A lot of cars claim to be green these days. Some really are, of course, but you have to take the initiative to actually look into a vehicle’s performance and compare it to others to know how green your potential buy really is.
If you actually compare the green performance numbers of different cars on the market, some of them may surprise you. FindTheBest’s new Clean and Fuel-Efficient Cars application for comparing various key features allows you to quickly and easily work your way past potential Green Car marketing spin.
You can compare, for instance, the 2011 Smart ForTwo Coupe with the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta. The Smart certainly earns higher green recognition. With its unique styling, onlookers from miles away will instantly know that the ForTwo’s owner was willing to sacrifice seating, speed, and trunk space for the sake of the environment. The Jetta, on the other hand, doesn’t stand out much from the crowd, with four seats (5 if you squeeze), a 2-liter engine, a trunk, and standard sedan styling.
So, how much planet are you saving by wedging yourself into the Smart? If you look at them side by side on FindTheBest’s Clean Cars App, you will find that according to the EPA, the Smart gets two more combined miles per gallon (36 vs. 34), has a Greenhouse Gas Score equal to that of the Jetta, and has an Air Pollution Score of 5 compared to the Jetta’s 6.
In the end, the sacrifices made for the ForTwo amount to saving two miles per gallon, and less if you use the freeway frequently. The benefit of the Smart over the Volkswagen actually lies then in the statement it makes. The EPA can’t measure this effect, unfortunately, but the perception that others in the community are choosing to purchase green cars will certainly influence individuals when they go to buy their next car. If one Smart influences a few neighbors to make eco-conscious decisions the next time they’re at the dealership, then the statement has definitely validated the cramped quarters.
Chris Michaels is a business development intern at FindTheBest.com, a comparison website designed to be the trusted place where consumers can find reliable information, free from hidden marketing schemes or other clutter, to make faster and more informed decisions.
Image via riart10
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