In the automotive world there are a number of ways to make greener choices. The most notable is to drive a more fuel-efficient car or SUV. Manual transmission vehicles can also save gas and money, although finding models with manual shifts gets tougher everyday--they simply don’t sell in the numbers they used to.

Hybrid vehicles typically deliver the highest fuel economy numbers in their class and there are a number of new models hitting the market, including the new 2010 Toyota Prius, which the company expects to get 51 mpg in the city and 48 mpg on the highway, the Honda Insight, (40 mpg city/43 mpg highway), and the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan, which both have an EPA estimated 41 mpg city/36 mpg highway. We have not yet run our own real world fuel economy tests in these vehicles to confirm these numbers, however. To see how Consumer Reports tests fuel economy, see our video. Compare fuel economy on all vehicles tested with our new car selector.

Other alternate fuel vehicles racing to the market include plug-in hybrids such as the upcoming Chevrolet Volt and a number of electric vehicles.

Besides buying a new vehicle, how you drive your current car can also help save gas by avoiding unnecessary drag, driving smoothly, and at moderate speeds. Car pooling and taking mass transit are other options.

For more suggestions on how to live more green, visit Consumer Union's Web site Greenerchoices.org and our Earth Day special section. For more tips on saving fuel and alternative fuels, see our Green car guide.

—Liza Barth