Irvine, California - According to Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research’s all-new Eco Watch study, new-vehicle shoppers are not only increasingly concerned about the environment, but are making purchase decisions based on how their choices will affect the environment. Sixty-one percent of American new-vehicle shoppers say it is important to purchase a vehicle from a brand that is environmentally friendly. Consumers cite Toyota, Honda and Chevrolet as first, second and third (respectively) for having the most fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles.

“While Toyota and Honda have long been praised for being fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly, in-market car shoppers also are now seeing Chevrolet near the top of the list, demonstrating that Chevy’s recent push of hybrids, flex-fuel and most recently plug-in electric vehicles is really resonating with the car-buying public,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com.

“The latest EcoWatch results show that brands with robust alternative-fuel-technology models, be it Toyota with hybrids, Honda with hybrid, natural gas and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, or Chevrolet with hybrid, flex-fuel and the much-talked-about electrically driven technologies epitomized by the upcoming Chevrolet Volt, are garnering consumer perception as being the most eco-friendly.”

Nearly three-quarters of new-vehicle shoppers say they wish there were more alternative-fuel vehicles to choose from in the marketplace. The alternative-fuel types in which consumers are most interested are hybrid, hydrogen fuel cell and natural gas vehicles, while consumers are more skeptical about biofuel, diesel and battery-electric vehicles.