Fuel-efficient cars by body style
- Compact cars
- Sports cars/coupes
- Wagons
- Minivans/vans
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 2009 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 |
Honda Civic Hybrid |
40/45 | $1242 | 4.4 tons | 4 cylinder, 1.3 liter, automatic (CVT), HEV, regular gas |
| 2 | 
smart fortwo |
33/41 | $1564 | 5.1 tons | 3 cylinder, 1 liter, automatic (S5), premium gas |
| 3 |
Volkswagen Jetta TDI |
30/41 | $1711 | 6.2 tons | 4 cylinder, 2 liter, manual 6-speed, diesel |
| 4 |
Toyota Yaris |
29/36 | $1634 | 5.7 tons | 4 cylinder, 1.5 liter, manual 5-speed, regular gas |
| 5 |
MINI Cooper Clubman |
28/37 | $1761 | 5.7 tons | 4 cylinder, 1.6 liter, manual 6-speed, premium gas |
| 6 |
Honda Fit |
28/35 | $1686 | 5.9 tons | 4 cylinder, 1.5 liter, automatic 5-speed, regular gas |
| 7 |
Toyota Corolla |
27/35 | $1738 | 6.1 tons | 4 cylinder, 1.8 liter, automatic 4-speed, regular gas |
| 8 |  Pontiac G3 Wave 5 |
27/34 | $1738 | 6.1 tons | 4 cylinder, 1.6 liter, manual 5-speed, regular gas |
| 9 (tie) |
Nissan Versa |
27/33 | $1801 | 6.3 tons | 4 cylinder, 1.8 liter, automatic (CVT), regular gas |
| 9 (tie) |
Scion xD |
27/33 | $1801 | 6.3 tons | 4 cylinder, 1.8 liter, manual 5-speed, regular gas |
| 9 (tie) |
Hyundai Accent |
27/33 | $1801 | 6.3 tons | 4 cylinder, 1.6 liter, manual 5-speed, regular gas |
| 9 (tie) | 
Kia Rio |
27/33 | $1738 | 6.1 tons | 4 cylinder, 1.6 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.
13 Comments
By Dan Wright on January 2, 2009 6:11 PM
Why is the Prius not shown? It get's better mileage than any of these.
By Mike on January 3, 2009 8:48 AM
The Prius is not classified as a compact. Switch the view to 'Best Overall' and the Prius (along with other hybrids) will show up on top of the list.
By Edna on March 3, 2009 12:01 PM
The is nice, but we are only getting about 31 mpg with the car. Should be higher considering how small it is.
Edna
By Demof on March 23, 2009 12:48 AM
Civics have great mileage (about 28 mpg), excellent braking, 5 star ratings for frontal crash (driver & passenger), side air bags and reliability that is tops in the industry.
By Jeff on March 24, 2009 4:21 AM
How can an car that consumes $1242 of gas or approximately 621 gallons x 8lbs = 4968lbs of fuel produce 4.4 tons ( 8800 lbs) of carbon? I thought that matter cannot be created or destroyed. Something seems a little fishy here.. ahummm
By JMSBZN on March 25, 2009 3:29 PM
Why isn't the Honda Civic non-hybrid here? I own a 2001 Jetta TDI: great mileage (53mpg), lousy reliability (more maintenance expense than every other (Japanese) car I've ever owned, combined).
By Murph on March 26, 2009 10:55 AM
The Chevy Aveo gets 34 MPG ! I bought one new with AC and automatic trans, side air bags for $12,500. It has 30,000 miles on it now and still runs GREAT !
By betsy on April 9, 2009 7:30 PM
Regarding the weight calculation - the weight referred to is the weight of co2. There is no oxygen (to speak of) in gasoline you add 2 oxygens from the air for every carbon in the molecular chain. I'm not up to the math, but that's where the extra weight comes from.
By Tom Hodad on May 2, 2009 11:09 AM
Right on Jeff.
Jeff is a THINKING person. There is no single scientific understanding of any of this Al Gore pseudo-science. The whole concept will dwarf Madoff's Ponzi scheme as Al Gore's carbon trading company will make Microsoft look like a lemonade stand,
By L Brewer on May 6, 2009 3:31 PM
Too bad we only had one diesel to choose from.
An expensive not very reliable one at that (yes I had one too).
Lots in Europe where they don't need to be CARB certified to be marketable. Pitty.
By S Petereson on May 13, 2009 4:17 AM
I'm disappointed the Chev Aveo is not on this list. I bought my first one in 2004 - and it was cheap, reliable and had incredible gas mileage - 35 mph almost every tank. I paid less than $10,000 for a brand new car with a 100,000 warranty. In 2008 I gave that one to my daughter and bought a new one. I love these cars - they are wonderful on gas - and a dream to drive. This one even has a form of overdrive which makes the gas mileage on the high side closer to 38 mph. I can't understand why Chev does not tout this car more. See the USA in your Chevrolet!
By Richard on June 1, 2009 8:14 AM
My Geo Metro still has all of these beat.
By kbutler on October 22, 2009 11:06 AM
2007 Honda Civic, NOT a hybrid
Was rated 30/40 for city/hwy mpg but the EPA revised their ratings a few months later to 28/36.
Well......
for about $16K I got 26-28 mpg city (I have a heavy foot in traffic) but an astounding 44+ on the highway. Did 2 trips to the same destination 12 months apart. Mileage was almost identical, but better when the car was 13 months old.
Hwy speed and conditions? Moderate traffic but heavy through the city expressways, speeds from 65mph to 80 mph, temperature warm, late June.
To hell with a hybrid, just gimme my little Honda!