(Photo by geishaboy500 on Flickr)
After doing a little online research on the best cars for fuel economy, you may be left feeling like the Toyota Prius is your only option. A review of best fuel economy lists by major publications and websites shows that the Prius is set apart from other hybrids and “light” hybrids on the market today. If you aren’t fond of the Prius hatchback design or handling, you can find rationale for another vehicle from Consumers Reports and Forbes.
Consumer Reports published a list in 2008 that broke down the best used cars by fuel mileage. This list was broken down into cars valued at less than $10,000 and cars valued between $10,000 and $20,000 to help budget-conscious drivers find affordable cars. At the top of the list for fuel-efficient cars less than $10,000, Consumer Reports found that the 2000 Honda Insight manual gets 51 miles per gallon (though its difficult to find). The second list includes the 2007 Honda Fit Sport manual (34 MPG) and the 2004 Scion xB (32 MPG). While fuel-efficient cars may carry heavy sticker prices off the lot, these used cars can cut fuel consumption without hurting your household budget.
Forbes took a different tack when creating its list of best fuel economy cars. In a May 2008 article on Forbes.com, readers were treated to an analysis of the fuel costs per year for domestic and foreign cars. The Audi TT was determined to cost $2,154 per year assuming an annual mileage of 15,000 as well as the average fuel price at the time of publication. Forbes.com found the VW Passat to cost $2,333 per year and the Ford Escape Hybrid measured out at an affordable $1,648 each year. This analysis may ignore emissions and other considerations important to eco-conscious drivers but is convincing for drivers concerned about their vehicle budgets.
While Consumer Reports may be helping a handful of drivers find inexpensive fuel-efficient vehicles, there aren’t enough used vehicles on this list to meet ongoing demand for cleaner cars and SUVs. The Forbes list was helpful back in the $4 per gallon days of mid-2008 but fluctuating prices make annual fuel projections unrealistic. This list also ignores the upfront costs of purchasing an Audi TT or Ford Escape Hybrid. Until companies like BYD Autos, Toyota and Ford produce more efficient vehicles, the Toyota Prius and Honda’s growing lineup of hybrids will remain at the top of fuel economy lists because they are proven products.
