- The 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas, Mitsubishi i, Toyota Prius V, Ford Focus Electric and Volkswagen Passat TDI will battle it out for the 2012 Green Car of the Year prize at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.
- General Motors and Chrysler are shut out of the competition, while the Japanese automakers have snagged three of the five finalist slots.
- There is little commonality among the finalists, with organizers noting that they represent "different takes on green."
LOS ANGELES — The 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas, Mitsubishi i, Toyota Prius V, Ford Focus Electric and Volkswagen Passat TDI will battle it out for the 2012 Green Car of the Year prize at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.
General Motors and Chrysler are shut out of the competition, while the Japanese automakers have snagged three of the five finalist slots.
There is little commonality among the finalists, with organizers noting that they represent "different takes on green." The award is given by Green Car Journal.
"This year's Green Car of the Year finalists underscore that there is no single solution to our transportation challenges," said Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of Green Car Journal. "Here we have five exceptional answers to the question of how we're going to increase efficiencies, reduce tailpipe and CO2 emissions, and decrease petroleum use."
The 2012 field of finalists includes two all-electric vehicles, a clean diesel, a natural-gas model and a larger version of Toyota's mainstay Prius hybrid.
The 2011 Chevrolet Volt won the Green Car of the Year prize last year, beating out such competitors as the 2011 Nissan Leaf and the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid.
Inside Line says: Should make for an interesting office pool.
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1919diesel says:
03:02 PM, 11/29/2011
a1c_scg wrote:
"Wait, so the defending champ of the title wasn't even a finalist?? How does that work?"
It's an annual award, like the "Car of the Year" awards, where the only cars eligible are NEW or substantially redesigned models coming out in the 2012 model year. That's why neither the Volt nor the Leaf qualify this year, and the current Prius which came out in 2010 was not a contender last year (or this year). I'm guessing next year, the Ford C-Max hybrid, Prius plug-in hybrid, and Cruze diesel will all be contenders.
1919diesel says:
10:41 AM, 10/26/2011
a1c_scg wrote:
"Wait, so the defending champ of the title wasn't even a finalist?? How does that work?"
It's an annual award, like the "Car of the Year" awards, where the only cars eligible are NEW or substantially redesigned models coming out in the 2012 model year. That's why neither the Volt nor the Leaf qualify this year, and the current Prius which came out in 2010 was not a contender last year (or this year). I'm guessing next year, the Ford C-Max hybrid, Prius plug-in hybrid, and Cruze diesel will all be contenders.
1919diesel says:
10:40 AM, 10/26/2011
a1c_scg wrote:
"Wait, so the defending champ of the title wasn't even a finalist?? How does that work?"
It's an annual award, like the "Car of the Year" awards, where the only cars eligible are NEW or substantially redesigned models coming out in the 2012 model year. That's why neither the Volt nor the Leaf qualify this year, and the current Prius which came out in 2010 was not a contender last year (or this year). I'm guessing next year, the Ford C-Max hybrid, Prius plug-in hybrid, and Cruze diesel will all be contenders.
lzks says:
06:49 AM, 10/26/2011
I think the judges decide with a stash of hash and a keg of rum.
motorstreet says:
04:30 PM, 10/25/2011
I want to see the Passat TDI win, they should value truly practical green cars over the hugely impractical and expensive EV's, overpriced but interesting Civic GX (it costs more than the Passat TDI), and the stupid overpriced,not very roomy, ugly, not terribly fuel efficient, and not really all that green (Batteries and gas) Prius V.
pei_asdf says:
02:32 PM, 10/25/2011
Wait, the DOA Volt won last year's award? I wish this year's winner is not something I want to drive.
a1c_scg says:
07:59 AM, 10/25/2011
Wait, so the defending champ of the title wasn't even a finalist?? How does that work?