3 Cheap Eco-Friendly Cars in 2012

Many of us aren’t fortunate enough to live in areas where we can ride the bike or walk to work or school. A lot of Americans commute to work and may drive upwards of 100 miles per day, five days a week. Many cars that can make a difference in the impact on the environment are too expensive to consider. Most hybrids start at around $30,000, which is way over the budget of a regular household. However, there are green cars that can go for as low as nearly two thirds of this price tag – this article will show you some environmentally friendly cars that don’t go over $20,000.

1. Nissan Versa

A bare-bone 2012 Versa Sedan (pictured above) costs as little as $11,750 and boast gas mileage of 31 MPG. The standard four-door sedans come with a 109-horsepower, 1.6-liter engine with four cylinders and a five-step manual gearbox. The cheapest model doesn’t come with any fancy features (air conditioning is a standard on all subcompact models though). A model equipped with cruise control, power windows, navigation and USB controls is sold for around $18,000.

2. Toyota Matrix

With a retail price starting at $18,845, the 2012 Toyota Matrix has a 32 MPG efficiency rate. The car stands out in its class with the available all-wheel drive option, which is quite a unique perk for such an affordable small car. However, expert reviewers aren’t excited at its overall performance – the suspension could be improved, the L model with a 1.8-liter engine only produces 132 horsepower and the interior looks and feels rather cheap. However, this shouldn’t put off the budget-conscious buyers – the 2012 Toyota Matrix is one of the best choices available if you need a small car with great fuel economy.

3. Hyundai Accent

The 2012 Hyundai Accent has been fully redesigned to meet the requirements of a modern car, while keeping the manufacturing and the retail costs down to a decent value. The new model features a roomy habitat, a more stylish design with a sculptured dash and patterned upholstery, a bigger engine and a six-speed manual gearbox and has a fuel efficiency rate of 33 MPG. The standard engine is of 1.6 liters and can produce 138 horsepower. Prices start at a low $12,545 for the bare-bone version (air conditioning and MP3 player are standard). This latest reiteration of Hyundai Accent can be a great choice if you need a small car for day to day transportation around urban areas.