Many considerations go into buying a new car or light truck.
You'll consider price, styling, comfort, performance, safety, reliability, and of course, how well the vehicle will serve your needs. But the costs of car use go beyond what's on the sticker and what you'll spend on fuel and repairs. There are hidden but very real environmental costs, due to adverse health impacts of air pollution, oil spills and fouling of water supplies, damage to habitats, and the growing risks of climate disruption. If you care about the future of our environment, then what you value goes beyond performance or styling and the options packages featured in the showroom. Based on official emissions and fuel-economy test results and other specifications reported by auto manufacturers, we calculate a Green Score for each car, van, pickup, and sport utility currently on the market.