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Best Fuel Economy: 9 Cars that Have the Best Miles Per Gallon (MPG)
The list of cars with the best fuel economy changes from year to year, although a few models consistently make the grade. When building such a list, it must be remembered that vehicles fall into different classes, each of which maintains a different set of standards. If you’ve made up your mind to purchase a car with the best gas mileage, weigh selected models against like products. That way you’ll get what you want while staying true to your desire for a fuel efficient vehicle.
9 Cars with the Best MPG Rating
Most current models with the best fuel efficiency are hybrids. When compared against other models in their same class, SUVs, light trucks, full-size cars and other vehicles with the best mpg rating can be determined, although they won’t match the overall best performance of the top hybrids.
- Toyota Prius: Unsurprisingly, the Toyota Prius tops this list yet again. With an average of 51 miles per gallon in the city and 48 mpg on the highway, the Prius has a mean annual fuel cost of less than $800, making it the best car in terms of fuel efficiency.
- Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan: Coming in second are two related models from the Ford Corporation. At 41 mpg in the city and 36 on the highway, these makes and models are the next best thing to the Prius when fuel efficiency is the primary factor. The average driver spends less than $1,000 per year in fuel for both of these compact vehicles.
- Honda Civic Hybrid: The third highest rated passenger car in terms of fuel efficiency, the Civic Hybrid gets 40 mpg city, 45 highway, while actually beating the number two model in per-year fuel costs. Run this hybrid for around $930 in fuel costs annually.
- Honda Insight Hybrid: Comparable to the Honda Civic, the Insight gets 40 and 43 mpg city and highway, respectively. Average annual fuel costs are slightly more than $950.
- Lexus HS 250h: This Lexus hybrid model is costlier in annual fuel at more than $1,100. For both city and highway driving the Lexus gets great gas mileage, though. On average, the HS gets 35 mpg in the city, 34 on the highway.
- Nissan Altima Hybrid: This model gets the same city gas mileage, 35 mpg, as the Lexus HS. It would be tied if not for its 33-mpg highway gas mileage. It also is slightly more expensive to fuel at around $1,150 per year.
- Ford Escape Hybrid: The second American-made model to make this list, the Ford Escape Hybrid gets 34 in the city, 31 on the highway and costs approximately $1,200 per year to fuel. The Mercury Mariner and Mazda Tribute Hybrids are tied with the Ford Escape.
- Smart Fortwo: The only non-hybrid to make this list is the diminutive Smart Fortwo. With its 33 mpg city and 41 mpg highway, the $1,084 in average annual fuel costs can take this car for a long ride.
- Toyota Camry Hybrid: With $1,147 in annual fuel expenditures, the Camry Hybrid gets 33 mpg in the city and 34 on the open road.
Other high gas mileage cars include, the Mini Cooper with 28 mpg city and 36 highway, the Hyundai Elantra getting 26 and 35, respectively and the Volkswagen Passat that gets 22 and 31 mpg.
