The finalists for this year's LA Auto Show "Green Car Challenge" feature models that take different paths to efficiency.
The award honoring the vehicles that raise the bar for environmental performance has been presented at the show since 2005. The winner will be selected by a panel of automotive enthusiasts and experts.
Green Car Challenge 5 Finalists
Audi A6 TDI
Audi's popular sedan uses the company's 3.0-liter, 6-cylinder turbo diesel engine to combine efficiency and performance. The car also features a stop-start system and lightweight materials, such as aluminum body panels.The estimated 38-mpg highway allows for a driving range of more than 700 miles.
BMW 328d
BMW's take on "green" features its first 4-cyclinder disel engine in the United States. The car also features a stop-start system and captures energy produced under braking. The 328d has an EPA esimated of 45 mpg on the highway.
Honda Accord
Fuel efficiency is featured all allong the Accord lineup. The automaker offers four-cylinder, V-6, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid versions -- the hybrid achieves 50 mpg city, 47 highway, according to EPA estimates. The Accord plug-in model has an EPA rating of 115 MPGe -- the best of any mid-size sedan sold in the United States.
Mazda3
The automaker's restyled model -- its best-selling worldwide -- includes the company's SkyActiv technology. The 3's 2.5-liter model includes a system called i-ELOOP, which continuously recovers energy produced when the car decelerates. The charge is stored for use to power headlights, climate control and other electrics.
Toyota Corolla
It's still affordable, but no longer the tame-looking Corolla of just a few years ago. The Eco version offers 42 highway mpg from a 1.8-liter engine that produces 140 horsepower.
