kbb.com Highlights Variety of Fuel-Sippers With Top 10 Green Cars of 2010

Editors Pick Useful Mix of New Green Cars; KBB Green(R) Offers Alternative-Fuel Car Guide, Tools, Forums, Blogs

News provided by

Apr 20, 2010, 05:00 ET

IRVINE, Calif., April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The Top 10 Green Cars for 2010 today were named by the expert editors from Kelley Blue Book, www.kbb.com, the leading provider of new car and used car information. In an all-new story posted to KBB® Green just in time for Earth Day 2010, the kbb.com editors list a variety of fuel-efficient vehicles worthy of buyers' consideration. The coverage includes detailed EPA-estimated fuel economy numbers and editorial commentary on why each particular model made this Earth Day's top Green Car List.

While it would have been simple for the kbb.com editors to rank the Top 10 vehicles in fuel efficiency, they instead sought out a variety of vehicle types for this list, since not everyone who wants to go greener will have their transportation needs met by a small sedan. To be considered for the Top 10 Green Cars of 2010 list, each vehicle was required to offer fuel economy and CO2 emissions superior to the bulk of vehicles in its class, and at the same time provide all the safety, creature comforts and driving enjoyment that would make it pleasant to own.

Buying a green, environmentally friendly vehicle is one way for car shoppers to deal with the ever-rising costs of fuel in the midst of a slowly recovering economy. Saving gasoline doesn't just save the planet; it also saves money. Perhaps the biggest news this year is the fact that while hybrids still lead the pack in the fuel economy race and in overall 'greenness,' conventional vehicles are catching up on both fronts. At the same time, the diversity of hybrids continues to increase, so there are more choices and more competition for car shoppers' precious dollars.

While this year's Top 10 Green Cars list includes several from last year's collection, it also includes promising newcomers like the Volkswagen Golf TDI, one of the newest 'clean diesels' offering hybrid-like fuel efficiency without the complication, weight and expense of a big battery pack; and the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, which demonstrates that SUV-like features such as towing and cargo-carrying can co-exist with a hybrid powertrain.

"Whether car shoppers' top motivations are to save the planet or just save some greenbacks, there are many enjoyable green vehicle options available in the marketplace now, with more exciting models coming down automakers' product pipelines in the near future," said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com. "From conventional gasoline-powered fuel sippers to hybrids to diesels, we think car shoppers will be impressed with the variety in vehicle types and sizes, as well as the vast array of various technologies, available on the market for the green-minded consumer today, as showcased in our Top 10 Green Cars of 2010 list."

Select Choices from kbb.com's Top 10 Green Cars for 2010 List

2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI | 34 mpg (30 city, 42 highway)

2010 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid | 22 mpg (21 city, 22 highway)

2010 Honda Fit | 31 mpg (28 city, 35 highway)

2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid | 39 mpg (41 city, 36 highway)

2010 BMW 335d | 27 mpg (23 city, 36 highway)

For the remaining five vehicles on the Top 10 list, including full editorial commentary and reasoning behind each of the editors' picks, visit the Top 10 Green Cars for 2010 story in kbb.com's KBB Green section at www.kbb.com/GreenCars2010.

About KBB Green

Kelley Blue Book's Green section allows new-car shoppers to obtain information about alternative-fuel technologies, such as hydrogen cars, diesel cars, hybrid cars, natural gas cars, electric cars and flex fuel/ethanol vehicles, as well as fuel-sipping gasoline cars. Kbb.com's vehicle experts also keep consumers up-to-date on the latest Green news and information from around the automotive world. The video section of KBB Green offers an in-depth, inside look at the latest eco-friendly vehicles on the market from both the Kelley Blue Book perspective and the carmakers' themselves. KBB Green also features helpful tools such as the Perfect Car Finder® and the Fuel Efficiency Challenge.

About Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com)

Since 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, has provided vehicle buyers and sellers with the new and used vehicle information they need to accomplish their goals with confidence. The company's top-rated Web site, www.kbb.com, provides the most up-to-date pricing and values, including the New Car Blue Book® Value, which reveals what people actually are paying for new cars. The company also reports vehicle pricing and values via products and services, including software products and the famous Blue Book® Official Guide. According to the C.A. Walker Research Solutions, Inc. - 2009 Spring Automotive Web Site Usefulness Study, kbb.com is the most useful automotive information Web site among new and used vehicle shoppers, and half of online vehicle shoppers visit kbb.com. Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com also is a W3 Gold Award winner, sanctioned by the International Academy of Visual Arts. Kbb.com is a leading provider of new car prices, used car Blue Book Values, car reviews, new cars for sale, used cars for sale, and car dealer locations.

SOURCE Kelley Blue Book