Green Car of the Year 2009 revealed

The new Volvo S40 DRIVe has been named Green Car of the Year at the What Car? Green Awards, held in association with Michelin and Warranty Direct.

The Volvo beat 23 other contenders to take the top accolade, in categories ranging from best green supermini to best green sports car.

What Car?s editor, Steve Fowler, said: 'The S40 is a great example of a car maker cleverly refining existing technologies to make a seriously green car. Its not just about a low CO2 figure, though: the S40 is great to drive, safe, has enough space for the family and, crucially, is cheap to run, too.'

The new Lexus RX450h picked up the award for best green SUV, while the best green family car award went to the Toyota Avensis 2.0 D-4D.

For the second year running, the British-built Mini Cooper S picked up the award for the greenest sports car, and BMWs 318d was named best green executive car.

At different ends of the market, the Fiat 500 Stop&Start was awarded best green supermini, while the Audi A8 2.8 V6 collected the gong for the greenest luxury car.

The Technical Award went to Vauxhall for its Ampera, an electric car that goes on sale in 2012, and which will seat four, offer all the luxuries consumers are used to, and meet exacting safety standards.

Tesla picked up the Editors Award for its pioneering battery-powered Roadster, which offers proof that electric cars offering sensational performance and outstanding driving abilities will appeal to petrolheads.

Steve Fowler said: 'Green issues are still a hot topic, but its fair to say that they are not right at the top of car buyers priorities at the moment. Its just as well then, that green cars will save you plenty of cash at the fuel pumps and will likely be worth more than other cars when you come to sell two things that are massively important right now.'

Supermini
Fiat 500 Start&Stop
Price: 9700 CO2: 113g/km Average economy: 58.9 mpg
Small family car
Volvo S40 1.6D DRIVe S
Price: 17,495 CO2: 104g/km Average economy: 72.4mpg
Family car
Toyota Avensis 2.0 D-4D T2
Price: 17,545 CO2: 135g/km Average economy 55.4 mpg
Executive car
BMW 318d ES
Price: 24, 235 CO2: 123g/km Average economy 60.1 mpg
MPV
Citron Grand C4 Picasso 1.6 HDi SX EGS
Price: 19,095 CO2: 140g/km Average economy 53.3 mpg
SUV
Lexus RX450h SE-L
Price: 50,460 CO2: 148g/km Average economy 44.8 mpg
Sports car
Mini Cooper S
Price: 16,575 CO2: 149g/km Average economy 46.6 mpg
Luxury car
Audi A8 2.8 V6 FSI SE
Price: 49,970 CO2: 199g/km Average economy 34.0 mpg
Technology
Vauxhall Ampera
Editors Award
Tesla
Overall Winner: Volvo S40 1.6D DRIVe S