TORONTO — The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Natural Resources, today announced the 2009 recipients of the ecoENERGY for Vehicles Awards at the Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto. The awards recognize the most fuel-efficient cars and light trucks available in Canada.

"Fuel efficient vehicles are good for the environment and help drivers save money on gas," said Minister Raitt. "By recognizing those manufacturers who are leading the charge to improve fuel efficiency, we are also providing consumers with better information on the options that are available to them."

The ecoENERGY for Vehicles Awards are a part of the Government of Canada's ecoENERGY initiative — a $3.6-billion set of focused measures to help Canadians use energy more efficiently, boost renewable energy supplies and develop cleaner energy technologies.

The winners of the 2009 Awards in each of the ten vehicle classes are:

• Two-seater car: smart fortwo/cabriolet
• Subcompact car: Toyota Yaris and MINI Cooper/Cooper Clubman/Cooper Convertible (co-winners)
• Compact car: Honda Civic Hybrid
• Mid-size car: Toyota Prius
• Full-size car: Honda Accord Sedan and Hyundai Sonata (co-winners)
• Station wagon: Volkswagen Jetta Wagon TDI Clean Diesel
• Pickup truck: Ford Ranger and Mazda B2300 (co-winners)
• Special purpose vehicle: Ford Escape Hybrid
• Minivan: Mazda 5
• Large van: Chevrolet Express Cargo/GMC Savana Cargo

Natural Resources Canada has also released the 2009 Fuel Consumption Guide, which helps consumers to compare fuel consumption ratings and check carbon dioxide emissions of passenger cars and light-duty vehicles sold in Canada. More details about the 2009 ecoENERGY for Vehicles Awards and the 2009 Fuel Consumption Guide are available at http://ecoaction.gc.ca.

• ecoENERGY for Vehicles Awards (winning vehicles) - Backgrounder