Fuel efficiency rating is usually cited as the key factor in determining a car’s eco-friendliness, and yes, this is very important. But just so you know, this doesn’t show you the whole story. When you check and analyze the global warming pie, Carbon emissions take up the huge slice – and this is what eco-driven aficionados sometimes don’t fully understand when it comes to electric cars like Tesla. Yup, it’s true that these electric vehicles won’t emit carbon, but you can’t call them emission friendly vehicles when a lot of CO2 is produced recharging their batteries.

So which cars are really eco-friendly? We turned to the EPA’s list of fuel economy and emissions data for over thousands of cars to determine the top 5 green cars in 2017. To rank them up, we divide their MPGs by the grams of carbon they emit per mile – this gives us their ” Efficiency Score. And behold, below you will see our top-five most environmentally cars for this year.

1. Nissan LEAF

   

The Nissan Leaf is one the pioneers among affordable e-vehicles, and the brand deserves a lot of credit for bringing us this electrically powered hatchback. A lot has been changed since its 2011 release: Most major car makers these days, build mass-market hybrid cars for the U.S. market, including Ford, BMW, Volkswagen, and Kia.

The Leaf is still a bit ahead of the pack in terms of range. The Leaf now comes with a higher capacity battery pack (30.0-kWh) that has an EPA range of 107 miles – a great improvement over the previous Leaf’s battery (24-kWh) that has EPA range of 84 miles.

Efficiency Score: 0.57

MPGe: 115

CO2 grams per mile: 205

Price: Starting at $31,565

 

2. Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid

Efficiency Score: 0.4

MPGe: 40

CO2 grams /mile: 100

Price: Starting at $22,435

The Hyundai Sonata features a “Genesis-inspired” styling giving it a contemporary look. It has an 185-hp 2.4-liter engine that is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. There is also a 178-hp 1.6-liter variant with a seven-speed automatic transmission as well as a  plug-in hybrid. Other salient features include an Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a supple suspension, and a pleasing steering. It’s without a doubt that the Hyundai Sonata is a good green car, right?

3. Toyota Prius

   

With its roominess and efficiency, the Toyota Prius is indeed a compelling green car. It’s a fun-to-drive car with a spacious cabin, comfy seats, and an infotainment system. The Toyota Prius Eco model is rated at 58 mpg city and 54 mpg highway.

Efficiency Score: 0.37

MPGe: 58

CO2 grams / mile: 158

Price: Starting at $24,360

 

4. Mercedes-Benz B-class Electric Drive

The Mercedes-Benz B-class Electric Drive is a reliable electric car that is powered by a 132-kW electric motor. It has a 28-kWh battery, a one-speed, direct-drive transmission, an 87-mile range per charge, and an EPA rating of 85 MPGe. By the way, this is quite fast for a green car as it can hit 60 mph in just a matter of 6.8 seconds.

Efficiency Score: 0.31

MPGe: 85

CO2 grams / mile: 275

Price: Starting at $40,825

 

5. Ford Fusion

The Ford Fusion is a luxurious looking green car that offers something special for everyone. It has a base 2.5-liter engine that can produce up to 175-hp. It has a six-speed automatic transmission, a front-wheel drive, and is rated for 39 mpg highway.  

Efficiency Score: 0.30

MPGe: 39

CO2 g/mile: 131

Price: Starting at $23,485

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Also published on Medium.