Kelley Blue Book announced the expert editors of Kelley Blue Book's name their 2009 picks for the Top 10 Green Cars and there were two diesels in the mix ... the Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen TDI and the BMW 335d. Now that diesel has gone from 'dirty and smelly' to being 'green,' it's just a matter of time before more models are offered with efficient diesels.

 Kbb.com's 2009 Top 10 Green Cars
   (In order of combined EPA-estimated fuel economy)
   
   Vehicle                              City MPG  Highway MPG  Combined MPG
   2010 Toyota Prius                           51           48            50
   2010 Honda Insight                          40           43            41
   2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid                     41           36            39
   2009 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen TDI        30           41            34
   2009 MINI Cooper                            28           37            32
   2009 Ford Escape Hybrid                     34           31            32
   2009 Honda Fit                              28           34            31
   2009 BMW 335d                               23           36            27
   2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid               27           25            26
   2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid             21           22            21

2009 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen TDI

In some circles, TDI is the sexiest acronym in all the automotosphere. Some months ago, Volkswagen's familiar diesel moniker disappeared from the automaker's top-selling Jetta, but it has made a triumphant return for the 2009 model year. This time, the Jetta TDI and Jetta Sportwagen TDI (and soon, Golf TDI) will be available in all 50 states, a development that surely helped the Jetta TDI take home the 2009 Green Car of the Year award. Returning fuel economy that's roughly 40 percent better than its gas-powered counterpart, the Jetta Sportwagen TDI combines utility on par with a small SUV, world-class fuel economy and European driving dynamics in one well-rounded green machine.

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2009 BMW 335d

BMW's new diesel-powered 3 Series is one of those cars you really do have to drive to believe. First off, its zero-to-60 mph time of 6.0 seconds is only four tenths slower than that of the category's gas-powered gold standard, BMW's own 335i. For most buyers, that's a small performance price to pay for an increase in fuel economy of about 35 percent (the 335i is rated at 17 city/26 highway mpg). Throw in all the driving feel and cornering ability that have made the 3 Series a living legend, and you've got the greatest diesel car America's ever seen.