By Joe LaMuraglia
With gas prices rising and oil supplies dwindling, automakers are hard at work on “green” cars, most of which promise guilt-free driving in the form of emissions-free vehicles. But what about vehicles that you can buy now that leave less of a mess behind? Here are five cars on the market that will have a lower impact on the environment as well as on your wallet.
smart fortwo

The name says it all – “for two” – and that’s all the smart can hold. The smart is a space-efficient alternative to driving around with 3-4 empty seats and gets up to 41 MPG on the highway. Add to that the ability to recycle many of its parts and you have a cute-as-hell way to reduce your impact on the environment.
– Read our review of the smart fortwo
– Get more detailed information in our New Car Section
Ford Focus

The 2008 Ford Focus has an optional engine that qualifies it as PZEV (Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle). That means it is cleaner driving down the road than a car from the ‘70s was sitting in the driveway with a full tank of gas! Available with the cool Sync audio system and with a 35-MPG rating, the Ford Focus makes going green fun and affordable.
– Get more detailed information in our New Car Section
VW Jetta TDI

The VW Jetta Sedan and SportWagen will be among the first vehicles in the U.S. featuring VW’s fun-to-drive and uber-efficient TDI “Clean Diesel” engine. Rumors indicate that the SportWagen will get up to 55 MPG on the highway. Fun, low emissions, efficient and available later this year.
– Read our review of the Jetta SportWagen
– Get more detailed information in our New Car Section
Lexus RX400h

Toyota started the hybrid craze with its Prius so it makes sense that their luxury division should benefit from that technology. The Lexus RX400h was the first luxury hybrid vehicle, and the first to equate the hybrid moniker with speed. Mated to a V-6 engine, the batteries in the RX400h can be as delicate as a lamb around town and fast as a leopard when merging onto the highway. Fuel economy isn’t breathtaking, but it’s doing its part–and how many $40,000 trucks can say that?
– Get more detailed information in our New Car Section
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid

Some people really need a large SUV. Just ask any active family with 3 or more children and their gear. Chevrolet now gives these consumers a more fuel-efficient option with their 2008 Tahoe Hybrid. It’s a full-size SUV that gets 21 MPG in the city and doesn’t compromise on towing or payload capacity. If you just have to be different, GMC’s Yukon also comes in hybrid form, as does the swanky Cadillac Escalade.
– Get more detailed information in our New Car Section