If we're going to drive cars with internal combustion engines - the only viable solution currently on, or anywhere near, the table - we will cause pollution but we can minimise that pollution. For a number of years, Citroen has been at the forefront of small engine technology, producing petrol and diesel units that conserve fuel, produce low emissions and still offer the key ingredients for a rewarding driving experience. The development of cutting edge small engine technology has seen the fuel consumption of its small cars cut by 50% over the past decade and the less fuel a car burns, the less CO2 it emits.

Citroen currently has a whole range of models which come in under the 120g/km barrier for CO2 emissions. This not only makes them clean but also cheaper to run and cheaper to tax. The 1.0-litre Citroen C1 citycar offers generous space for four occupants, eye-catching styling and sprightly performance but it produces just 109g/km of CO2 making it one of the greenest cars on the road and it will average over 60mpg.

It isn't just the engine technology that has helped the latest Citroen products achieve their green pedigree. Citroen has also pioneered the use of Stop & Start systems in the C2 and C3 superminis. These automatically stop the engine when the vehicle is stationary, turning it on again when it's time to move off. Then there's the marque's clever use of automatic gearboxes on its small cars. The Sensodrive system that's available on the C2, C3 and C3 Pluriel actually cuts CO2 emissions by up to 15 per cent in heavy traffic while the EGS gearbox in the C4 can boost fuel economy by 6% and help the 1.6-litre HDi diesel engine produce just 120g/km of CO2.

There's more to a truly green vehicle than CO2 emissions and the Citroen diesel engines fitted to the C3, C4, C5, C6 and C8 models work in conjunction with particulate filters that work to catch and incinerate harmful soot before it is released into the air. All Citroen vehicles are also designed in such away that they can be easily recycled at the end of their lifetime reducing the amount of waste caused and the manufacturer is ploughing millions into research and development of new technologies that could eventually lead to an emissions free future. Citroen has already previewed the C4 Hybride HDi prototype which pairs a diesel engine with an electric motor to deliver emissions of only 90g/km.

The automotive industry faces some big challenges over the coming years with regard to its environmental performance but Citroen is already rising to them. The French manufacturer has shown that reducing your carbon footprint needn't be a hardship and with a whole range of environmentally-friendly Citroen models already established in the marketplace, buyers have the chance to make a green choice today.

For more information on the green credentials of the latest Citroen range, just contact local dealership Bollingmores Citroen on (01784) 243638 or call in at their showroom.