply