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On St. Patrick's Day, New Auto Club Green Car Guide Helps Drivers Know a "PZEV" from a "SULEV"

Automotive
(LOS ANGELES, March 17, 2010) – On St. Patrick’s Day, Southern California car owners have a new green tool to help them become more knowledgeable about low-polluting cars with the Green Car Guide, just published by the Auto Club’s Automotive Research Center (ARC). 
 
Released when many consumers earmark tax refunds toward car purchases, the Auto Club Green Car Guide tries to help drivers with selecting a vehicle that is fuel-efficient and low-polluting.  It also provides real-world evaluation of 46 green vehicles, including hybrids, low-emission conventional vehicles (PZEVs), clean diesels, natural gas-fueled vehicles and fuel-efficient non-hybrids.
 
“High-quality low-emissions vehicles are available in just about every vehicle category,” said Steve Mazor, manager of the ARC. “Motorists who purchase them can do their part to help protect our environment and reduce their carbon footprint.”  The ARC performed vehicle evaluations and prepared the guide.
 
Vehicles in the guide range from 2008-2010 model years currently available on the market. Of 46 vehicles tested, – cars and light trucks – the guide’s top green car pick was the 2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X, a compact SUV that combines “clean PZEV emissions with a respectable 22 miles per gallon.”   Green car testing was conducted at the ARC in Diamond Bar, the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana and on roads. Testing procedures were developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Auto Club.
 
Each category was scored on a 0-10 points and the scores were totaled to find the top-scoring vehicles.  Then, each vehicle’s total point score was divided by its as-tested price to determine its cost per point.  The guide lists vehicle specifications, test scores, test data and observations in one-page snapshots.  
 
The 70-page Green Car Guide also is available at Auto Club branches free of charge while supplies last.  A summary also can be found at www.AAA.com/greenerdriving.
 
Tested vehicles were selected based on emission certifications from the California Air Resources Board and EPA fuel economy ratings. The list was limited to vehicles that met PZEV emission standards, were hybrids, ran on diesel, ran on compressed natural gas or led in fuel economy. 
 
“The Auto Club wants to help motorists increase their knowledge of green car alternatives,” said Mazor.  The guide also highlights AAA resources for fuel-economy, gas prices, and a list of alternative fuel acronyms, he added.
CST 1016202-80 Copyright © Automobile Club of Southern California. All Rights Reserved.
The Automobile Club of Southern California is a member club affiliated with the American Automobile Association (AAA) national federation and serves members in the following California counties: Inyo, Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura.