Transport: 2012's best cars

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The environmentally conscious motorist has a bewildering array of options these days. Element's top ten for 2012 proves that sustainable can also be sexy. Note: this is not a ranking, simply our ten best in no particular order.

1. BMW 118d Price: $56,500.C02: 118g/km

BMW reckons it can include serious fuel-saving technology in its cars without losing that sporting flavour which has been so important to the brand in the past - an ethos it calls EfficientDynamics. We reckon they're right. The latest 1-series offers everything you'd expect of a BMW - slightly odd looks, impressive performance and sports-car-like rear-drive handling. But in 118d 2.0-litre turbo diesel form, it's equally serious about being green: it has features like stop/start, an eight-speed gearbox, a setting you can dial up for the powertrain called EcoPro and even a customisable trip computer that can graph your fuel use over any given period. Yes, it's fun to be frugal. Honestly.

2. Ford Fiesta Econetic, Price: $30,990. CO2: 98g/km

Proof that you don't need high technology to get great results. The Fiesta ECOnetic is officially New Zealand's most fuel-efficient new car, with a Combined economy figure of 3.7 litres per 100km. The 1.6-litre turbo diesel engine is absolutely standard - the car does its thing through simple modifications like taller gearing, low rolling resistance tyres and a little less sound deadening to save weight.?Aside from being astonishingly frugal in real-world driving, the beauty of the ECOnetic is that it's based on what is undoubtedly the best supermini-class car on sale. So you still get great styling, a fun drive and high-tech cabin equipment like voice control for major functions, full iPod integration and Bluetooth cellphone connectivity.

3. Ferrari California Hele?Price: $455,150.?CO2: 270g/km

Exotic two-seaters are kind to the environment by definition, because they hardly ever get driven. But for those millionaires who want to take the next step towards sustainable supercar motoring, there's the Ferrari California High Emotion Low Emissions (HELE).?The HELE package comprises stop/start, intelligent fan and fuel pump control, electronic air conditioner displacement control and special gearbox calibration that adapts to the most efficient operation for the current driving style. The result is a real-world 23% drop in CO2 emissions compared with the standard California.
Admittedly, the HELE's 270g/km is only slightly better than a Holden Commodore SS. But a Commodore SS can't do 0-100km/h in under five seconds.?Still not convinced? Consider this then: with the combination of a photovoltaic installation on the roof and an on-site tri-generation plant (simultaneously making power, heat and cooling from a single source), the Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy has reduced its CO2 emissions by 40% and operates completely off the grid in terms of energy requirements.

4. Holden Volt Price: TBACO2: 0g/km

Things are off to a slightly dodgy start for the car that will be launched as a Holden in 2012. A Chevrolet Volt caught fire in America this month, three weeks after the vehicle was crash tested. General Motors insists that the car is safe, saying technicians failed to de-power the car's lithium-ion batteries (an established safety protocol for electric vehicles after a crash) - coolant leaked onto them, crystallised and eventually sparked.Assuming this issue gets sorted, the Volt looks like a potential game-changer. It's essentially a plug-in hybrid that can run as a zero-emissions electric car for up to 80km - and then a long way beyond, as a small-capacity combustion engine can be fired up to act as a generator. A simple-yet-clever idea that maximises the benefits of battery power without suffering the compromise of severely reduced range.

5. Honda CR-Z Price: TBACO2: 117g/km

And you thought a 'sports hybrid' was a contradiction in terms. Honda has an illustrious past in small sports cars and a lot of expertise in hybrid technology. So why not bring the two together. The CR-Z has a 1.5-litre petrol engine matched to Honda Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) battery technology. The whole system produces 91kW/174Nm - about the same as a 1.8-litre Civic sedan. The CR-Z is the world's first manual-transmission hybrid - the six-speed, three-pedal gearbox sticks with sports-car tradition. The IMA system is claimed to provide extra responsiveness by providing extra battery boost at low revs, giving the CR-Z a similar feel to a turbocharged car. The driver can choose between Normal, Econ and Sport modes. Each alters the responses of the throttle, steering, climate control and the level of assistance provided by the IMA system.?The styling evokes the classic CR-X sports car - especially the split-level rear glass hatchback and raked roofline.

6. Kia Picanto ISG Price: $18,590. CO2: 100g/km

Be it ever so humble, the Kia Picanto ISG is New Zealand's most economical petrol-powered new car. That honour belongs to just one model, however: the entry-level Picanto ISG (for Idle Stop Go), which has the same 1250 powerplant as the rest of the range but drives through a conventional five-speed manual gearbox and features a stop/start system. It makes a big difference: the ISG model returns an official figure of 4.3 litres, while the four-speed automatic (sans ISG) sucks up a whole extra litre per 100km.

7. Nissan Leaf Price: TBA CO2: 0g/km

Leaf is the reigning European Car of the Year and with good reason: it's arguably the first battery-powered vehicle to combine zero-emissions driving with the driveability, space and practicality of a conventional family car. Leaf makes major advances in battery technology. Its 192 lithium-ion batteries are arranged in 48 modules - each one can be individually diagnosed and replaced if necessary. Nissan claims the batteries will retain 80% capacity after 10 years.?Because the Leaf was designed as an electric car from the ground up, the powertrain is cleverly integrated and no heavier than a conventional 2.0-litre petrol engine and transmission. It provides space for five and their luggage. The only two bugbears are range and price. The former is yet to be announced, but expect the Leaf to cost at least as much as Mitsubishi's smaller iMIEV. And range? After an eight-hour charge, Nissan claims the Leaf can travel 170km.?

8. Mitsubishi IMIEV Price: $59,990. CO2: 0g/km

Kudos to Mitsubishi: the iMIEV was official the first all-electric production car to go on sale in New Zealand. Based on the tiny iCar, the iMIEV costs big money for a small runabout but offers genuine zero-emissions commuting.?It's powered by 88 lithium-ion batteries (they're located under the floor), which can be charged in seven hours from a 15-amp household socket. Mitsubishi claims range is 150km, which is claimed to be sufficient for most motorists' daily commute. Mitsubishi has also signed a deal with SolarCity New Zealand to offer iMIEV owners a bespoke solar charging system that can completely offset the power needed to charge the car. The company claims the system can generate enough clan electricity to power the little Mitsubishi for 1250km per month.?

9. Peugeot 508 RXH Price: TBA CO2: 109g/km

Peugeot seems to think trendy crossover vehicles and its new diesel-hybrid technology - called HYbrid4 - go hand-in-hand. Earlier this year it launched the European-market 3008 HYbrid4, but now comes something bigger and better suited to export markets, including New Zealand in the latter part of 2012: the 508 RXH.?Based on the new 508 SW but considered to be a totally separate model, the 508 RXH is an off-road-style wagon that employs a 2.0-litre HDi engine and electric motor on the rear axle to create the world's first diesel-hybrid four-wheel drive. Or second, if you want to count the 3008. The 508 RXH can be operated in four different modes - Automatic, Zero Emissions, Sport or 4WD - and can return 4.0 litres per 100km in the official Combined fuel ?economy cycle.?The 508 RXH is as much about luxury and individuality as it is about thrift. It boasts special interior trim and a very high level of standard equipment. It will be the flagship of Peugeot's range in New Zealand when/if it arrives in late-2012.

10. Toyota Prius Price: $50,000 CO2: 104g/km

Nothing new here, but you simply cannot ignore the Prius if you are talking about green automotive technology. Toyota perfected and popularised hybrid technology with this car and the latest model is the most resolved and well-recognised in Prius history.?Prius is a true hybrid that can drive just on its 1.5-litre petrol engine, just on battery for short distances or with both together. It's a premium product to be sure: it starts at nearly $50,000 and if you really want to make a statement with the top version loaded with goodies such as solar panels on the roof, you're up for $63,690. But no car has applied hybrid technology quite so successfully and no car makes as strong a statement about your intention to be sustainable.