Fuel economy is a major purchase consideration for new-vehicle shoppers; in fact it’s the No. 1 thing they look for in a car or truck. Consumers continue to demand ever greater mileage, and so does the federal government. Washington keeps turning up the wick on its Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations. In response to these stimuli automakers are working day and night to improve the efficiency of their products.
SEE ALSO: Used Car Reviews
Of course not everyone is in the market for a shiny new ride. Many people opt for a pre-owned vehicle instead. Used cars and trucks can be terrific values, especially when certification programs and extended warranties are factored in. If new-vehicle buyers want better fuel economy it’s a safe bet second-hand shoppers are salivating for it as well. Here’s a list of 10 economy-minded used vehicles that will maximize you MPG. To qualify the cars and trucks listed are at least one generation behind the latest model on the market.
In an effort to attract hip, young customers Toyota introduced the Scion brand back in the early 2000s. The move was a departure from its usual business model, selling indestructible transportation to the elderly. Whether it’s succeeded in attracting flocks of kiddies like free hot-air balloon rides is debatable.
What you can’t argue with are the products. They’ve continued the company’s admirable tradition of unsurpassed quality, but with a healthy dose of funk. Scion’s kookiest looking vehicle is undoubtedly the first-generation xB. This tiny cube is the very definition of a box on wheels, and like a piggy bank designed by artist Pablo Picasso this squared-off container is designed to save money.
As one would expect in a subcompact car of this vintage the xB is powered by small-displacement four-cylinder engine. It puts out a meager 103 horsepower and just 101 lb-ft of torque, but thrift is a birthright of this powerplant type. When matched to the optional four-speed automatic transmission the little cube gets 26 miles per gallon in the city and up to 31 highway, making for a combined score of 28 MPG. Once again, small cars = big fuel economy.
Leading the xB in petroleum frugality is another Scion model, the sexually confused xA. This small car is an amorphous-looking hatchback with androgynous design cues. Can you determine a gender? It somewhat resembles a partially risen dinner roll, but it’s far more lopsided and a lot less golden brown.
Featuring the same 1.5-liter four-banger/four-speed automatic combination found in the xB this car actually delivers slightly better fuel economy. It nets 27 miles to a gallon in urban conditions and up to 35 on the interstate. Dorkiness must trump boxiness when it comes to aerodynamics because combined fuel economy is 30 MPG. At the end of the day Scion’s xA was so good the company doesn’t even offer it any more.
The Fit is GO! Well, technically the first-generation model is “WENT” since it’s been superseded by a newer version, but like a barber-surgeon we’re just splitting hairs. With an unparalleled blend of function, style and driving dynamics the car was practically in a league of its own.
Like Hondas of yore, products built before the company became lost at sea, the 2008 Fit was something of a miniature miracle. Unlike competing sub-compacts this little hatch was genuinely fun to drive with spirited steering, a playful chassis and a slick-shifting manual transmission.
When it comes to functionality this half-scale Honda also offered an amazing amount interior space. The second-row “Magic Seat” tips and tumbles, flips and folds offering an astound array of cargo-loading options and more cargo room than a Hummer H3!
Under the car’s “Enchanted Hood” is a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers all of 109 horsepower. When matched to a five-speed manual gearbox the Fit is capable of delivering 28 miles per gallon in the city and up to 34 on the interstate, scores that result in a combined rating of 31 MPG. Is it magic? Nope, just engineering. Now you’re good to GO for very little dough.
The Honda Fit is every bit as engaging to drive as it is functional, but not all cars are this ingenious; in fact some are downright discouraging. Several of its competitors are so gloomy they require a handful of antidepressants just to look at. Speaking of clinical sadness, the 2010 Toyota Yaris clocks in at No. 7.
This car is so utilitarian Vladimir Lenin would probably drive one if he were alive today… and not diabolically opposed to the decadent capitalist system that built it. The Yaris features a 1.5-liter gasoline engine that puts out a whole 106 horsepower. Torque is likewise featherweight at just 103 lb-ft.
But all that hardship does have its benefits. First of all it builds character, but automotive adversity can also result in impressive fuel economy. With a five-speed manual transmission the 2010-vintage Yaris stickers 29 miles per gallon in the city and up to 36 on the interstate. Those numbers result in a combined score of 32 MPG. Unlike a fine wine the Yaris is not something that gets better with age.
If you want both fuel efficiency and a REAL car you can thankfully skip the half-grown hatchback just mentioned and opt for a genuine midsize sedan… all without leaving the Toyota dealer’s used lot! Good credit? Bad credit? No credit? No problem! We finance everyone! Er, um, sorry, the 2011 Camry Hybrid could be a good vehicular option.
Around town this electrified family car gets 31 miles to a gallon of Saudi select. Surprisingly that score improves to 35 MPG on the highway. Add everything up then divide by I don’t care and the car returns an average of 33, one better than the intolerable Yaris. Take that Lenin!
The 2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid is powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers 147 horsepower. A jumble of electrical parts adds complexity to the system and an extra jolt of power. Total system output is 187 ponies.
Topping Toyota’s mass-market hybrid sedan is a modern clean diesel. Predictably this oil burner is from Germany; if you don’t know by now the Jerries have a predilection for these engines. Flying the diesel banner is the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI, a family car that’s a bit smaller than the Camry but also a whisker more efficient.
Of course compression-ignition is the foundation of this car’s powertrain. The Jetta’s 2.0-liter unit puts out 140 horsepower with 236 lb-ft of torque.
In city driving the little Vee-Dub falls to the Toyota’s high-tech powertrain offensive, delivering “just” 30 miles per gallon, compared to 31 for the electrified Camry. But open roads are the diesel engine’s natural habitat. Just look at all the oil-burning big-rigs clogging up the nation’s highways. Interstate jaunts net an impressive 41 MPG in the Jetta, handily beating Toyota. The car nets a combined score of 34 miles per gallon.
Topping VW’s thrifty Jetta TDI is the even more miserly Mercury Milan! Hybrid versions of this high-quality sedan are most efficient. If you’re opposed to the stench of death surrounding this discontinued brand you could always go with the more popular Ford Fusion or Lincoln MKZ; they’re a lot more alive. These cars are all basically the same, but we chose the Mercury just to be different.
Under the hood rests a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. It’s augmented by an electric motor and a nickel-metal hydride battery pack. Total horsepower delivered by the system is 191.
Where these cars really shine is in the efficiency department. They sticker at a whopping 41 miles per gallon in city driving and up to 36 on the interstate. Combined they ought to deliver 39 MPG. Not bad for a comfortable, reasonably large car.
Correction: Initially we listed this car as a 2012 model when in fact the last year for the Mercury Milan was 2011.
Topping Ford’s trio of electrified sedans is Honda’s compact Civic Hybrid. According to the folks at the U.S. EPA this car tops the big four-oh, delivering 40 miles per gallon city and 43 on the highway, which is good enough for a combined rating of 41 MPG. This is an impressive score to be sure.
Making that possible is a miniscule 1.3-liter gasoline four-cylinder engine. With the aid of the company’s “Integrated Motor Assist” technology, IMA for short, the powertrain delivers a total of 110 horses. A sadness-inducing continuously variable transmission (CVT) is also part of the equation, just like the Ford triplets. Hey, nobody said economical motoring was fun…
What?! Toyota’s pioneering Prius didn’t come in first place? How is that possible? It’s the hybrid; it practically invented the segment back in 1997.
Under the hood this fuel-saving hatch is powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine. But that’s not what makes this car unique. An electric motor, CVT and nickel-metal hydride battery pack complete the powertrain picture and deliver at net system horsepower of 110.
All this technology pays off at the pump. Drivers are treated to a whopping 48 miles per gallon in the city and 45 on the highway. According to Uncle Sam’s environmental lackeys the vehicle should deliver a combined score of 46 MPG, enough for a second-place finish.
If you’re in the market for a luxury Prius check out the Lexus version, the abortive HS 250h. It’s built on the same platform as the popular Toyota but the vehicle itself is a bit larger and a lot less efficient.
Has a more jelly-bean shaped car ever been built? The 2006 Honda Insight may be shaped like a partially eroded bolus but it beats all comers in this AutoGuide fuel-economy shootout at the P.U. Corral.
This tiny hybrid is powered by a minuscule 1.0-liter, three-cylinder gasoline engine that puts out just 73 horsepower. Most lawnmowers have more muscle. Torque is equally slight at just 79 lb-ft.
In its most efficient trim the Insight is equipped with a five-speed manual transmission, a combination that nets 48 miles per gallon in city driving and up to 58 on the freeway! Its combined score is a whopping 52 MPG. Pedal-powered tuck-tucks use more fuel than that!
With such impressive mileage this little Honda is a car of the future, and surprisingly is actually about seven years old. How insightful!