The Green Apple Awards for 2015 names the Mazda2 as it's Best Supermini.

• 2015 International Green Apple Awards name the all-new Mazda2 1.5 SKYACTIV-D Best Supermini.
• Green Apple Awards recognise and reward environmental best practice.
• All-new Mazda2 1.5 SKYACTIV-D has a combined economy of 83.1mpg and emits 89g/km of CO₂.
• Motoring section of the Green Apple Awards judged by the Midland Group of Motoring Writers.

The all-new Mazda2 has been named ‘Best supermini’ in the 22^nd annual Green Apple Awards. With the motoring section of the environmental awards judged by journalists from the Midland Group of Motoring Writers (MGMW), the 1.5-litre diesel SKYACTIV-D Mazda2 took top honours in the supermini category at the awards ceremony held recently at the Houses of Parliament.

MGMW Chairman Ian Donaldson commented, “the Mazda2 sets an engaging, practical and efficient benchmark in the class, making economy enjoyable while also providing sensible running costs. Mazda shows that using a larger engine than the competition and applying clever technology can provide fine economy and a car that’s good to drive.”

Having already claimed the Car Dealer Magazine Car of the Year Award earlier this year, the Green Apple Award’s acknowledgment of the all-new Mazda2’s blend of efficiency and performance comes on the back of the 105ps SKYACTIV-D Mazda2 exceling in the recent MPG Marathon, where it recorded an average fuel consumption of 103.42mpg – an impressive 24.45 per cent better than the official combined economy.

Equipped with Mazda’s i-stop system, which delivers the world’s fastest restarts on a diesel engine, the all-new 1.5-litre SKYACTIV-D engine embodies Mazda’s clean-sheet approach to combustion engines. The 1,499cc common-rail diesel engine features a lightweight all-alloy construction and an ultra-low 14.8:1 compression ratio that radically optimises the engine’s compression ratio to achieve superior air-fuel mixture levels and more uniform combustion for improved economy.

At the same time Mazda’s latest generation small diesel impresses with its combination of refinement, throttle response and performance.  As well as proving the real-world benefits of Mazda’s SKYACTIV technology, the all-new Mazda2’s KODO: Soul of Motion style and engaging driving experience help it stand out in this ultra-competitive sector.

Peugeot wins two green awards for the same car from different groups, not bad going.

• 2014 ranks as a great year for PEUGEOT
• With the youngest product range of all in its 125-year history, PEUGEOT receives more praise
• The PEUGEOT 308 adds another two accolades to its impressive awards collection

PEUGEOT has once again revealed its impressive environmental credentials, with the 308 scooping two ‘green’ awards from different organisations.

It’s been an impressive year for PEUGEOT, which also saw the 308 beat all-comers to win the much sought after and prestigious European Car of the Year title.

While both awards are for the same vehicle, the classifications are slightly different. At the Next Green Car Awards the 308 took top spot in the Small Family Car category, while at the Green Apple Awards it was honoured in the Larger Family category.

Morgan Lecoupeur, Marketing Director at PEUGEOT UK, commented: “No matter whether you think the PEUGEOT 308 is large or small, it clearly impressed the expert judges everywhere with its environmental excellence. It’s been a great year for PEUGEOT and this salutes a design which has been recognised the world over. Its advanced platform engineering, lower body weight and class-leading low CO₂ output are its key achievements, supported by class-leading PureTech petrol and BlueHDi diesel engines.”

The Next Green Car Awards are about highlighting the year’s cleanest new models, with recognition across 11 vehicle sectors. Innovation, value, drive experience and design also formed part of the judging criteria.

Winner in the Small Family category was the Peugeot 308 1.6-litre BlueHDi diesel. With CO₂ emissions of only 82g/km, the award citation praised its good looks, lighter chassis and improved engine range. The judges also said the car combines a positive driving experience with class-leading fuel economy.

At the Green Apple Auto Awards, run in conjunction with the Midland Group of Motoring Writers, the 308 was the winner in the Larger Family Cars category.

The judges said it was a car which shows PEUGEOT is coming back on form, with one saying: “I’ve chosen it because... style meets economy with no corners cut. A simply delightful car.”

Citroen wins gold at the Apple Green car awards.

Citroën has just been awarded a Gold trophy at the prestigious International Green Apple Awards, held at the Houses of Parliament in London. Citroën scooped the top accolade in the Automotive Industries category for Environmental Best Practice. 

The award recognises the brand’s investment in minimising the environmental impact of its cars, LCV’s and its manufacturing operations.

Citroën impressed the organisers with its green philosophy, which has seen the organisation focus on reducing the environmental impact of production, through customer operation, to end of life disposal and recycling. 

Citroën’s green philosophy extends from initial design, manufacturing in energy efficient production facilities, to delivering emission reductions and improved fuel efficiency throughout the vehicle’s operational life, with a 95% end of life recyclability. 

As part of the PSA Group, Citroën manufacturing facilities are ISO 1401 certified, indicating their efficient use of energy and material resources. This also applies to the majority of the production facilities used by its joint venture partners. 

Citroën’s continuous improvement process has achieved significant reductions in energy usage and this has seen the amount of energy used to produce a vehicle reduce by around one third. Also, water consumption per vehicle manufactured has seen a near two thirds reduction.

Citroën has also been innovative in the use of the latest material technology to reduce weight (without compromising strength) and increasing the use of sustainable materials. This includes raising the percentage of green polymers used in its vehicles to 30% by 2015. Citroën LCVs also utilise an increasing amount of high tensile steel and plastics to deliver weight-saving efficiency benefits.

Roger Wolens, Managing Director of The Green Organisation, remarked; “The standard of entries for these awards has never been higher, so Citroën’s achievement is that much greater. The manufacturer’s holistic approach to green manufacturing is evident in the range of green initiatives it has undertaken. Citroën’s continuous improvement process has achieved significant reductions in energy usage, both in the manufacturing process and on the road.”

Jeremy Smith, Citroën’s Head of Commercial Vehicles & Business Sector Operations, commented; “Our success in this category reflects the dedication of our research and development staff to make our vehicles even greener. To succeed, when organisers say entries have never reached such a high standard, is an even greater achievement.”

Honda celebrates winning twice at the Green Apple awards.

The Honda Civic was awarded two Green Apple accolades at the Green Organisation awards 2014, with the Civic claiming Gold in the smaller family car section and the overall Green Apple champion runner up for 2014.

Now in its fourth year, the annual awards are held at the House of Commons with the winners of the automotive Green Apple awards selected by the 28 members of the Midland Group of Motoring Writers.

Having won the prestigious gold award in the smaller family car section, being described as ‘a superb all-rounder’, the 1.6 diesel Honda Civic won the honourable silver place as the overall champion for 2014 and was praised as a car that continues to surprise drivers with its real world fuel economy, using less fuel than hybrids, while still providing enough performance to keep most drivers happy.

The 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel engine was the first engine from Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology series to be launched in Europe and is exclusively built at Honda’s manufacturing facility in Swindon.

The engine made its introduction in the Civic and offers a class-leading combination of power (120 PS) and torque (300 Nm @ 2000 rpm) with CO₂ emissions of just 94 g/km, giving an impressive balance between fuel economy and performance.

Rather than develop a specific, eco-focused derivative, the 1.6-litre i-DTEC is an extension of the existing Civic line-up, ensuring the variant doesn’t sacrifice any of the driving dynamics associated with the Honda badge.

Phillip Crossman, Managing Director at Honda UK, said: “Being recognised by both the Midland Group of Motoring Writers and the Green Organisation as a class leader, not just in one category but overall, is a fantastic badge of honour for the Honda Civic and we are delighted to have come away with two awards.”

Renault celebrates double delight at the Green Apple Awards.

• Kangoo Z.E. electric van and Clio both pick up awards
• Green Apple Awards now in their fourth year
• 2014 is third year that Renault has won Green Apple Awards

Renault has won two environmental awards at the 2014 Green Apple Awards at a ceremony held at the Houses of Parliament in London this week. 

The Renault Kangoo Z.E electric van was awarded the Green Apple Automotive Industry Bronze Award whilst the Renault Clio was named Runner Up in the Small Family Cars category.

These two accolades build on Renault’s success in previous Green Apple Awards. Last year, the Renault ZOE electric car took the Overall Winner prize as well as being named Best Small Family Car and in 2012 Renault was applauded with two awards for its commitment to zero emissions motoring.

Commenting on awarding the Kangoo Z.E. van the Automotive Industry Bronze Winner prize, a spokesperson for The Green Organisation said: “The Renault Kangoo Z.E. Van was the market’s first all-electric light commercial vehicle. This purpose-built van has zero tailpipe emissions, is cheap to run and easy to charge. It has instant torque, making it rather quick – but at the same time very quiet and smooth to drive.”

The awards are organised by the Midlands-based The Green Organisation and were judged by members of the Midland Group of Motoring Writers.

Midland Group chairman Ian Donaldson said: "When The Green Organisation asked us for our current green champions we wanted to go further than some other awards and look beyond the official figures and rank our favourites in the real world, taking into account how they performed in our hands."

Explaining the award for the Clio, one Midlands Group of Motoring Writers judge said: “Good looks combine with an extremely frugal and fun to drive diesel engine to put the Clio near the top of anyone’s list.”

The Renault Kangoo Van Z.E. is the world’s first 100%-electric van produced directly by a mass-market vehicle manufacturer. It provides zero tailpipe emissions and silent motoring that is ideal for commercial use within urban environments. The 44kW electric motor and 22kWh lithium-ion battery provide 226Nm of torque, available from rest, which allows for smooth, linear acceleration. 

The official range of 105 miles means that the vast majority of van users’ daily driving can be done on one charge. Kangoo Van Z.E. is available in four versions – Kangoo Van Z.E., Kangoo Van Maxi Z.E. (2 seats), Kangoo Maxi Crew Van Cab, and Kangoo Van Z.E. Maxi Crew Van (5 seats) – and is priced from £12,995 (+ VAT, after Plug in Van Grant) complete with a four-year/100,000-mile warranty and four years’ roadside assistance.

The Clio hatchback, now in its fourth generation, is available with a range of petrol and diesel engines which emit CO₂ emissions of as low as 83g/km and with fuel consumption as low as 88.3 mpg. Prices start from £10,995 and include four years/100,000-miles warranty and four years’ roadside assistance.

The Green Apple Awards, Winners, and losers, and some weird choices.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is a compelling winner

Mitsubishi's big but frugal Outlander PHEV has taken top spot in a set of awards for cars that mix modest thirst and emissions with the ability to entertain their drivers and keep running costs down in the real world.

The Green Apple Awards were presented on Monday (10 November) at the House of Commons. They are organised by the Midlands-based The Green Organisation and were judged by members of the Midland Group of Motoring Writers.

Midland Group chairman Ian Donaldson said: "When The Green Organisation asked us for our current green champions we wanted to go further than some other awards and look beyond the official figures and rank our favourites in the real world, taking into account how they performed in our hands."

One judge said of the Outlander PHEV: "Many car firms have claimed to have introduced a ground breaker in the past 12 months but this one really is. It embraces everything that’s good about new technology without compromise and has the potential to save you a small fortune. Mitsubishi’s decision to price it the same as diesel is the real clincher."

Second place overall went to the diesel engined Honda Civic, which judges said astonished them with its real world economy.

MGMW Green Apple Awards results in full

Superminis:

In silver position was the Suzuki Swift. It was described by one judge as 'reasonably frugal but balances that by being a hoot to drive while remaining a really honest car; there’s nothing pretentious about the model, it just looks good, is well built, has plenty of kit and sips at the fuel no matter how much fun you’re having.'

Winner in this category is the Skoda Citigo. One judge said: 'I've chosen the Citigo because...  it's a great drive, thoroughly practical with low consumption and a price tag to match.' Another said: 'The Citigo is a perfect demonstration of how a car can be economical, inexpensive, beautifully built and a pleasure to drive.'

Smaller family cars:

Another hard fought category this year with a long term favourite in second spot, in the shape of the Renault Clio. One judge said of the Clio: 'Good looks combine with an extremely frugal and fun to drive diesel engine to put the Clio near the top of anyone's list.'

Top spot goes to the Honda Civic with the 1.6 litre diesel engine. It was described by one judge thus: "The Civic 1.6 diesel provides real-world fuel economy that is staggering, even sipping less fuel than hybrids, while still providing enough performance to keep most drivers happy. A superb all-rounder."

Larger family cars:

In second spot is the BMW 3 Series, specifically the 320d version, while first place in 2014 goes to... the Peugeot 308. Here is a car that shows Peugeot is coming back on form, with a complete package that moved one judge to say: "I've chosen it because... style meets economy with no corners cut. A simply delightful car."

Smaller SUVs:

A long standing favourite makes it into second spot this time, in the still highly stylish shape of the Range Rover Evoque in eD4 Pure form. One judge said of the Evoque: "Still looking so stylish and still enjoying the enviable position of being both environmentally responsible and lusted after by its buyers."

Pole position goes to the latest version of the Nissan Qashqai. It was described by one judge as "superb quality, superb drive and awesome economy. A formidable family car."

Electric hybrids or pure electric vehicles:

We salute one of the brave pioneers, with the Vauxhall Ampera in second place. A judge said: "The Ampera can be proud of the way it has shown that family cars can be both very green and make a sound case for everyday family transport."

Topping this category is the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. The Outlander was described by a Midland Group voter as "the sort of car that gives big 4x4s a good name and makes an utterly compelling business case for a lot of potential users."

Executive cars:

Midland Group members love the Jaguar XF and voted the diesel version into second place this time. We loved the way the XF continues to add a dash of British style to the roads of the world while returning the sort of real world economy considered the realm of smaller cars not so long ago.

In top spot in this category was the Audi A6. As one judge said: "BMW has led the way here for ages, but finally Audi has responded with the new ultra range. Powerful, economical and well priced, they’re a big step on and mean the ball is now in the court of its rivals."

Overall Green Apple champion for 2014 

There was strong support for two of our category winners, with an honourable silver place going to the Honda Civic, a car that continues to astonish drivers with its real world fuel economy. 

Our overall winner is... the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. 

One judge wrote: "Many car firms have claimed to have introduced a ground breaker in the past 12 months but this one really is. It embraces everything that’s good about new technology without compromise and has the potential to save you a small fortune. Mitsubishi’s decision to price it the same as diesel is the real clincher."