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It’s official. The new-generation Prius will be Australia’s greenest car when it is launched in July this year.

Toyota Europe has announced that the third-generation Prius will emit just 89 grams of CO2 per km and can travel 100km using only 3.9 litres of petrol.

The figures, revealed at the Geneva motor show, are from the European combined cycle which is extremely close to the Australian Standard.

Local Toyota officials are confident the new Prius will have the lowest greenhouse and air pollution emissions of any car sold in Australia, making it the highest-ranking car on the Federal Government’s Green Vehicle Guide.

Current-generation Prius was the top-ranked vehicle for more than four years with fuel economy of 4.4 litres/100km and CO2 of 106 g/km.

Early this year, its CO2 count was pipped by a solitary gram by a two-seat car with a three-cylinder, one-litre petrol engine requiring premium unleaded fuel.

Current Prius is a full-size five-seat car that uses regular unleaded fuel for its 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine.

The petrol engine in the next-generation Prius grows to 1.8 litres, helping to boost power from the combined petrol-electric Hybrid Synergy Drive system by more than 20 per cent to around 100kW.

Despite the increased output, the European figures represent a 14 per cent improvement in CO2 emissions with fuel consumption lowered by 10 per cent.

The only other petrol car under 100 g/km sold in Europe is another Toyota, the innovative four-seat iQ.

Cabrio and coupe models of a two-seat car achieve 88 g/km with a tiny 800cc diesel engine. Those versions are not sold in Australia.

Toyota Australia’s senior executive director sales and marketing David Buttner said the European figures confirm the strong environmental credentials for the next-generation Prius.

“Current Prius customers already know they can drive an environmentally sound car without sacrificing space, comfort or performance,” Mr Buttner said.

“The next-generation car takes a further leap forward with an improved Hybrid Synergy Drive system that increases performance at the same time as cutting emissions to levels never before seen in Australia.

“New Prius will send a clear message to car buyers about saving money at the petrol pump while being kinder to the environment.

“Prius is an essential part of Toyota’s development towards its global goal of sustainable mobility.”

Mr Buttner said it was important to note that none of the five-star top performers in the Green Vehicle Guide are diesel vehicles, even where their fuel consumption is relatively good.

The Guide makes it clear that the contribution to air pollution by diesel vehicles is generally higher than that of comparative petrol or LPG vehicles.

Of most concern are particulate matter and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions, which the Guide says can cause a range of adverse health effects.

“These emissions are generally higher in diesel vehicles compared with petrol or gas vehicles,” the Guide says.

2010 Toyota Prius – Hi-res. Images