The automotive industry is currently swimming in ‘Green’ vehicles. It would seem that automakers are building a hybrid versions of almost every model in their line up and electric vehicles are popping up almost monthly. Despite the massive influx of ‘Green’, when it came time for GreenCarReports.com to name their 2012 Best Green Car to Buy, it was the mastermind behind the movement how took the trophy. For the past 14 years, a Toyota Prius has existed in some shape or form and when the first generation car hit U.S. soil in 2001, the hybrid game was changed forever. With the recent model expansion, the Prius now has a family to bring green driving to even more people.
“With a new Prius v and the Prius Plug-In Hybrid, it’s now a family of vehicles with some of the highest gas mileage on the market today, and the Prius name is likely to help encourage buyers to take the plunge into plug-in vehicles,” said John Voelcker, editor for Green Car Reports. The nominees for the Best Buy award were narrowed down by the online publication from a list of environmentally sensitive, mass-marketed vehicles priced under $60,000. Toyota’s new Prius family managed to beat conventional cars like the Fiat 500 and VW Passat TDi as well as other hybrids such as the Infiniti M35h and Honda Civic Hybrid. Even legitimate electric vehicles like the Mitsubishi i-MiEV didn’t stand a chance against the father of hybrids.
Source: Toyota
