Greenest and meanest cars in 2008

Does a shortage of green in your wallet have you considering greener choices at the dealership?

With gas prices more than $4 per gallon, many drivers have suddenly seen the (green) light, seeking regular fuel and hybrid models that squeeze every last mile out of a gallon.

So what does "green" really mean when it comes to buying a car?

Each year, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, or ACEEE, a nonprofit, nonpartisan group, analyzes how cars rate when it comes to the environment. The group looks at greenhouse gas emissions, fuel economy and criteria pollutants. As well as ranking the best and worst in various vehicle categories, the council also ranks the greenest (best) and meanest (worst) overall.

The green score rates an auto's environmental impact on a scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best), based on a vehicle's output of greenhouse gases and criteria pollutants, both during the manufacturing process and on the road. View the meanest and greenest cars on the following page.

* Annual fuel costs calculated by Fueleconomy.gov based on a price of $4.11 per gallon, and 15,000 total miles per year (55 percent city driving, 45 percent highway).

Sources: Rankings and green rating from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, 2008; estimated annual fuel costs by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy via FuelEconomy.gov.