UK survey says screw hybrids if you want a green car

How many top ten lists of green cars to you know of that don't include the Toyota Prius? A new survey by Cardiff University and UK automotive consultancy Clifford Thames has come to the conclusion that the poster car for the environmental driver is actually only the 12th greenest vehicle. Number one? The discontinued Smart Roadster. And the Smart Fortwo Cabriolet comes in second. Or, as Car magazine put it: "A new report today exposes the real green cars - and there's not a hybrid in sight in the top 10." The Financial Times has also written about this story, but it's behind a subscription wall.

So, what is this list and how did it come into being? Vehicles were given points depending on emissions/pollutants (half the total) and the "vehicles' construction, energy costs, recyclability and size," according to Car. I'll guess that that construction factor is the key in the Prius faring so poorly, compared to expectations. Let's hope this doesn't revive that CNW Prius vs. Hummer "report" again.

You can see the full Top 12 list after the break.

[Source: Car Magazine, Financial Times via TTAC]
Top Green cars, as calculated by Cardiff University and UK automotive consultancy Clifford Thames:

• 1st Smart Roadster - 66.2 points
• 2nd Smart Fortwo Cabriolet - 59.8
• 3rd Citroen C1 1.0 - 40.1
• 4th Peugeot 107 1.0 - 38.6
• 5th Citroen C1 1.4 HDI - 31.3
• 6th Fiat Panda 1.2 Dualogic - 28.4
• 7th Ford Ka 1.3 - 27.5
• 8th Toyota Yaris 1.0 - 27.2
• 9th Fiat Panda 100hp - 23.6
• 10th Pegueot 206 1.4 - 23.5
• 11th Mini Cooper D - 23.3
• 12th Toyota Prius 1.5 - 23.2