Cologne  - Two-thirds of German motorists would buy a car with good eco credentials with another half occasionally avoiding a car trip for ecological reasons, according to a recent poll conducted by the TNS Infratest.

The trend toward eco-cars has also been speeded up by lower insurance tariffs for cleaner cars that have carbon dioxide emissions under 140 grammes per kilometre, according to the poll.

Small car manufacturers, especially those in Asia, have especially benefited from scrappage schemes introduced by several governments in order to stimulate buyers to buy more economical cars. Sales of Hyundai in the United States were up 47 per cent in August compared to the same period last year.

In Japan, government subsidies and tax breaks for clean cars has boosted sales of the hybrid Toyota Prius which in August again topped the list as the bestselling new vehicle for the fourth month in a row with more than 21,000 units sold. (dpa)