Toyota Prius is 12th greenest car - Prius Bash #4

[Lilleput]

Smart Fortwo Roadster is 'greenest car'
26 September 2007

A new report says the Smart Fortwo Roadster is the greenest car
• New reports says Fortwo is greenest car
• Based on CO2 and nitrous oxide emissions
• Toyota Prius came 12th in survey

The Smart Roadster tops the charts as the most environmentally friendly car, according to a new report.

In the study by Cardiff University and automotive consultants Thames Clifford, researchers gave a car's carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions 50% weighting in assessing its overall environmental score.

For the other 50%, the researchers ranked cars on their construction, energy used and end of life disposal costs.

By using this scoring system, the green car table was dominated by superminis, topped by the Smart, which is now no longer in production, and followed by other city cars such as Citroen's C1 and the Fiat Panda.

Toyota's petrol-electric hybrid Prius, a car often associated with environmental friendliness, came 12th in the study.

The report's authors warned the Prius could move further down the green pecking order as greener versions of conventional petrol and diesel powered cars come on sale.

'We're not saying that any car that's the same size as the Prius is better, but the gap is closing very rapidly, and conventional technologies will pass the Prius,' Clifford Thames' Richard Barber told the Financial Times.

Toyota has said its expects its next Prius to have carbon dioxide emissions of between 90 and 99g/km, but it won't be on sale until 2009.

Currently, Volkswagen's Polo Bluemotion is the car with the lowest carbon dioxide emissions, but VW plans a Golf Bluemotion - similar in size to the Prius - by the end of the year.

Citroen, Ford, Hyundai and Volvo are also planning greener versions of their small family cars in the near future.

Greenest cars
1 Smart Roadster
2 Smart Fortwo cabriolet
3 Citroen C1 1.0i
4 Peugeot 107 1.0
5 Citroen C1 1.4 HDi
6 Fiat Panda 1.2
7 Ford Ka 1.3
8 Toyota Yaris 1.0
9 Fiat Panda 100hp
10 Peugeot 206 1.4
11 Mini Cooper D
12 Toyota Prius 1.5

http://www.whatcar.com/news-article.aspx?NA=228254


Now, the problem is that, as i can see the Prius is the only car on that list being sold in the US so the Americana bashing has to wait

Makes you think when you can get a 100hp panda (Hot'ish Hatch) That is greener than Greenpeace's cum bucket.

[geeman]

Nice. The Smart Roadster is a cool car too. Just shame that they don't make it anymore.

[Lilleput]

^^
Get a ForTwo and plant a tree

[Blind_Io]

Originally Posted by Lilleput

http://www.whatcar.com/news-article.aspx?NA=228254


Now, the problem is that, as i can see the Prius is the only car on that list being sold in the US so the Americana bashing has to wait

Makes you think when you can get a 100hp panda (Hot'ish Hatch) That is greener than Greenpeace's cum bucket.

The Yaris and Mini Cooper are as common as dirt over here.

[static]

The Prius is very old model already, of course the new superminis are more eco-frendlier.

[Lilleput]

Originally Posted by Blind_Io

The Yaris and Mini Cooper are as common as dirt over here.

I don't think you get the Yaris 1.0 or the Mini Diesel.

[Lilleput]

Originally Posted by static

The Prius is very old model already, of course the new superminis are more eco-frendlier.

The Prius has been updated throughout it's life, i agree it's getting older but when did it come out? 2004? You can't call that a old model. Many of the other cars on the list are even older.

[wooflepoof]

stupid prius, and i think the last diesel car we got was the VW Jetta diesel in 02/03 afaik

[static]

Originally Posted by Lilleput

The Prius has been updated throughout it's life, i agree it's getting older but when did it come out? 2004? You can't call that a old model. Many of the other cars on the list are even older.

Prius came out in 1997, they shaped it a bit for worldwide markets late 2000 so yes, it is very old model.

[BlaRo]

It's not exactly that much of a strike against the Prius, is it? After all, the Prius is twice as big and has much more room for 5 people and their luggage, and it's in a completely different class altogether than the superminis.

[poptya]

Originally Posted by wooflepoof

stupid prius, and i think the last diesel car we got was the VW Jetta diesel in 02/03 afaik

I saw a current gen 325D the other day

[GM_IV]

Originally Posted by Lilleput

I don't think you get the Yaris 1.0 or the Mini Diesel.

The US does get the Smart Fortwo cabriolet. Your right however the Yaris only has the 1.5 and theres no Mini diesel available in North America.

[Lilleput]

Originally Posted by BlaRo

It's not exactly that much of a strike against the Prius, is it? After all, the Prius is twice as big and has much more room for 5 people and their luggage, and it's in a completely different class altogether than the superminis.

Get a 4-Door C1 or Yaris, they both offer around 1000L of boot space with splitting rear seats.

Also, lets not forget that the Prius is twice sometimes three times as expensive as some of the other cars on that list.

[KaJuN]

Originally Posted by Lilleput

Get a 4-Door C1 or Yaris, they both offer around 1000L of boot space with splitting rear seats.

Also, lets not forget that the Prius is twice sometimes three times as expensive ugly as some of the other cars on that list.

Corrections FTW! Although I'll admit that the Yaris is one of the top three ugliest cars I've ever been unfortunate enough to lay my eyes on.

[Uwe]

Originally Posted by Lilleput

^^
Get a ForTwo and plant a tree

Get a Porsche and plant two trees.

[Lilleput]

Originally Posted by Uwe

Get a Porsche and plant two trees.

First post and you choose that?

[cdbob]

I hate the Prius, Buy a Fiat Panda, planet a tree, then drive over it.

[KaJuN]

Originally Posted by Lilleput

^^
Get a ForTwo and plant a tree

Originally Posted by Uwe

Get a Porsche and plant two trees.

Originally Posted by cdbob

I hate the Prius, Buy a Fiat Panda, planet a tree, then drive over it.

No no no no no! You've got it all wrong! You're supposed to plant a tree, cut it down, and build a Morgan!

[epp_b]

Don't forget the dust-to-dust pollution. Factor in that, and the Prius is worse than just about any car.

[hansvonaxion]

Originally Posted by BlaRo

It's not exactly that much of a strike against the Prius, is it? After all, the Prius is twice as big and has much more room for 5 people and their luggage, and it's in a completely different class altogether than the superminis.

Agree, plus the scope of the report doesnt cover fuel consumption (Yeah I know, the Prius is a gas guzzler), unless thats what they mean by "energy used"? "End of life disposal cost", does that include recyclability?