With the price of gas taking a significant chunk out of every paycheck and humanity’s impact on the global environment becoming increasingly clear, new car buyers are placing more and more weight on finding eco friendly cars that will save money on fuel and make less of a detrimental impact on the environment.

To help introduce you to the world of eco friendly cars and the wide range of offerings available, we’ve put together the following list of Top 10 Best Eco Friendly Cars.

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Best Eco Friendly Cars FAQ

Charging eco friendly cars

Before we get into our list of the Top 10 Best Eco Friendly Cars, here are some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQ) we get about this automobile type.

1. What Are Eco Friendly Cars?

2. Do Eco Friendly Cars All Require Plug-In Charging?

3. How Do These Cars Benefit The Environment?

4. Will An Eco Friendly Car Save Me Money?

How We Reviewed

Electric Vehicle Charging

Image by Marilyn Murphy from Pixabay

While we compared these vehicles based on the usual parameters (size, space, features, reliability, and performance), given that this list focuses on eco friendly cars, we gave particular weight to features like fuel efficiency.

Overall Price Range


The vehicles that made our list of best eco friendly cars range in price from around $19,000 up to about $40,000.

What We Reviewed

  • 2019 Toyota Avalon Hybrid
  • 2018 Volkswagen Jetta
  • Tesla Model 3
  • 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid
  • 2018 Chevrolet Bolt
  • Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid
  • Kia Niro Hybrid Crossover
  • Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
  • 2019 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  • 2019 Ford Fusion Hybrid

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Features

At 195.9 inches (over 16 feet) in length, the Toyota Avalon Hybrid is one of the larger vehicles to make our list of best eco friendly cars. The Toyota Avalon Hybrid achieves 43 mpg in the city, 44 mpg on the highway, and 44 mpg combined, which is impressive for a vehicle of its size.

The added length makes for a more spacious feel with more legroom in the backseat and a larger trunk. Whether it is a benefit will depend on your personal situation and preferences. Those who live in urban areas and frequently need to parallel park may find the added length to be a detriment whereas families with kids in the backseat on long road trips may consider it a must-have.

PROS

  • Achieves 43/44/44 mpg (city/highway/combined) despite its size
  • Lots of backseat legroom and trunk space

CONS

  • 16-foot length can be cumbersome
  • 2.5-liter 4-cylinder hybrid engine left us wanting for power
  • Expensive

Warranty

The Toyota Avalon Hybrid comes with the following warranties:

  • 36-month/36,000-mile basic warranty
  • 60-month/60,000-mile Powertrain warranty
  • 60-month/unlimited miles warranty on corrosion perforation
  • 60-month/60,000-mile warranty on the restraint systems
  • 96-month/100,000-mile warranty on the hybrid system

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Features

Small and sporty, the 2018 Volkswagen Jetta gets hybrid-like mileage from a standard gas-powered engine. Its small size translates into better performance than some larger vehicles on our list, like the Toyota Avalon Hybrid.

PROS

  • Low price
  • More pickup than some other cars on our list
  • Beats Audio and 10-color ambient lighting standard

CONS

  • Amenities geared toward younger demographic
  • Limited interior and trunk space
  • Backseat is small for adults and/or for long trips

Price

The Volkswagen Jetta starts at around $19,000, making it one of the most affordable eco friendly cars to appear on our list.

Warranty

Volkswagen provides a 6-year/72,000-mile transferable warranty, meaning that if you sell your Jetta, the warranty automatically transfers to the new owner at no additional cost. This adds value to your used VW. The Jetta’s battery (3 years/36,000 miles), brake pads and shoes (1 year/12,000 miles), halogen/xenon bulbs (3 years/36,000 miles), other bulbs (1 year/12,000 miles), paint (3 years/36,000 miles), and wiper blades (1 year/ 12,000 miles) are all covered under separate warranties.

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Features

The sexiest, most powerful performer to make our list of best eco friendly cars, the all-electric Tesla Model 3 features available dual-motor all-wheel drive that propels you from 0 to 60 mph in a mind-blowing 3.3 seconds. You better have access to an electric-car charger because, despite its 310-mile range, the Tesla won’t take gas.

The Tesla Model 3, though more expensive than some other cars on our list, starts at about $5,000 less than the Toyota Avalon Hybrid.

PROS

  • Insane performance
  • All-electric means zero carbon emissions from the tailpipe
  • High-tech features you won’t find anywhere else
  • Upgradeable software allows the car to easily update
  • Affordable for a Tesla

CONS

  • All-electric also means finding charging stations
  • Most likely, you need to have a charging station available at home
  • More expensive than some other eco friendly cars

Price

The Tesla Model 3 starts at $33,450 for the rear-wheel-drive version with a mid-range battery. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive model with a long-range battery starts at $40,450.

Warranty

Tesla provides a 4-year, 50,000-mile warranty on the vehicle itself and an 8-year, 120,000-mile warranty on the battery and drive unit.

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Features

The 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid delivers everything you would expect from a Honda: quality, thoughtful features, great reliability, low operating and maintenance costs and an affordable price. Impressively, the Honda Accord Hybrid achieves the highest maximum horsepower on our list while also maintaining some of the best fuel-efficiency ratings. This makes the Honda Accord Hybrid one of our “Best of the Best” selections for eco friendly cars.

PROS

  • Legendary Honda reliability and low-cost maintenance
  • 48/48/48 mpg (city/highway/combined) is one of the best fuel efficiency on our list
  • Hybrid engine combines the best of both worlds with gas and electric
  • Achieves an impressive 212 maximum horsepower at 6200 rpm

CONS

  • Has the feel of practicality
  • Some users may want a sexier vehicle
  • Must pay extra for features like Apple AirPlay compatibility

Price

The 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid starts at around $25,000.

Warranty

The 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid comes with the following limited warranties: 3-year/36,000 mile new vehicle warranty; 5-year/60,000-mile Powertrain warranty; 8-year/100,000-mile warranty for greater-than-expected degradation of the high-voltage battery capacity.

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Features

Chevy claims that the Bolt EV is “the first affordable all-electric car to offer an EPA-estimated 238 miles of range on a single charge.” However, for about the same price, the Tesla Model 3 offers about a 310-mile range.

Despite this misleading assertion, the Chevy Bolt EV still makes our list of best eco friendly cars because it offers a great deal of versatility, somehow squeezing 56.6 cubic feet of cargo space into a compact, city-friendly wheelbase. For urban dwellers with limited space but easy access to electric-vehicle charging stations, the Chevy Bolt EV is worth a look.

PROS

  • Versatile design squeezes maximum cargo space out of a small car
  • 10.2-inch color touchscreen display
  • Saves money on gas with an all-electric engine

CONS

  • Comparable in price to the far-superior Tesla Model 3 electric vehicle
  • Lacks the range of the Tesla Model 3
  • All-electric design means finding charging stations

Price

The Chevrolet Bolt EV starts at around $37,000.

Warranty

The Chevrolet Bolt EV comes with the following warranties: 8-year/100,000-mile warranty on battery and electric components; 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty; 3-year/36,000-mile warranty against corrosion; 6-year/100,000-mile warranty against rust-through; plus a 5-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance plan.

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Features

Starting at around $22,000, the Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid is a fraction of the price of some other hybrids on our list. Plus its 58 mpg combined rating puts it among the most fuel-efficient models on our list.

The Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid’s 139-horsepower engine is smaller than the Honda Accord Hybrid’s 212 horsepower. However, the Hyundai gets nearly 10 mile-per-gallon better fuel efficiency than the Honda (57/59/58 mpg for the Hyundai compared to 48/48/48 for the Honda).

PROS

  • 57/59/58 mpg (city/highway/combined) is the best on our list
  • Comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
  • Plug-in hybrid option available for a few thousand dollars more

CONS

  • 139 combined horsepower lacks power
  • Low horsepower is a definite trade-off for superior mileage per gallon

Price

The Chevrolet Bolt EV starts at around $37,000.

Warranty

  • 5-year/60,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty
  • 10-year/100,000-mile Powertrain warranty
  • 7-year/unlimited-mile anti-perforation warranty
  • 10-year/100,000 warranty on hybrid system components
  • Lifetime warranty on hybrid/electric battery
  • 5-years/unlimited-miles 24/7 roadside assistance program

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Features

The only crossover to make our Top 10 Best Eco Friendly Cars list, the Kia Niro Hybrid delivers impressive fuel economy despite its crossover design.

However, this is another hybrid where one really makes the trade-off between horsepower and miles per gallon, as the Niro’s relatively paltry 139 horsepower is especially noticeable in a crossover vehicle. By comparison, the Honda Accord Hybrid gets similar gas mileage to the Kia Niro but with a maximum horsepower of 212.

PROS

  • Hatchback design adds functionality and cargo space
  • Strong 52/49/50 mpg (city/highway/combined)

CONS

  • 139 horsepower is slightly below average for our list
  • Noticeable lack of power for a crossover vehicle
  • Honda Accord Hybrid features comparable gas mileage with 212 horsepower

Price

The Kia Niro Hybrid Crossover starts at around $23,500.

Warranty

Kia provides the following warranties and roadside-assistance plan:

  • 10-year / 100,000-mile limited Powertrain warranty
  • 5-year / 60,000-mile limited basic warranty
  • 5-year / 100,000-mile limited anti-perforation warranty
  • 5-year / 60,000-mile roadside-assistance plan

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Features

The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is the most SUV-like of our best eco friendly cars, so if you need the extra interior space or the increased ground clearance but don’t want an increase in emissions, the RAV4 Hybrid might be the way to go. While the RAV4 delivers a respectable 176 horsepower, it also, disappointingly, achieves some of the lowest fuel efficiency of any vehicle on our list.

In fact, while the RAV4 Hybrid achieves fuel efficiency ratings of 34/30/32 mpg (city/highway/combined), the gas-only RAV4 comes in at 26/35/30 mpg (city/highway/combined). If you like the RAV4 and do the bulk of your driving at highway speeds, the gas-only RAV4 might deserve a look. Especially since the gas-only engine maxes out at 203 horsepower compared to the hybrid’s 176.

PROS

  • Good overall gas mileage for an SUV, particularly in the city
  • 176-horsepower engine is one of the more powerful hybrid engines on our list
  • A good option for those who need an SUV but want to optimize gas mileage

CONS

  • Other cars have more horsepower and better gas mileage for a similar price

Price

The Toyota RAV4 hybrid starts at around $27,400.

Warranty

Toyota offers the following warranties:

  • 36-month / 36,000-mile basic warranty
  • 60-month / 60,000-mile Powertrain warranty
  • 60-month / unlimited-mile corrosion perforation warranty
  • 60-month / 60,000-mile restraint system warranty
  • 96-month / 100,000-mile hybrid system warranty

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Features

Smaller and less expensive than the Toyota Avalon Hybrid, the Toyota Camry Hybrid brings the Camry’s legendary reliability and longevity into the hybrid era. It delivers excellent fuel efficiency and an impressive net power of 208 horsepower.

In fact, the Camry Hybrid is among both the most powerful and the most fuel-efficient hybrids on our list. We think the Toyota Camry Hybrid definitely gives the Honda Accord Hybrid a run for its money in all areas including fuel efficiency, power, reliability, and overall value.

PROS

  • Impressive 208 horsepower
  • Equally impressive 51/53/52 mpg (city/highway/combined)
  • Mid-range price is a strong value
  • Does the legendary Camry name proud

CONS

  • Slightly more expensive than the Honda Accord Hybrid, its closest competitor

Price

The Toyota Camry Hybrid starts at around $28,000.

Warranty

Toyota offers the following warranties:

  • 36-month / 36,000-mile basic warranty
  • 60-month / 60,000-mile Powertrain warranty
  • 60-month / unlimited-mile corrosion perforation warranty
  • 60-month / 60,000-mile restraint system warranty
  • 96-month / 100,000-mile hybrid system warranty

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Features

The Ford Fusion Hybrid SE achieves respectable fuel efficiency ratings of 43/41/42 (city/highway/combined) while delivering a maximum horsepower of 141. While the Ford Fusion is absolutely a solid offering that belongs among our list of best eco friendly cars, it is comparable in price and size to both the Honda Accord Hybrid and the Toyota Camry Hybrid.

However, both the Honda and Toyota hybrid models significantly outrank the Fusion in fuel efficiency and horsepower, a serious problem for the Ford Fusion to overcome.

PROS

  • Solid fuel efficiency figures of 43/41/42 mpg (city/highway/combined)
  • Decent power with 141 horsepower
  • Includes Ford Co-Pilot 360 package standard

CONS

  • Other cars offer more horsepower and better fuel efficiency at a similar price and size

Price

The Ford Fusion Hybrid SE starts at around $27,500.

Warranty

Ford offers the following warranties and roadside-assistance plan on the Fusion Hybrid:

  • 36-month / 36,000-mile basic warranty
  • 60-month / unlimited-distance corrosion perforation warranty
  • 60-month / 60,000-mile Powertrain warranty
  • 60-month / 60,000-mile roadside-assistance coverage

The Verdict

Electric Car on the forest road

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

While each of the eco friendly cars to make our list has its own unique advantages, for our money, when it came to selecting the best of the best eco friendly cars available on the market today, we had to rule it a tie between the Honda Accord Hybrid and the Toyota Camry Hybrid. Both vehicles boast long, multi-decade track records of exceptional reliability. Not just that — both hybrid models are among the most fuel-efficient and the highest-horsepower vehicles on our list, all at a mid-range price. As auto reviewers have been saying for decades, you can’t go wrong with the Accord or the Camry.