The most fuel-efficient cars

Last updated: May 2013

Among Consumer Reports' vehicle test criteria are measurements of fuel economy. Our fuel economy numbers come from our measurements using a precision flow meter and are rounded to the nearest mile per gallon (mpg).

CR's overall mileage is calculated from equal portions of city and expressway driving.

The chart that follows features the 34 most fuel-efficient cars currently sold that Consumer Reports has tested (see our list of the most fuel-efficient SUVs). Also see our Ratings comparison by category (available to subscribers), which lists each vehicle's overall mileage. (Find out how you can compare these cars and get unlimited price reports with Cars Best Deals Plus.)

Rank Make & model CR Overall MPG City MPG Highway MPG
1 Mitsubishi i SE 111¹ 104¹ 116¹
2 Ford Focus Electric 107¹ 108¹ 107¹
3 Nissan Leaf SL 106¹ 86¹ 118¹
4 Chevrolet Volt 61² 45² 76²
5 Tesla Model S 81¹ 65¹ 102¹
6 Fisker Karma Eco Sport 44² 34² 55²
7 Toyota Prius Four 44 32 55
8 Toyota Prius C Two 43 37 48
9 Toyota Prius V Three 41 33 47
10 Lexus CT 200h Premium 40 31 47
11 Honda Civic Hybrid 40 28 50
12 Ford Fusion Hybrid SE 39 35 41
13 Smart ForTwo Passion 39 30 44
14 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE 38 32 43
15 Honda Insight EX 38 29 45
16 Volkswagen Golf TDI (MT) 38 27 49
17 Ford C-MAX Hybrid SE 37 35 38
18 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid SE 37 29 45
19 Volkswagen Passat TDI SE 37 26 51
20 Toyota Avalon Hybrid Limited 36 29 43
21 Lexus ES 300h 36 28 44
22 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI (MT) 36 25 49
23 Honda CR-Z EX (MT) 35 26 45
24 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid 34 29 38
25 Scion iQ 34 27 40
26 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 34 25 45
27 Fiat 500 Pop (MT) 34 25 42
28 Scion xD (MT) 34 25 40
29 Mazda2 Sport (MT) 33 25 40
30 Fiat 500 Sport (MT) 33 24 42
31 Mini Cooper (base, MT) 33 24 41
32 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 33 24 40
33 Honda Fit Sport (MT) 33 24 37
34 Ford Fiesta SE sedan 33 22 45

1 = MPGe
2 = composite of electricity & gas

   

E-mail Newsletters

FREE e-mail Newsletters!
Choose from safety, health, cars, and more!
Already signed-up?
Manage your newsletters here too.

Cars News

Where to chow down on your road trips

If you're a foodie, you might envision experiencing your very own version of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" during a Memorial Day or summer road trip. But unlike Guy Fieri and his apparently endle...

Teaching teen drivers at Street Survival school

On a recent Saturday, over 30 teenage drivers (most accompanied by their parents) made their way to Consumer Reports Auto Test Center in rural Connecticut for an experience that could one day sav...

Magellan SmartGPS navigator may be too smart for its own good

Magellan has just introduced its latest connected device to the world of portable navigation with their new SmartGPS, and we're already well into testing this creative new device in our lab and o...

Just in: Our new Ram 1500 pickup is tons of truck

Memorial Day weekend is an American invention. Just like corndogs. And what is more patriotic than a full-sized pickup? New at our track is one of the top contenders--a four-wheel-drive Ram 1500 ...

Should I call 911 to report a dangerous driver?

We see it all the time. A car swerving on the road, cutting people off, the driver oblivious to the danger they are causing. Is there something you can do? Yes, drivers should speak up to ensure ...

Connect

and safety with
subscribers and fans

Follow us on:

Cars

Cars New Car Price Report
Find out what the dealers don't want you to know! Get a great price on a new car with the Consumer Reports New Car Price Report.

Order Your Report

Mobile

Mobile Get Ratings on the go and compare
while you shop

Learn more