This year, the automatic transmission, super-ultra-low-emissions version of Honda’s hybrid-electric Insight is the greenest car of the year. The natural gas-powered Honda Civic GX places second, while Toyota’s battery-powered RAV4 EV scores nearly as well. The Toyota Prius hybrid stands out as the greenest gasoline-powered passenger sedan.

Perhaps the best green consumer news is that most of this year’s Greenest Vehicles list is comprised of gasoline-powered vehicles. Not long ago, the list was more populated by electric and other alternative vehicles.

This diverse mix of new vehicle technologies highlights the numerous avenues automakers have taken in developing greener cars and trucks. Whether they are compressed natural gas powered, hybrid gasoline-electric, plug-in battery-powered electric, or simply a particularly clean and efficient conventional gasoline design, it’s clear that engineering with the environment in mind can be done with a host of different technologies.

This year, 10 of the 12 greenest vehicles can fill up at any gasoline station nationwide.

The Greenest Vehicles of 2002

Honda Insight
Honda Civic GX
Toyota RAV4 EV
Toyota Prius
Honda Civic HX
Toyota Echo
Nissan Sentra CA
Honda Civic
Mitsubishi Mirage
Toyota Corolla
Chevrolet Prizm
Saturn SL