Audi A3 TDI Voted 2010 Green Car Of The Year

By Viknesh Vijayenthiran

Viknesh Vijayenthiran

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Vik is an Editor at High Gear Media and contributor for a number of sites within the High Gear Media network. He was a co-founder of... More

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Audi A3 TDI

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Green and luxury needn’t be mutually exclusive concepts. That’s a core belief at Audi, which has been heavily promoting its range of efficient and powerful TDI turbodiesels.

Today, at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show, the compact 2010 Audi A3 TDI, has won the 2010 Green Car of the Year title. The award was presented to Audi’s U.S. chief Johan de Nysschen at a ceremony in Los Angeles earlier today.

This is the second year in a row that a clean diesel has risen to the top in Green Car of the Year award program, a remarkable showing considering the competition. This year’s field of nominees also includes the Honda Insight Hybrid, Mercury Milan Hybrid, and Toyota Prius, along with the clean diesel Volkswagen Golf TDI.

The A3 TDI was picked for its rakish styling, upscale appointments, and 42 mpg highway fuel efficiency--a 50% improvement over the gasoline A3 variant that makes the car very economical to operate with low relative CO2 emissions. Plus, this compact car’s quiet, 50-state certified clean diesel engine delivers substantial torque starting at a low 1,750 rpm, contributing toward a spirited and fun-to-drive nature.

The car’s TDI 2.0 engine available in the A3 delivers 140 hp and 236 pound-feet of torque, yet achieves an EPA-estimated 42 mpg highway fuel economy that is the best of any premium car sold in America.