Super Eco

Photo credit: Motor Trend

Blue books are so last-millenium ... Get up to date with ACEEE's Green Book. With ratings covering model years 2000 through 2010, not only can you find out what the straight-up greenest choices are, but you can narrow things down to the greenest gasoline-powered vehicles, too.

Here's how they do it:

We analyze automakers' test results for fuel economy and emissions as reported to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board, along with other specifications reported by automakers. We estimate pollution from vehicle manufacturing, from the production and distribution of fuel and from vehicle tailpipes. We count air pollution, such as fine particles, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and other pollutants according to the health problems caused by each pollutant. We then factor in greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide) and combine the emissions estimates into a Green Score that runs on a scale from 0 to 100. The top vehicles this year score a 57, the average is 32 and the worst gas-guzzlers score around 16.

So what are the top five gasoline-powered vehicles for 2010?

1. Toyota Prius (51/48mpg city/highway, Green Score 52)
2. Honda Civic Hybrid (40/45mpg city/highway, Green Score 51)
3. Toyota Yaris (29/35mpg city/highway, Green Score 46)
4. Honda Fit (28/35mpg city/highway, Green Score 45)
5. Ford Escape Hybrid (34/31mpg city/highway, Green Score 42)

And for the hardcore among you, the very greenest choices for 2010:

1. Honda Civic GX (24/36mpg city/highway, Green Score 57)
2. Toyota Prius (51/48mpg city/highway, Green Score 52)
3. Honda Civic Hybrid (40/45mpg city/highway, Green Score 51)
4. Smart for Two Convertible/Coupe (33/41mpg city/highway, Green Score 50)
5. Honda Insight (40/43mpg city/highway, Green Score 50)

And to be totally balanced, the meanest vehicles for the environment in 2010 (for shame, people ... for shame):

1. Lamborghini Murcielago/Murcielago Roadster (8/13mpg city/highway, Green Score 18)
2. Bugatti Veyron (8/14mpg city/highway, Green Score 18)
3. Bentley Azure/Brooklands (9/15mpg city/highway, Green Score 18)
4. Maybach 57S (10/16mpg city/highway, Green Score 19)
5. Dodge Ram 2500 Mega Cab (Class 2B) (12/17mpg city/highway, Green Score 20)