Real-World Green Car Reports
MOTHER EARTH NEWS readers love their green rides. Here, they share their green car reports.
GUIDE TO GREEN CARS, Summer 2012
Nissan Leaf
We absolutely love the Leaf! We use it for 95 percent of our driving even though we live in a hilly, rural area. This electric car has exceptionally good handling and fast pickup. It’s especially fun if you zoom around in “drive mode.” The Nissan Leaf may seem expensive at first, but it doesn’t cost that much more than the average new car and it is significantly cheaper to operate year after year.
Alice Cantelow
Placerville, California
What’s all the hubbub about? People are gushing over the Nissan Leaf. Read more reader reports in Green Car Report: Nissan Leaf and Electric Car Review: Nissan Leaf.
Toyota Yaris
My wife and I love this little car, and it consistently gets 35-plus miles per gallon. I love the look on the faces of my truck-driving friends when I tell them that it takes less than $30 to fill up the tank — and that I can drive for nearly 400 miles on it!
Even though the Toyota Yaris is a compact car, there is still plenty of room for a large guy to sit comfortably. Honestly, this is one of the best cars I’ve ever owned.
Ben Taylor
Kahoka, Missouri
Fiat 500
I could not be happier with my Fiat 500. I bought it for the mileage (40 mpg) and the low sticker price. Little did I know what a dream it would be to drive — peppy, responsive and quiet. It’s compact, so I can always find street parking, but it’s so well designed that I have plenty of room inside for luggage, groceries and passengers. Everyone who sees the car wants to talk about it. I can’t even remember the last time I had to fill the tank.
Jo Miller
New York, New York
Toyota Prius
I drive a 2010 model (my second Prius) and I couldn’t be happier. My specific model has solar panels on the roof. I can get the natural breeze when driving (not using the A/C), but I can also ventilate the car, using solar energy, when it’s locked in a parking lot. When I purchased my first Toyota Prius, they were rare in the Chicago suburbs, and owners would acknowledge each other on the road. Now they’re everywhere — lots of people are happy Prius owners!
Charlotte Drayer
Palatine, Illinois
Chevrolet Cruze Eco
This car absolutely lives up to its hype. I’ve been getting 42-plus mpg without babying it. It’s a comfortable ride — a great car for my long commute. Best of all, it only needs regular gasoline — no special, high-tech equipment needed. This Chevrolet Cruze Eco saves me big money on fuel!
Faith Baumann
Pensacola, Florida
Chevrolet Volt
We love the Chevy Volt. We’ve driven it more than 3,000 miles and our lifetime mpg is 148.7. We get about 35 to 40 fully electric miles before using any gasoline! Driving in a car at 60 mph in the absolute quiet of electric power is an experience that doesn’t get old.
Mark Raymaker
Shaftsbury, Vermont
