Also selling well are such gas sippers as the VW Jetta and the Hyundai Elantra.

FORBES: Cars Now Getting Better Climate Grades

You might note, with an eye roll, that the Smart iQ's highway mileage of 37 mpg is bested by many larger cars, including the Chevy Cruze Eco and the VW Jetta Sportwagon diesel (both rated at 42 mpg on the highway).

WSJ: 2012 Scion iQ Review: Slow, Whiny, Tiny��but Great to Park | Rumble Seat by Dan Neil

The other mistake that has preyed on my mind has to do with the VW Jetta, which I crucified in a column a few months ago as being de-contented, dumbed-down and sadly cheapened Americanized, as part of Volkswagen of America's master plan to increase sales by lowering the brand's price point.

WSJ: 2011 Car Reviews: What Dan Neil Got Wrong | Rumble Seat

Now, with a big new plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, a revamped dealer network and the successful launch of the new Jetta, a family saloon, VW is back on a roll in America.

ECONOMIST: Volkswagen: VW conquers the world | The