Kelley Blue Book Turns Focus on Fuel Efficiency, Names Top 10 Green Cars

IRVINE, CA --- Kelley Blue Book has launched KBB Green (www.kbb.com/green), an all-new section of the company's Web site designed to help guide new-vehicle shoppers on environmental and fuel economy issues. 

Kelley Blue Book's new 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 flexfuel/ethanol vehicles, as well as fuel-sipping gasoline cars. Kbb.com's vehicle experts also will 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 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 tools such as the Perfect Car Finder and the all-new Fuel Efficiency Challenge.

In conjunction with the launch of KBB Green, the editors of Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com name their inaugural picks for the Top 10 Green Cars. In compiling the 2008 list of the Top 10 Green Cars, the kbb.com editors looked at more than just fuel economy and price. As would any new-car buyer, they also considered factors like comfort, performance, utility and technology. In addition to the three most fuel-friendly cars available today -- Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid and smart fortwo -- the list includes exceptionally efficient vehicles from a variety of categories, all the way up to a full-size SUV, like the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid.

The Top 10 Green Cars list also includes a sampling of the variety of drivetrains and green technologies currently available to American consumers.

"Our list of the Top 10 Green Cars shows consumers that there are fuel-friendly vehicles available in almost every segment to accommodate a variety of lifestyles, so you don't have to sacrifice much, if anything, to go green," said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com. 

The kbb.com editors' choices for the 2008 Top 10 Green Cars are:

-- 2008 Toyota Prius (48 mpg city, 45 highway)

-- 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid (40 city, 45 highway)

-- 2008 smart fortwo (33 city, 41 highway)

-- 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid (35 city, 33 highway)

-- 2008 MINI Cooper (28 city, 37 highway)

-- 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid (34 city, 30 highway)

--2008 Honda Fit (28 city, 34 highway)

-- 2008 Mercedes-Benz E320 BLUETEC (23 city, 32 highway)

-- 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid (27 city, 25 highway)

-- 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid (21 city, 22 highway)