Another Prius Perk

You can't put a price tag on saving the environment, but now buying eco-friendly cars can also save a little of the green in your wallet.

A dozen years after its debut, the Toyota Prius has risen to the top of the automotive pack as the best ecological and economical car. The Consumer Reports Annual Auto Issue, which hit magazine stands March 1, expectedly named the Prius the best Green Car for the sixth year in a row, but it also hailed the Prius Touring as the No. 1 "Best Car Value."

The "Best Car Value" category weighs the price of the vehicle ($24,800 in the case of the Prius Touring) against total five-year ownership costs like fuel, maintenance, repairs, depreciation, interest on financing and insurance. Several cars, like the Chevrolet Aveo5 and the Toyota Yaris, had a cheaper price tag but significantly dropped in value after factoring in the other costs and for underwhelming road tests. These tests, which play into the car's value, include braking, handling, comfort and convenience. Between the road tests and ownership costs, the Prius finished as the best pick. And for those worried about its speed, the Prius moves fast enough to land Jodie Foster a speeding ticket last week in Beverly Hills, as reported by the reality show Speeders.

As far as the overall list, the Consumer Reports bottom-of-the-bucket vehicles were a trio of gas-guzzlers: the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara with 16 mpg and the Hummer H2 and H3 with 11 and 16 mpg, respectively. The Prius line, by comparison, averages 44 mpg.

Don't be surprised if the Prius tops the list again next year considering the third-generation vehicles will hit the showrooms by summer. The new Prius models reportedly will increase their horsepower by 20+ percent to 134, and still reach 50 mpg. Even more remarkable, the very first plug-in Prius PHVs — powered by lithium-ion batteries — will be available in small numbers later this year to fleet-lease customers.

In other green-car news and coming even sooner, though, is Chrysler's new electric Peapod. This round-shaped neighborhood vehicle can go up to 40 miles on an eight-hour charge with a top speed of 25 mph. While the $12,500 vehicle won't be cruising the autobahn anytime soon, the Peapod is perfect for small communities, neighborhoods and towns. With an adorable shape that comes in six different colors, the Peapod will be available for online orders only, starting — appropriately enough — on Earth Day (April 22).

The Latin word prius means "to go before," a feat the car accomplished as the breakthrough hybrid. A decade later, the Peapod and Prius plug-ins clearly demonstrate that there's still a lot more to come.