Melbourne – It’s official. The smart fortwo micro hybrid drive (mhd) is Australia’s greenest car.

According to the Australian Federal Government’s Green Vehicle Guide, the smart fortwo cabrio mhd (micro hybrid drive) is rated as having the lowest greenhouse and air pollution emissions in Australia.

The iconic two-seater earned a total score of 17 out of a possible 20 points for both its air pollution and greenhouse ratings. It was awarded a full five stars and the coveted first position in this important consumer guide, outperforming a variety of hybrid-powered models and a number of the smallest cars from Australia’s ‘Light’ vehicle category.

Horst von Sanden, managing director of Mercedes-Benz Cars in Australia, said the result was another confirmation of the little fortwo’s strong environmental credentials.

"For a consumer searching for the most environmentally sound car in Australia, there is no better choice than the smart fortwo mhd," said Mr von Sanden.

"With our smallest car at the top of the government’s Green Vehicle Guide we have another important tool to highlight to car buyers how environmentally compatible the smart fortwo really is.

"The goal of sustainable mobility lies at the heart of the smart concept, and it’s this very car, along with new developments such as the electric smart ed, that have made some of the biggest steps towards the ultimate goal of emission-free motoring."

Released in Australia last December, the 52 kW smart fortwo micro hybrid drive boasts a combined cycle fuel consumption rate of only 4.4-litres per 100km (according to ADR 81/02), and an impressively low extra-urban consumption rate of only 3.9l/100km. The carbon dioxide (CO2) output of the two-seater is also very low – only 105 grams per km driven.

The innovative smart mhd uses simple but very effective start-stop technology when driven in traffic, switching the engine off when stationary and seamlessly restarting when the driver goes to move off again.