A panel of judges, including Jay Leno, Ocean Futures Society president Jean-Michel Cousteau, and Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune will bestow the title to one of the following contenders:
The Audi A6 TDI ($58,395), which utilizes a diesel engine to improve fuel efficiency.
The BMW 328d ($38,600), which also has a diesel engine and 45 estimated highway MPG.
The Honda Accord ($29,945), which has become available as a hybrid for 2014.
The Mazda3 ($27,595), which offers a unique i-Eloop energy saving system on the top-of-the-line s Grand S touring model. i-Eloop stores up electric energy when the driver lets off the gas, saving it for later use.
The Toyota Corolla ($18,700), which was completely redesigned for 2014 and offers a LE Eco model that uses improved aerodynamics and unique CVTi-S (continuously variable transmission) tuning to achieve 42 MPG on the highway.
The big factor at play here is determining which car is raising the bar when it comes to promoting efficiency, while also being most likely to show up in someone's driveway. Based on price alone (and the impressive fuel economy in the 40's) my vote would be for the 2014 Corolla. However, according to USA Today, "The variety of cars in the finals shows how driving an ecological car can mean different things to different drivers, with their variety of needs."
Do you agree with that statement? Which car has your vote?
