Top Five Environmentally Friendly Eco-Cars and SUVs

You don't need to be a tree-hugging environmentalist to see the need for an environmentally-friendly car. You also don't have to compromise the sleek appearance of a typical vehicle and settle on the squashed-bug look some eco-friendly cars maintain. Check out some of the top five eco-friendly cars.

One: 2009 Toyota Prius

While it looks slightly like something an Italian cop might drive, the 2009 Toyota Prius is a great compact vehicle for eco-friendly drivers. With an EPA of approximately 48 MPG in the city and 45 MPG on the highway, it gets way better mileage than the typical four-door car, van, or SUV. It was also voted one of the most reliable cars by Cars.com, so you don't have to compromise on a car that doesn't run worth a darn.

It's not cheap, though. You can expect to pay around $22,000 for a new 2009 Toyota Prius.

Two: 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt

Chevy's not my favorite brand, and it's typically not known for reliability or maintenance-free driving. However, it did land itself on the Green Driver list for getting 37 MPG on the highway if you get it in a manual transmission.

The 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt isn't necessarily a great choice for eco-friendly drivers who find themselves needing to drive out of town traffic, but it's a more affordable choice than the Toyota Prius, with a starting price of around $15,600.

Three: 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid

Contrary to popular opinion, not all hybrid cars are eco-friendly cars. However, the 2009 Honda Civic hybrid is something of an exception. Not only does it get 40-45 MPG, it comes with a the Advanced Technology Partial Zero-Emission Vehicle rating from the state of California. For die-hard eco-friendly drivers, this vehicle might just be the one for you.

You can expect to pay a starting price of around $24,000 for the 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid.

Four: 2009 Lexus RX400h Hybrid SUV

Note to environmentally friendly drivers: This is not necessarily the "greenest" eco-car on the market. However, some of us actually need to get somewhere besides work and home. For instance, I would not want to drive the Toyota Prius through the mountains of Colorado, Montana, and Idaho like I've done recently. People have to live here, too, and some of them are eco-aware. In that event, this model is one of the best to marry a luxury brand SUV, 20-27 MPG, and the get-up-and-go you're going to need in any weather besides sunny.

The bad news is, its emission rating isn't as good as a car like the Honda Civic. It also comes with a hefty price tag starting around $44,000. This would be a great car for a stock broker looking to go green.

Five: 2009 Mazda Tribute Hybrid

Before you begin laughing at the name, start choking on the price. Just kidding. At $28,000 or more, you actually get pretty good mileage and partial-zero emissions. The 2009 Mazda Tribute Hybrid looks a lot like a Ford Explorer.. Though it's not in huge production right now, it's gaining lots of popularity in California.

This environmentally friendly SUV would be great for bikers and other outdoor adventurers.

Sources:

http://www.cars.com/go/crp/buyingGuides/lifestyles/eco-friendly/nominees.jsp?aff=national

http://www.lexus.com/models/RXh/features/pricing.html

http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/cars-transportation/clean-car-myths-46011308