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 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 |
Toyota Prius |
48/45 | $1133 | 4 tons | 4 cylinder, 1.5 liter, automatic (variable gear ratios), HEV, regular gas |
| 2 |
Nissan Altima Hybrid |
35/33 | $1535 | 5.4 tons | 4 cylinder, 2.5 liter, automatic (variable gear ratios), HEV, regular gas |
| 3 |
Toyota Camry Hybrid |
33/34 | $1535 | 5.4 tons | 4 cylinder, 2.4 liter, automatic (variable gear ratios), HEV, regular gas |
| 4 (tie) |
Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid |
26/34 | $1801 | 6.3 tons | 4 cylinder, 2.4 liter, automatic 4-speed, regular gas |
| 4 (tie) | 
Saturn Aura Hybrid |
26/34 | $1801 | 6.3 tons | 4 cylinder, 2.4 liter, automatic 4-speed, regular gas |
| 6 | 
Hyundai Elantra |
25/33 | $1864 | 6.6 tons | 4 cylinder, 2 liter, automatic 4-speed, regular gas |
| 7 |
Kia Spectra |
24/32 | $1931 | 6.8 tons | 4 cylinder, 2 liter, automatic 4-speed, regular gas |
| 8 |
Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec |
23/32 | $2241 | 8.1 tons | 6 cylinder, 3 liter, automatic 7-speed, diesel |
| 9 (tie) |
Nissan Altima |
23/32 | $2008 | 7.1 tons | 4 cylinder, 2.5 liter, manual 6-speed, regular gas |
| 9 (tie) |
Audi A4 |
23/30 | $2250 | 7.3 tons | 4 cylinder, 2 liter, automatic (variable gear ratios), premium 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 except the Nissan Altima, which appears on the list twice because of its availability in both regular gasoline and gasoline-electric hybrid versions.
Note that the models featured on the research pages linked here may have slight variations to the models specified in this list.
4 Comments
By Jake on April 29, 2009 12:05 PM
Where's the VW TDI? Or the new Honda Insight?
By Jeff - NWautos Producer on April 30, 2009 11:45 AM
You can find the Volkswagen Jetta TDI at #3 on the compact cars list. The new Honda Insight is a 2010 model, so you will see it on next year's lists.
By Sean on May 3, 2009 11:39 AM
And the Civic Hybrid? My 09 hybrid sedan gets over 40 and when driven right can exceed my buddies Prius.
By Jim Morris on June 5, 2009 6:25 PM
What about all those batteries used in hybrids? What effect will they have on our environment?
The above are the reasons Subaru gives for not looking at Hybrids.