Best Used Small Cars for Gas Mileage: Standout Picks From Consumer Reports' Fuel-Economy Tests

To help find the best values, Consumer Reports’ experts have identified the most fuel-efficient, nonhybrid compact cars from the 2021 model year. Each of these fuel sippers got at least 32 mpg overall when we tested them in our independent road tests, and they have a proven track record of average or better reliability, according to our Annual Auto Surveys, in which we ask CR members to tell us what went wrong with their own cars.

Plus, their performance in our tests, such as for acceleration, braking, and fuel economy, remains competitive with brand-new models.

In addition, many were available with active safety features such as forward collision warning (FCW), automatic emergency braking (AEB), blind spot warning (BSW), and rear cross traffic warning (RCTW) as either standard or optional equipment.

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