OREANDA-NEWS. October 21, 2015. Green Car Journal named the Hyundai Sonata mid-size sedan, including the Sonata Eco, Sonata Hybrid and Sonata Plug-in Hybrid, a finalist for the 2016 Green Car of the Year award. Each year, five finalists are considered for the Green Car of the Year award, an honor that recognizes fuel-efficient vehicles and the environmental leadership they bring to the auto industry. The 2016 Green Car of the Year will be announced at the Los Angeles Auto Show during the show’s second press day on Nov. 19.

“Our Sonata lineup shows how a mid-size sedan can effectively improve fuel efficiency for a large number of drivers while reducing more emissions, as our Sonata is sold in high volumes compared to other alternative-fuel vehicles,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president, Product and Corporate Planning, Hyundai Motor America. “From the Sonata Eco to our all-new Sonata Plug-in Hybrid, all of our Sonatas feature unique design with advanced safety and convenience features that deliver outstanding fuel economy – all exceeding the needs of today’s eco-minded owner.”

Hyundai continues to place emphasis on its eco-friendly Blue Drive® lineup in all segments through 2020. Part of this initiative is the arrival of the Plug-in Hybrid variant of the Sonata this fall, marking Hyundai’s very first Plug-in Hybrid model to debut in the U.S.

“The 2016 Hyundai Sonata delivers what many buyers are seeking, a stylish and fun-to-drive car that offers varying options to go ‘green,’” said Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of Green Car Journal and CarsOfChange.com. “Offering the Sonata in efficient gasoline, hybrid and plug-in hybrid choices at approachable price points is an important strategy for encouraging cleaner and more efficient personal transportation on our highways.”

During the award’s vetting process, Green Car Journal editors consider all vehicles, fuels, and technologies as an expansive field of potential candidates is narrowed down to a final five. Finalists are selected for their achievements in raising the bar in environmental performance. Availability to the mass market is a factor to ensure honored models have the potential to make a real difference in environmental impact, and finalists must be available for sale by Jan. 1 of the award year.

The Green Car of the Year is selected through a majority vote by an esteemed jury that includes celebrity auto enthusiast Jay Leno, plus leaders of noted environmental and efficiency organizations, such as President of Ocean Futures Society Jean-Michel Cousteau, Board Member of Global Green USA Matt Petersen, President Emeritus of the International Council on Clean Transportation Dr. Alan Lloyd, President of CERES Mindy Lubber, and President of the Alliance to Save Energy, Kateri Callahan.