Green car ratings reveal best and worst

02.Best and worse green ratings

Results table

Full results for all models are shown in the table below.

Table notes

1 Star rating This is based on the combined point scores of the greenhouse and air pollution ratings. For example, a five-star rating requires at least 16 points, 9.5–11.0 points score three stars, and a model with less than five points only one star.

2 Greenhouse rating This is based on the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions measured during the standard test for the fuel consumption label. The amount of CO2 depends on the fuel consumption and the type of fuel. As an example of how the ratings relate to each other, a car with a score of 5 produces about twice as much CO2 as one scoring 8.

3 Air pollution rating As examples of how the scores relate to each other, a petrol or LPG model with a score of 8.5 emits only about a third of the amount of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and hydrocarbons (HC) of a car scoring 6.5, which in turn only emits half the amount or less of a 5-point model. The rating isn’t based on actual emissions, but on the emissions of NOx and HC, as well as particulate matter for diesel vehicles, that are allowed under the emission standard to which the model is certified for the Australian market.

4 Fuel consumption This is the figure you’ll find on the fuel consumption label each new car has to display on its windscreen. It’s based on a mix of city and highway driving in controlled, standard laboratory conditions, so the results are comparable across car categories. However, real-life driving conditions, your driving style and the car’s condition are likely to be different, and real-life fuel consumption is therefore usually higher than the label figure.