Americans love their vehicles and the freedom they provide. Southern Californians are famous for their car-crazy culture, and they make sacrifices to keep rolling—paying some of the highest prices for fuel in the country.
Fuel prices have steadily risen to significantly impact drivers’ budgets. Consumers driving fuel-efficient vehicles can save thousands of dollars per year. They can also reduce our country’s dependence on foreign oil, conserve our natural resources, and produce less damage to our environment.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes a guide to fuel economy ratings for the vehicles in each model year. Ratings are calculated by the EPA’s criteria, and designed to reflect typical driving behavior.
Procedures have recently changed due to recent criticism that the ratings were impossible to duplicate under real-life conditions. Nevertheless, ratings have always been for comparison only, and consumers are advised that the mileage they get may vary.
Here then, is a summary of the most fuel-efficient vehicles by vehicle segment, ranked by city miles per gallon (MPG):
| Segment | Vehicle | City MPG | Hwy MPG |
| Subcompact Car | Toyota Yaris | 29 | 36 |
| Compact Car | Honda Civic Hybrid | 40 | 45 |
| Midsize Car | Toyota Prius* | 48 | 45 |
| Large Car | Honda Accord | 22 | 31 |
| Small Pickup Truck | Ford Ranger 2WD; Mazda B2300 2WD | 21 | 26 |
| Standard Pickup | Dodge Dakota 2WD | 16 | 20 |
| SUV | Ford Escape Hybrid; Mazda Tribute Hybrid; Mercury Mariner Hybrid | 34 | 30 |
| Minivan | Chrysler Town & Country; Dodge Caravan | 17 | 24 |
*Toyota Prius’ 2008 rating was reduced from 52 City/60 Hwy, but still managed to top the list as the most fuel-efficient vehicle overall. For full results of the most and least fuel-efficient vehicles, go to: www.fueleconomy.gov.
