Green Cars Designed to Sip Fuel

Gas prices are not as astronomical as they were a few years ago, but fuel efficient and environmentally friendly cars are still an ever growing category of the market.

But you don't have to look to new vehicles to get high mileage. We have gathered some green cars for sale in the area. Some of the choices, definitions of green and lack of certain vehicles — there is no Prius on the list — may surprise you.

Information on each car has been gathered below or can be reviewed in the photos along with this article.

2011 Nissan Leaf SL - $21,900

What we have here everyone is an honest to goodness electric car. With a range of over 70 miles on a single charge and the size of a subcompact vehicle, this car comes with compromises. But compromises are the name of the game when it comes to early adopters.

For $21,900 you get a car that uses no petroleum derived fuel and has 4,409 miles at the Anchor Auto Group, according to Cars.com.

2010 BMW X5 xDrive35d - $37,997

Yes this is a BMW. Yes this is an SUV. Yes this is a "green" vehicle. Boasting some of the latest diesel technology available at the time, this large SUV is capable of getting over 25 miles per gallon on the highway while doing all the required SUV hauling. Where I come from we call that green.

For $37,997 you get a family hauler that sips diesel like a midsize car with 54,023 miles from Wagner BMW of Shrewsbury, according to Cars.com.

2011 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen 2.0 TDI - $24,999

Want to be able to haul the family, friends, dog or various flotsam and jetsam that life throws at you while getting great "green" mileage? Welcome to the world of the diesel Jetta wagon. This is an imminently practical vehicle that can haul your stuff and return over 40 miles per gallon on the highway.

For $24,999 you get the hauling capacity of most SUV's with the approximate mileage of a Prius with 21,331 miles from Colonial Volkswagen, according to Cars.com.

2011 Lexus HS 250h - $29,494

I said a Prius would not make this list and it hasn't. However, its Lexus brother has. Take the underlying "green" high efficiency goodness of a Prius and re-skin it with Lexus subtlety and you have the HS 250h. What you lose is a bit of the Prius mileage, but you gain luxury touches and looks over its Toyota sibling.

For $29,494 you get style, efficiency and hybrid bragging rights with 24,033 miles from Lexus of Northborough, according to Cars.com.

2012 Fiat 500 Pop - $12,998

Not every green car needs to run on an alternative fuel or have a complicated electric drivetrain. Some of the most efficient cars are the simplest and this Fiat is a case in point. Boasting mileage of up to 38 miles per gallon on the highway, this car pulls that off with the classic equation of a small engine and light weight.

For $12,998 you get Italian flair and style with mileage to rival some hybrids with 6,791 miles from Herb Chambers Hyundai of Westborough, according to Cars.com.