The changing face of the automotive industry is reflected through its award ceremonies – and green car of the year titles have become more frequent and more prominent.

Their importance is personified at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show, where the Green Car of the Year will be announced during Press days on November 20. With California proving to be the epicentre for the growth of green cars in America, its fitting that LA plays host to an award that recognises environmental innovation.

So what criteria do the judges use when determining the green car of the year?

Staff from the Green Car Journal, a prominent automotive environmental magazine in America, narrow down the list of eligible vehicles to five based on research and driving experience – to be eligible a vehicle must be in production by January 1 2009.

Emphasis is placed on vehicles that advance overall efficiency and that decrease their environmental footprint. The impact the green car has on the marketplace is also taken into consideration.

Last year’s winner was the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, while the previous year’s winner was the Toyota Camry Hybrid. The first award back in 2006 was granted to the Mercury Mariner Hybrid.