Fuel-efficient cars by body style
- Best overall
- Sedans
- SUVs
- Trucks
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 2013 model year. (For details of the testing, see the notes below.)
| Rank | Model | MPG: overall |
MPG: city/hwy | Annual fuel cost* | Additional info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Nissan Leaf |
99 | 106/92 | $600 | electric; automatic transmission |
| 2 |
Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid
|
95* | 51/40** | $950 | plug-in hybrid, regular gas and electric; automatic continuously variable transmission, 1.8 liter, 4 cylinder; *mileage for electric and gas performance; **mileage for gas-only performance |
| 3 |
Toyota Prius |
50 | 51/48 | $1,050 | hybrid; automatic continuously variable transmission, 1.8 liter, 4 cylinder |
| 4 |
Ford Fusion Hybrid FWD |
47 | 47/47 | $1,100 | hybrid; automatic continuously variable transmission, 2.0 liter, 4 cylinder |
| 5 |
Lincoln MKZ Hybrid FWD |
45 | 45/45 | $1,150 | hybrid; automatic continuously variable transmission, 2.0 liter, 4 cylinder |
| 6 |
Lexus CT 200h |
42 | 43/40 | $1,250 | regular gas; automatic continuously variable transmission, 1.8 liter, 4 cylinder |
| 7 |
 Lexus ES 300h |
40 | 43/40 | $1,300 | regular gas; automatic continuously variable transmission with select shift, 2.5 liter, 4 cylinder |
| 8 |
Acura ILX Hybrid |
38 | 39/380 | $1,500 | hybrid, premium gas; automatic continuously variable transmission with select shift, 1.5 liter, 4 cylinder |
| 9 |
Volkswagen Passat |
35 | 31/43 | $1,700 | diesel; manual transmission, 2.0 liter, 4 cylinder |
| 10 |
Hyundai Elantra |
32 | 28/28 | $1,650 | regular gas, manual or automatic transmission, 1.8 liter, 4 cylinder |
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). Fuel cost estimates listed here assume fuel costs $3.49 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline, $3.81 per gallon for premium gasoline, $4.01 for diesel and $.12/kWh for electricity. 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. Lists are limited to 10 vehicles, with annual fuel cost as the tie-breaker.
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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