People buy hybrids because they think the “H” word is synonymous with fuel savings. While that’s true, hybrid appeal leaves a wide grey area between mildly improved mpgs and real returns at the pump, not to mention the higher cost of entry into the gasoline-electric segment.
Toyota’s success with the Prius often leads people to believe that anything called a hybrid offers immensely improved fuel economy. Not so. Take the Honda Insight. It even looks like a Prius, but the two are on different planes.
Then there’s the Chevrolet Malibu Eco, which gathered negative press and was even named the most “disliked car” of 2012 by Fortune magazine.
Why is everyone gaga for hybrids when many would be happy with reasonable mileage? The mystery remains, but in the spirit of spending less time at the pump, AutoGuide has compiled a list of the 10 most fuel-efficient non-hybrid cars of 2013.
The list excludes electric cars and uses EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) estimated average fuel economy figures.
Disclaimer: As many know, the EPA’s utopian estimates are to be taken with a grain of salt. This story uses them for consistency. Please don’t write angry letters if your car falls short.
Honorable mentions: both the Chevrolet Cruze Eco and Cruze Clean Diesel deserve to be mentioned. The diesel Cruze will be available in dealers soon and according to the EPA, offers 46 mpg on the highway, but falls just short of the list for combined fuel economy. In the same way, the Cruze Eco uses clever gearing and cuts weight to save gas.
Lowest on the list for fuel consumption, the Chevrolet Spark offers an interesting package. It has five doors, enough space in the back for a few grocery bags and almost ample room for normal people.
Coming to terms with the eccentric paint colors might be another issue, but there’s no arguing around Chevrolet’s clever mix of urban-minded efficiency and practicality. It works.
Spunky and dripping with style, the Fiat 500 is stealing hearts with stereotypical European swagger.
And it should. It falls short of the Smart Fortwo and Scion iQ in terms of mileage. But what you gain is so much more valuable. It drives like a car, which is something the Fortwo fails to fulfill, and it’s base MSRP is actually $250 lower than the iQ.
Somewhere in the world, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne is chuckling.
New for this year, Nissan is offering a fuel economy oriented version of the Sentra. It offers improved aerodynamics that in tandem with a CVT offer an estimated 34 mpg. Not only that, but the Sentra is more spacious than its rival, the Honda Civic.
What would one of these lists be without a luxury product? You might argue that it’s unfair to devote another spot to what boils down the same car as mentioned in the previous slide, not to mention the same engine as the previous three. And in a way, you’re right.
While the two cars have oily bits in common, the fact remains that people often relish having an Audi product beside the house. Good mileage only makes it sweeter.
If the Audi is too rich for your blood, Volkswagen also sells a diesel-powered Golf.
Bear in mind that the next generation Golf is around the corner as a 2014 model year. Expect weight loss thanks to a new platform and subsequent fuel savings. For now, the car offers 34 combined mpg.
Tying the diesel Golf in terms of fuel consumption, the diesel Jetta SportWagen and Jetta also offer a combined 34 mpg. The key difference here is styling.
If stubby hatchbacks aren’t your thing — and for many in North America they aren’t — the diesel Jetta is worth considering. Of course, there’s also the Jetta SportWagen. Once again, it offers the same combined consumption as its sedan sibling, but with more practical cargo space.
Finally, there’s also the Passat to finish off the diesel options from Volkswagen on this list.
While buying a diesel Passat will be more expensive than the previous cars on this list, it will also be one of the nicest to drive.
Little known fact, two Smart cars can sit comfortably in the Passat’s back seat.
If cheap is your thing, the Versa sedan has you pegged. Starting under $12,000 before delivery, this is one of the few cars that might actually make a Corolla feel special.
Then again, the fuel-frugal choice could leave space to spend your money on other important purchases like air fresheners, beef jerky and microwave burritos. Yum.
It doesn’t drive well, it seats just two people and is terrifying on the highway. City dwellers love their Smart cars despite all that. Maybe it has something to do with the high mileage, low initial cost and sheer mindlessness parking one involves. Or maybe it’s just the clever name.
Smart might have kicked off the micro car craze in North America, but it’s Scion that’s taking top honors here. The iQ offers two useable seats and an extra bench in the back. It’s possible to fit someone back there, but it’s unpleasant to say the least.
Scion’s little city car has its share of quirks, but it drives surprisingly well for such a small car and it won’t sting you to go from empty to full.