The Toyota Yaris has been named Green Car of the Year 2008 by the Environmental Transport Association (ETA), with the Honda Civic Hybrid as runner-up, and the Dodge SRT-10 sports car criticised as the least green car.

The ETA looked at more than 1,300 models on sale in Britain and examined their power, emissions, fuel efficiency and even the amount of noise they produced to create the definitive guide to buying the greenest vehicle. ETA director Andrew Davis said with the increasing costs of motoring and the threat to the environment, there had never been a more important time to choose greener cars.

The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy ranked the Yaris fourth in a list of green-friendly cars.
Three hybrid cars, including the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid and the Nissan Altima Hybrid, ranked higher.

There’s something endearingly European about the way the car looks. Consumers seem to like the rounded contours and compact yet practical size.