Car makers reduce CO2 emissions

Car makers are quick to boast about their eco-friendly credentials. But which brand really has cleaned up its act this year, and which hasn’t?

The truth is revealed in our table. New figures compiled by the www.cleangreencars.co.uk website show which makers, models and market segments have reduced their CO2 output in the first nine months of 2007, and by how much.

Topping the league is MINI. The BMW-owned marque has achieved a massive 17.1 per cent drop since January – from an average 182g/km to 151g/km across its range.

And it’s largely as a result of the firm axing its inefficient Chrysler Tritec engines in favour of cleaner powerplants co-developed by BMW and PSA Peugeot Citroen. The best-performing model in the UK market is the Jeep Wrangler. It cut its output by a huge 116g/km of CO2. The Mitsubishi Outlander registered the second largest reduction for a single car, at 62g/km, while the Alfa Spider was in third with a 43g/km drop.

However, not all manufacturers are following the green lead of MINI and Jeep. Subaru has actually increased its CO2 output by six per cent, while Audi’s rose by three per cent. Meanwhile, the only market sector to see a fall in emissions was the executive saloon class, which was down 4.2 per cent.