Top 2010 green cars listed by Kelley Blue Boo.kelley blue book used cars

As customary in April, Kelley Blue Book has released the Top Green Cars of 2010. In order to make the Top Green Cars list, the 10 cars chosen have to meet specific criteria in order to be considered.

The annual list specifies each of the vehicles offer good fuel economy, CO2 emissions which are better than others in the same vehicle class, and at the same time be able to put forward safety and comfort. In essence the car has to be 'green' and still be an overall satisfying car to drive.

The cars are listed in order of "in order of combined EPA-estimated fuel economy" (kbb.com). Since the criteria specifies that the cars must offer both good mileage to the gallon and decreased CO2 emissions, both of these factors are taken into consideration when making the rank.

And now for the drum roll please….the top 10 Green Cars of 2010 as listed by Kelley Blue Book.

1. 2010 Toyota Prius

Topping this year's green list is the Toyota Prius. At a whopping 50 mpg on average, this car is described as "the biggest, most powerful iteration yet, it's also the most fuel efficient" (kbb.com). This model has lots of high tech options that brings futuristic cars into reality with voice activated navigation and a solar-powered ventilation system. Seems like the earlier problems with this vehicle have not affected its green status.

2. 2010 Honda Insight (Hybrid)

Honda has two nods in 2010 (see #7). This vehicle is highly integrated with technology features that allow for strong convenience to get the best of both worlds. At 41 mpg on average, it is hard to deny this car is pretty efficient when compared to many other cars.

3. 2010 Ford Fusion (Hybrid)

The Fusion gets 39 mpg on average (41 city, 36 highway) and according to Kelley gets points not only for efficiency, but because it manages to include all of the features in conventional cars of its type.

4. 2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI

Volkswagen Golf TDI is new to Kelley's green list this year according to Fox (myfoxdc.com). At an average of 34 mpg (30 city, 42 highway), seems to be a good choice.

5. 2010 MINI Cooper

For a small car, this vehicle seems to get a lot of attention. More and more of these seem to appear on the road all the time. It is no wonder, the Cooper gets an average of 32 mpg (37 on the highway) and is pretty efficient.

6. 2010 Ford Escape (Hybrid)

Looks like Ford gets two cars on the list this year. The Escape gets 32 mpg (34 city, 31 highway) and Kelley calls it "the most fuel-efficient SUV on the road today".

7. 2010 Honda Fit

This Honda gets an average of 31 mpg (28 city, 35 highway) and is a smaller sized vehicle that does well on efficiency, speed and even has cargo space.

8. 2010 BMW 335d

Averaging 27 mpg (36 on the highway), the BMW was chosen because this car features a six-cylinder diesel engine which provides both power and efficiency.

9. 2010 Toyota Highlander (Hybrid)

The Highlander averages 26 mpg. According to Kelley Blue Book this vehicle "is a green family favorite not just for its seven seats and superior fuel economy, but also for its standard all-wheel drive and demonstrated reliability" (kbb.com).

10. 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe (Hybrid)

The Tahoe averages 22 mpg. This larger SUV style vehicle is estimated to use about six gallons less than other vehicles in the same class.

The Green List is released by Kelley Blue Book annually. Click here to compare this year's list to Kelley's 2009 Green List.

Reference: helium.com

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