Volkswagen's Chattanooga-made Passat TDI clean diesel has won Cars.com's Eco-Friendly Car of the Year award.
This award was presented as part of Cars.com's annual Lifestyle Awards, held during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
"Volkswagen is committed to building the best eco-friendly vehicles for our customers," said Ulrich Heimann, an executive vice president at Volkswagen in Chattanooga.
Cars.com recognized the Passat for its efficiency and drivability, and cited the its highway mileage at 44 mpg. The Passat won this same award from Cars.com in 2012.
In 2014, Volkswagen introduced the lighter and more fuel efficient TDI engine, improving EPA highway fuel economy between 10 and 16 percent.
The Chevrolet Volt, Honda Accord Hybrid, and Passat were nominated for this award. Nominees were selected based on ratings of "acceptable" or higher in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests, a reliability rating of average or higher, strong ride and handling, and average or better gas mileage in its segment.