The Green Car Journal will be announcing its selection for the 2009 Green Car of the Year at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show on November 20, 2008. One of the following vehicles will receive the 2009 Green Car of the Year award: BMW 335d, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Saturn Vue 2-Mode Hybrid, smart fortwo and the Volkswagen Jetta TDI.

“The five models are important milestones for their manufacturers. The VW and BMW clean diesels are leading edge models signaling the advent of highly efficient, advanced diesel sedans that meet emissions certification in all 50 states. Ford’s Fusion Hybrid, a full hybrid, is this automaker’s first hybrid sedan. Saturn’s Vue 2-Mode is GM’s first application of its two mode hybrid system in a V-6 front-drive platform. The smart fortwo is a new-for-the-U.S., fuel efficient micro car with a small eco footprint.” (Source: PR Newswire)

Back in August, the Green Car Journal first released the date for this year’s Green Car of the Year announcement. At that point, the Chrysler Aspen Hybrid was getting a lot of press release. I went out on a limb and figured it would not make the list for Green Car of the Year and surprise, surprise – I was right. In the two months since that prediction, Chrysler has gone on to announce that it will cease to produce the Chrysler Aspen Hybrid as of the year-end.

On that same post, one of The Green Motorist’s readers (from ZapWorld.com) commented, “I would think that if the award is to be presented “to recognize environmental achievement in the automotive industry.” the award should rightly go to an pure electric car rather than a hybrid.”

Unfortunately, there are no purely electric cars on the list. The zero-emissions Honda FCX Clarity also failed to make the top five. Honestly, I am a bit surprised that the Ford Fusion Hybrid makes the list. I am not too surprised to see the others on the list, even though I think there may be better choices available.

My guess is that the Volkswagen Jetta TDI will ultimately be named the 2009 Green Car of the Year. I am basing this purely on the media attention that the Jetta TDI has been receiving lately including the inclusion of the vehicle on the EPA’s most fuel-efficient cars for 2009 list and the fact that a Jetta TDI was used to set the Guinness record for fuel consumption.

I would like to hear from you, the readers of The Green Motorist. If you had to choose from one of these five cars, which would you choose and why? Do you think a different vehicle should have made the list?

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