Green Car Journal just named the 2010 Audi A3 TDI the Green Car of the Year. Please, put your eyebrows down. If you’ve been lucky enough to find yourself behind the wheel of Audi’s stylish little diesel wagon, you know there’s plenty to love. The 2.0-liter turbo diesel four-cylinder delivers a modest 140 horsepower and heaps of torque. As in a full 236 lb-ft in U.S. spec. That’s more than enough power to scoot the car and its excellent interior along in a hurry, and the six-speed dual-clutch gear box makes clicking through the gears a blast. Best of all, the notoriously conservative EPA says the A3 TDI is good for up to 42 mpg highway – all without any of the heavy batteries of a hybrid system.

The honor is just the latest in a number of green-tilted accolades to fall on Audi as of late. The company has been quietly underscoring the benefits of its clean-diesel technology, hoping eco-minded consumers will take notice. Will American buyers respond? With cars like the A3 TDI, it’s hard to imagine they won’t.

Source Audi