Skip to main content
| Share

Fueleconomy Top Ten

Fueleconomy.gov's Top Ten EPA-Rated Fuel Sippers (2013)

Include electric (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) vehicles?


Vehicles are ranked by their combined rating (weighted by 55% city and 45% highway). In the event of a tie, multiple vehicles may share the same ranking. Electric vehicles are measured in Miles Per Gallon equivalent (MPGe) where 33.7 kW-hrs = 1 gallon of gasoline.

1. 2013 Scion iQ EV 2013 Scion iQ EV Combined 121 City 138/Highway 105
Electric Vehicle, Auto (AV)
2. 2013 Honda Fit EV 2013 Honda Fit EV Combined 118 City 132/Highway 105
Electric Vehicle, Auto (A1)
3. 2013 Fiat 500e 2013 Fiat 500e Combined 116 City 122/Highway 108
Electric Vehicle, Auto (A1)
4. 2013 Mitsubishi i-MiEV 2013 Mitsubishi i-MiEV Combined 112 City 126/Highway 99
Electric Vehicle, Auto (A1)
5. 2013 smart fortwo cabriolet EV 2013 smart fortwo EV cabriolet Combined 107 City 122/Highway 93
Electric Vehicle, Auto (A1)
2013 smart fortwo coupe EV 2013 smart fortwo EV coupe Combined 107 City 122/Highway 93
Electric Vehicle, Auto (A1)
6. 2012 Ford Focus Electric 2013 Ford Focus Electric Combined 105 City 110/Highway 99
Electric Vehicle, Auto (AV)
7. 2013 Tesla Model S 2013 Tesla Model S (60 kW-hr battery pack) Combined 95 City 94/Highway 97
Electric Vehicle, Auto (A1)
8. 2013 Tesla Model S 2013 Tesla Model S (85 kW-hr battery pack) Combined 89 City 88/Highway 90
Electric Vehicle, Auto (A1)
9. 2011 Toyota RAV4 2013 Toyota RAV4 EV Combined 76 City 78/Highway 74
Electric Vehicle, Auto (AV)

Fueleconomy.gov's Top Ten EPA-Rated Fuel Sippers (1984 to present)

Vehicles are ranked by their combined rating (weighted by 55% city and 45% highway), then by their city rating. In the event of a tie, multiple vehicles may share the same ranking. Electric vehicles are not considered for this list.

1. 2013 Chevrolet Volt Chevrolet Volt Model Year 2013 Combined 62*
PHEV, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Auto (variable gear ratios), Premium
*Ranked by combined gas/electricity rating of 62 MPGe 		City 63 Highway 61
2. 2012 Chevrolet Volt Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Model Year 2012-2013 Combined 58*
PHEV, 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Auto (variable gear ratios), Regular
*Ranked by combined gas/electricity rating of 58 MPGe 		City 59 Highway 56
3. 2000 Honda Insight Honda Insight Model Year 2000 Combined 53
3 cyl, 1.0L, Manual 5-spd, Regular
• Similar models that qualify... 		City 49 Highway 61
4. 2012 Toyota Prius c Toyota Prius c Model Year 2012-2013 Combined 50
4 cyl, 1.5L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular City 53 Highway 46
5. 2010-2013 Toyota Prius Toyota Prius Model Years 2010-2013 Combined 50
4 cyl, 1.8L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular
• Similar models that qualify... 		City 51 Highway 48
6. 1986 Chevrolet Sprint ER Chevrolet Sprint ER Model Year 1986 Combined 48
3 cyl, 1.0L, Manual 5-spd, Regular
• Similar models that qualify... 		City 44 Highway 53
7. 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid Combined 47
Hybrid, 4 cyl, 2.0L, Auto (AV) City 47 Highway 47
2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid Combined 47
Hybrid, 4 cyl, 2.0L, Auto (AV) City 47 Highway 47
8. 1989 Geo Metro Geo Metro Model Year 1989 Combined 47
3 cyl, 1.0L, Manual 5-spd, Regular
• Similar models that qualify... 		City 43 Highway 52
9. 1986 Honda Civic CRX HF Honda Civic CRX HF Model Years 1986-1987 Combined 46
4 cyl, 1.5L, Manual 5-spd, Regular
• Similar models that qualify... 		City 42 Highway 51
10. 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid Lincoln MKZ Hybrid Model Year 2013 Combined 45
4 cyl, 2.0L, Automatic (AV), Regular City 45 Highway 45

Vehicles are ranked by their combined rating (weighted by 55% city and 45% highway), then by their city rating. In the event of a tie, multiple vehicles may share the same ranking. Only the most efficient configuration of a particular model is presented for a given rank — variants of a ranked model are listed as "similar models" if they would have otherwise made the list. Models classified under different EPA size classes, however, are ranked separately.

Fueleconomy.gov's Top Ten Shared MPG Estimates (1984 to present)

1. Chevrolet Volt Chevrolet Volt Model Years 2011-2012 User Average 164.1
(based on 56 Your MPG users)
4 cyl, 1.4L, Auto (AV), Premium Gas or Electricity EPA Combined 37
2. Honda Insight Honda Insight Model Years 2004-2006 User Average 72.6
(based on 14 Your MPG users)
3 cyl, 1.0L, Manual 5-spd, Regular
• Similar models that qualify... 		EPA Combined 52
3. Toyota Prius c Toyota Prius c Model Year 2012 User Average 52.3
(based on 22 Your MPG users)
4 cyl, 1.5L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular EPA Combined 50
4. Honda Civic CRX HF Honda Civic CRX HF Model Years 1990-1991 User Average 50.5
(based on 11 Your MPG users)
4 cyl, 1.5L, Manual 5-spd, Regular EPA Combined 43
5. Geo Metro XFI Geo Metro XFI Model Years 1990-1994 User Average 49.7
(based on 16 Your MPG users)
3 cyl, 1.0L, Manual 5-spd, Regular EPA Combined 47
6. Toyota Prius Toyota Prius Model Years 2010-2012 User Average 49.4
(based on 228 Your MPG users)
4 cyl, 1.8L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular
• Similar models that qualify... 		EPA Combined 50
7. Honda Insight Honda Insight Model Years 2010-2011 User Average 48.4
(based on 21 Your MPG users)
4 cyl, 1.3L, Auto(AV-S7), Regular EPA Combined 41
8. Volkswagen Jetta Wagon Volkswagen Jetta Wagon Model Years 2002-2003 User Average 48.1
(based on 23 Your MPG users)
4 cyl, 1.9L, Manual 5-spd, Diesel EPA Combined 39
9. Honda Civic Hybrid Honda Civic Hybrid Model Years 2003-2005 User Average 47.9
(based on 20 Your MPG users)
4 cyl, 1.3L, Manual 5-spd, Regular EPA Combined 41
10. Honda Civic HB VX Honda Civic HB VX Model Years 1992-1995 User Average 47.1
(based on 14 Your MPG users)
4 cyl, 1.5L, Manual 5-spd, Regular EPA Combined 43

Vehicles are ranked based on fuel economy records provided by our users through Your MPG. Vehicles are only ranked if ten or more drivers submitted fuel economy estimates. If a model has variants that are nearly identical (e.g., same number of cylinders, engine displacement, transmission, fuel type, and EPA combined fuel economy rating), those records are combined and averaged. Variants that are not similar enough to be combined are included under "similar models" if they would have otherwise made the list. Only the most efficient configuration of a particular model is presented for a given rank. This list is updated weekly as new data are submitted by Your MPG members. Electric vehicles are not considered for this list.

Top Ten Misconceptions About Fuel Economy

1. Toyota Prius You have to drive a small car to get good fuel economy.
Advanced technologies like hybrid drivetrains, diesel engines, direct fuel injection, turbocharging, advanced transmissions, low rolling resistance tires and aerodynamic designs are allowing standard-sized vehicles to be very fuel efficient. For the 2013 model year, about half of the top ten most efficient vehicles (The list that excludes EVs and PHEVs) are midsized or large cars and wagons.
2.
 Shifting gears Manual transmissions always get better fuel economy than automatics.
Advances in automatic transmissions have improved their efficiency to the point that the automatic version of a vehicle often gets the same or better fuel economy than the version with a manual transmission. For vehicles offered in both automatic and manual transmissions, consumers can easily compare fuel economy at http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.shtml.
3. Turn off your car when practical It takes more fuel to start a vehicle than it does to let it idle.
Modern fuel injected engines start very efficiently, especially when warmed up. Idling can use a quarter to a half gallon of fuel per hour — depending on your vehicle's engine size — costing you about 1 to 2 cents per minute. Turn off your engine when your vehicle is sitting still, except when you are waiting in traffic or waiting in a line where you would need to turn it on and off frequently. Restarting your engine too frequently can wear out your starter.
4. This car is warm enough Vehicles need to warm up before they can be driven.
Modern vehicles can be driven within seconds of being started, though the engine should not be subjected to extreme loads until it has reached its normal operating temperature. Plus, the quickest way to warm up a vehicle's engine is to drive it.
5. Gas mileage doesn't decrease significantly as a vehicle ages As a vehicle ages, its fuel economy decreases significantly.
A vehicle that is properly maintained will retain its efficiency for many years. The EPA tests vehicles with about 5,000 miles on the odometer to account for the break-in period since a vehicle's fuel economy will typically continue to improve over the first several years of ownership. Vehicles that are 10 or even 15 years old will experience little decrease in fuel economy if properly maintained.
6. Air Filter Replacing your air filter will help your car run more efficiently.
This is true for older vehicles with carbureted engines, but modern fuel-injected engines have onboard computers that automatically adjust the fuel-air ratio to the proper level. Changing a dirty air filter won't increase your fuel economy, but it might improve your engine's performance.
7. Beware of aftermarket additives and devices Aftermarket additives and devices can dramatically improve your fuel economy.
Excluding full conversions that meet all EPA certification standards, tests have shown that such devices and additives do not improve fuel economy and may damage your engine and/or increase your tailpipe emissions. For further information, see "Gas-Saving Products: Fact or Fuelishness?" by the Federal Trade Commission.
8. Fuel pump Using premium fuel improves fuel economy.
Unless your vehicle was specifically designed for premium fuel or knocks severly with regular fuel, you will probably experience no benefit from using premium fuel over regular. Consult your owner's manual to see whether premium is recommended and under what conditions (e.g., towing).
9. Fuel Economy Label The EPA fuel economy estimates are a government guarantee on what fuel economy each vehicle will deliver.
The primary purpose of EPA fuel economy estimates is to provide consumers with a uniform, unbiased way of comparing the relative efficiency of vehicles. Even though the EPA's test procedures are designed to reflect real-world driving conditions, no single test can accurately model all driving styles and environments. Differing fuel blends will also affect fuel economy. The use of gasoline with 10% ethanol can decrease fuel economy by about 3% due to its lower energy density.
10. Vehicle on dynamometer All vehicles are tested for fuel economy.
Current testing regulations only require light-duty vehicles of 8,500 lbs or less to be tested for fuel economy. Several popular models, such as the Ford F250/350, Chevrolet/GMC 2500/3500, and Dodge 2500/3500 vehicles, exceed this weight limit and are therefore not tested and have no official fuel economy rating. The EPA also does not test motorcycles or four wheel vehicles that are not legal for highway driving like neighborhood vehicles. Beginning with the 2011 model year, passenger vehicles (vans and SUVs but NOT pickup trucks) up to 10,000 lbs will be required to have fuel economy labels.

These misconceptions are based on user feedback to www.fueleconomy.gov and are listed in no particular order.