Fuel-efficient cars by body style
Choosing a new car? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet. The following cars are ranked by city miles per gallon (MPG), followed by highway MPG based on the Environmental Protection Agency's Fuel Economy Guide for the 2010 model year. (For details of the testing, see the notes below.)
| Rank | Model | MPG: city/hwy | Annual fuel cost * | Carbon footprint (tons/yr of CO2) |
Additional info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (tie) |
Audi A3 |
30/42 | $1235 | 6.2 tons | 4 cylinder, 2 liter, automatic (S6), diesel |
| 1 (tie) |
Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen |
30/42 | $1235 | 6.2 tons | 4 cylinder, 2 liter, automatic (S6), diesel |
| 3 (tie) |
Pontiac Vibe |
26/32 | $1430 | 6.6 tons | 4 cylinder, 1.8 liter, manual 5-speed, regular gas |
| 3 (tie) |
Toyota Matrix |
26/32 | $1430 | 6.6 tons | 4 cylinder, 1.8 liter, manual 5-speed, regular gas |
| 5 |
Kia Soul |
26/31 | $1430 | 6.6 tons | 4 cylinder, 1.6 liter, automatic 4-speed, regular gas |
| 6 |  Dodge Caliber |
23/31 | $1542 | 7.1 tons | 4 cylinder, 2 liter, manual 5-speed, regular gas |
| 7 |  Suzuki SX4 |
23/30 | $1542 | 7.1 tons | 4 cylinder, 2 liter, automatic (variable gear ratios), regular gas |
| 8 |
Volkswagen Passat Wagon |
22/31 | $1746 | 7.3 tons | 4 cylinder, 2 liter, automatic (S6), premium gas |
| 9 |
Subaru Outback Wagon |
22/29 | $1670 | 7.7 tons | all-wheel drive, 4 cylinder, 2.5 liter, automatic (variable gear ratios), regular gas |
| 10 |
Scion xB |
22/28 | $1670 | 7.7 tons | 4 cylinder, 2.4 liter, manual 5-speed, regular gas |
Notes:
* Annual fuel cost estimates are based on the assumptions that you travel 15,000 miles per year (55 percent in the city and 45 percent on the highway) and that fuel costs $3.48 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline, $3.75 per gallon for premium and $3.88 for diesel. Visit www.fueleconomy.gov to calculate fuel costs based on current fuel prices and your driving habits.
Each model is allowed to appear on the list only once regardless of variations in its trim, options and/or specs.
Note that the models featured on the research pages linked here may have slight variations to the models specified in this list.
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