Green is in and fuel efficiency is a major deciding factor for most consumers when choosing a new car. In the last decade, automakers have made strides in creating hybrid and other fuel-efficient vehicles. The U.S. Department of Energy rates the fuel economy of vehicles and produces a Top 10 list and information guides to assist you in finding the right car. You'll even find a handful of non-hybrids that offer good fuel mileage.
The Best: Toyota Prius
Overall, the Toyota Prius is touted as the most fuel-efficient car on the market. This hybrid functions by pairing a gasoline engine with an electric one, which results in a combined fuel economy of 50 mpg. The cost for a base model ranges from $22,800 for the Prius II to $28,070 for the Prius V.
Mini-Compact, Sub-Compact and Two-Seater Cars
The two-seater Smart Fortwo convertible and coupe models have a combined fuel efficiency of 36 mpg. Both models are equipped with a 71-horsepower, three cylinder, 1.0L engine and carry a base price ranging between $11,990 and $16,990.
The most fuel-efficient sub-compact vehicle is the Toyota Yaris, which can be purchased with an automatic or a five-speed manual transmission. Both the automatic and the manual Yaris models have a combined fuel economy of 32 mpg and cost approximately $12,000.
The 1.6L engine, six-speed Mini Cooper model offers a combined fuel-efficiency of 32 mpg and offers the best fuel economy for a car with a conventional engine. The base price for the Mini is around $19,000.
Compact Vehicles
Named one of the top three greenest vehicles of 2010 by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, Honda's Civic hybrid is an option for those in the market for a compact eco-friendly car. With a combined fuel economy of 42 mpg, the Civic hybrid has a 1.3L engine with automatic transmission. Its base model will cost you approximately $24,000.
Volkswagen offers two fuel-efficient models: the Jetta TDI and the Golf. Both of these diesel-powered vehicles have a combined fuel economy of 34 mpg, with a base price of around $22,000 for the Jetta TDI and $18,000 for the Golf.
Mid-Size Cars
The Hyundai Elantra is considered one of the most fuel-efficient mid-size cars on the market, offering a combined fuel efficiency of 29 mpg. The Elantra can be purchased as an automatic or with a five-speed manual transmission, with base models starting at approximately $15,000.
For a base price of around $26,000, you can purchase Nissan's mid-size Altima hybrid, which features a combined fuel economy of 34 mpg.
Full-Size Vehicles
Hyundai's Sonata and the Honda Accord rank high as fuel-efficient full-size cars. The 2.4L, four-cylinder Hyundai Sonata, available with an automatic or a five-speed transmission, has a combined fuel efficiency of 25 mpg. The Honda Accord, a full-size sedan, has the same combined fuel economy as the Sonata. The base model of the Honda Accord starts at around $21,000, while the base price for the Hyundai Sonata is a little under $20,000.
SUVs
For those who must have an SUV, the most fuel-efficient compact non-hybrid SUVs are offered by Toyota and Jeep. The Toyota RAV4 is equipped with a 2.5L, four-cylinder engine and features a combined fuel efficiency of 25 mpg. The Jeep Patriot and Compass two-wheel-drive versions have a combined fuel economy of 25 mpg as well.
Both Ford and Mercury have hybrid SUV models that offer combined fuel efficiencies of 32 mpg and a base price of $30,000. The Mercury Mariner features a regenerative system that captures energy created while braking.
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