Renault

Many manufacturers would do well to take an eco-friendly leaf out of Renault’s book. As with a number of its rivals now, it has a green sub-brand – called Eco2 – for its cleanest, most efficient models. But the difference for the French company is that so many of its cars wear this badge.

To earn it, a Renault must emit less than 140g/km of CO2, be 95 per cent recyclable and assembled in a factory that meets strict environmental standards.

Take a look at a brochure, and you’ll find that variants of the Twingo, Clio, Mégane, Scenic, Grand Scenic and Laguna all qualify. Impressive stuff.

None of these cars features clever fuel-saving technology, such as stop-start or regenerative braking. Yet that doesn’t hold them back.

For example, when fitted with the 85bhp 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine, the Clio supermini emits only 115g/km – so a year’s tax costs £35. And the 105bhp version of the same powerplant puts out only 134g/km in the larger Scenic MPV.

A favourite with fleet buyers will be the recently revised Laguna, equipped with a 108bhp dCi unit. It promises a CO2 figure of 130g/km – lower than the Ford Mondeo ECOnetic. That puts the car in the 18 per cent company tax band.

But Renault’s future is clearly electric.

It took the wraps off four battery-powered cars at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show, and bosses promise the firm will lead the way with zero-emissions vehicles in Europe.

BEST ECO BUY: Scenic dCi 106