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Automakers Take Nine Spots on This Year's Global Green Brands List

Toyota, Ford and Honda are the top three overall

For a second year, automakers lead Interbrand's Global Green Brands list. Each year the branding company creates a list of the top 50 green brands in the world. This year automakers hold the top three spots on the list, compared to two of three last year, and there are nine automakers in the top 50, up from eight last year.

ToyotaToyotaJapan, 1937 > present155 models
4570 photos
10 videos
, FordFordUnited States of America, 1903 > present92 models
2522 photos
11 videos
and HondaHondaJapan, 1948 > present102 models
2419 photos
10 videos
are ranked as the top-three Global Green Brands this year. Toyota and Honda held the same positions last year, but Ford increase its position by 13 positions by going from 15th last year to second this year. Interbrand praised Ford's EcoBoost engine and its growing lineup of hybrid and electrified models.

The company with the largest gain this year was Nissan, which went from 21st last year to fifth this year. The impressive leap was explained by Nissan'sNissanJapan, 1932 > present159 models
6957 photos
12 videos
continuing support of the Leaf and its innovations in building its cars using less energy.

VolkswagenVolkswagenGermany, 1938 > present98 models
9654 photos
31 videos
, BMWBMWGermany, 1918 > present87 models
8471 photos
43 videos
, Mercedes-BenzMercedes-BenzGermany, 1924 > present197 models
9852 photos
33 videos
and HyundaiHyundaiRepublic of Korea, 1967 > present79 models
1921 photos
3 videos
all fell from last year. Volkswagen is not really doing anything wrong, but it is not keeping up with the innovations from other automakers. BMW and Mercedes-Benz fell because they are not introducing their hybrid and electric vehicles fast enough. Interbrand gave a very clear reason for Hyundai's 17-position fall. The lawsuit against the company for misstating fuel economy on many of its vehicles in the US hurt its ranking significantly on the green brands list.

KiaKiaRepublic of Korea, 1944 > present52 models
1724 photos
4 videos
makes it first appearance to the green brands list this year and is in 37th overall.

Interbrands creates a Gap Score for each brand in its ranking as well. The score compares its each brand's perception and performance. Perception is scored based on a survey of 10,000 people - 1,000 each from the 10 largest world auto markets. Performance is scored on each company's assessment from the auditing firm Deloitte that examines how green each company is compared to how profitable it is. The difference between these two numbers decides the score.

A positive score indicates the brand is greener in terms of its actual performance than consumers perceive it. A negative score indications that consumers perceive a brand as a greener company than it actually is.

The top three brands all had negative Gap Scores.

You can view the entire 50-brand list here.

9. Kia

Kia was ranked 37th of Interbrand's Best Global Green Brands 2013. Its Gap Score is 6.11. This is its first year in the top 50 ranking.

8. Hyundai

Hyundai remains on the top 50 list this year but falls significantly. It is 34th overall this year, but was 17th overall last year. Interbrand reduced its ranking because of its lawsuit for incorrect fuel economy ratings in the US. It has a 7.32 Gap Score.

7. Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz slips one position this year to 17th overall. It has an 8.13 Gap Score. Interbrand did not give a clear reason for it to fall slightly but praised its move towards greener cars and better sustainability.

6. BMW

BMW falls three spots this year to 13th place overall. It has a Gap Score of 5.42. Interbrand blamed its fall on being slow to introduce greener cars but praised it for bucking the trend against electric cars. It is working with Toyota on future hybrid and hydrogen vehicles.

5. Volkswagen

Volkswagen falls three positions this year to 7th overall. It has a Gap Score of 2.96. Volkswagen wants to be the largest, greenest auto company by 2018 and appears to be going there. Its Tennessee factory is the cleanest auto factory in the world. Its falling is not Volkswagen doing something wrong, its other companies doing more right.

4. Nissan

Nissan had the biggest growth of any company on this year's list. It went up by 16 places from 21st last year to 5th overall this year. It has a Gap Score 2.06. Interbrand praised the Leaf and producing all of its vehicles in a cleaner fashion.

3. Honda

Honda remains in third this year, and it had a Gap Score of -2.10. While consumers still love them, analysts are beginning to notice it is slow to innovate compared to competitors.

2. Ford

Ford had the second-highest growth of any brand on this year's list. It went from 15th overall last year to 2nd this year. Interbrand praised its EcoBoost engine and commitment to hybrid powertrains in the near future. It has a Gap Score of -2.57.

1. Toyota

Toyota remains in first place again this year. It has a Gap Score of -2.53. However, Interbrand says that Toyota may be losing ground to competitors, especially Ford. Toyota has a new Prius coming next year.