Best Gas Mileage You Can Get: Top 10 Hybrids
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Are you in the market for a hybrid car?
You probably want great gas mileage, without switching to diesel fuel, or taking the next step into plug-in vehicles.
The good news is, plug-ins aside, virtually all the most fuel-efficient cars on sale right now are hybrids. Whether you're after a spacious subcompact or a sleek sedan, there's a hybrid to suit most needs.
Below you'll find our run-down of the ten most efficient, rated by EPA combined mileage. Click on each vehicle title to go to its review page, or simply use it as a handy guide to the hybrids with the best gas mileage.
1) 2013 Toyota Prius C - 50 mpg
53 mpg city, 46 mpg highway, from $19,080
It's no surprise to find the Prius C topping the list for gas mileage. With a smaller, lighter body than the regular Prius and a smaller engine, it just grabs the spot from the larger car thanks to improved city mileage. It's more fun to drive too, though its less aerodynamic body belies a car which is less refined and less efficient on the highway.
2) 2013 Toyota Prius - 50 mpg
51 mpg city, 48 mpg highway, from $24,200
The Prius is no longer the most advanced hybrid out there, but the formula was right from the start--borne out by that combined EPA figure. It's taken a smaller version of the Prius line--or plug-in cars--to beat it on economy. If you can live with the looks, the dull drive and the image, it's still well worth a look.
3) 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid - 47 mpg
47 mpg city, 47 mpg highway, from $25,200
Toyotas may top the gas mileage list, but Ford is catching up fast. The C-Max hybrid has better EPA gas mileage and a lower price tag than its closest rival, the Prius V wagon. It's also the better car to drive. Only lingering doubts about its real-world economy may put you off.
4) 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid - 47 mpg
47 mpg city, 47 mpg highway, from $27,995
Ford has had its best few months ever for hybrid sales, and the Fusion Hybrid can claim some of the glory. Despite concerns that Ford hybrids aren't getting close to their EPA gas mileage figures, the Fusion looks good on paper and drives well out on the road. It'll even look good parked on your driveway.
5) 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid - 45 mpg
45 mpg city, 45 mpg highway, from $35,925
Think Ford Fusion Hybrid underneath, with a classier, more dramatic exterior. The MKZ Hybrid loses out a few mpg all around to its Fusion cousin, but you get more luxury and a more prestigious name as a consolation. And if you'd said five years ago that a Lincoln would be one of the most efficient cars on sale, people would have thought you were mad...
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Have an opinion?
Diesels may be a small part of the emissions debate, but they'll never be able to compete in emissions, which is really the concern in the end, in addition to the limited supplies of gasoline and diesel fuel. Your diesel emissions and mileage don't even compare to my Volt or my wife's Prius and that doesn't even take into account the much worse nature of the diesel particulate emissions.
Diesels are not the answer overall.
If you care to show the actual results, thank you. But no comparing different tests and cycles and then choosing data that you prefer when it's not valid. Compare the Passat TDI's EPA results with the Prius, C-MAX, Insight and other hybrids' EPA results.
No matter how meaningless you claim it is, the reality is you did not google before you said something incorrectly. Denying a fact already known by public does not help.
I own a Prius and much impressed by its fuel economy. I did not compare anything except pointing out the fact it is possible for a diesel car to achieve high mileage.
Compare them with the same test or in real world driving, stop trying to use European test results when the test cycle is not the same, as I suspect you already know. The list here is based on every vehicle on the same EPA test. Where exactly do the clean diesels rank in mileage and emissions again? Where's the one that gets somewhere close to 135?
Car and Driver got only 42 MPG in the real world after driving a Passat TDI in real world conditions with real typical driving.
The fact remains that 70 MPG is not relevant here since you're comparing unnatural driving methods that 99% of drivers will not replicate. Driving far below the speed limit, for example, as Randall advocates. In many locations, driving 10+ under the speed limit is illegal. Note the minimum speeds listed in many places. But again, very atypical driving.
Driving 50 MPH in a 70 MPH zone is gaming your results and not even close to legal as well.
And I strongly disagree with your assertion that diesel particulate emissions are "much worse" than either a Prius or a Volt.
There have been some recent studies that have shown the particle emissions from hybrids (including Prius) are actually worse than the conventional gas version in the real world in spite of the fact that the engine is off a significant portion of the duty cycle. Apparently particle emissions during restarts more than make up for the time the hybrid's engine is off.
Meanwhile, diesels with particle filters (DPF) have particle emissions than are essentially indistinguishable from HEPA-filtered background air based on many studies.
As far as HC, NOx, and CO, diesel engines have ALWAYS generated less HC and CO emissions (lean burn), and either catalysts or urea-SCR are currently used to control NOx emissions.
Also, you need to consider the upstream emissions of electric generation in the case of the Volt. PM emissions are very high where much of the electric generation is from coal.
By your reasoning, then all the numbers listed in the EPA.gov or fuel economy.gov must be wrong then? B/c none of your so called clean diesel can be as low as either Prius or Volt (with AT-PZEV). In fact, none of the clean diesel can meet California's PZEV emission level.
As far as your arguement of "upstream" emission goes, that is a tried and tired arguement. Where I live, coal accounts for less than 20% of the general electricity generation. In fact, my county is mostly Geo-thermal based. I have solar on my house and I charge at work as well under a 1MW solar installation.
That is why Volt is great b/c it allows you to offset your energy source where "diesel" can't.
They're based on artificial cutoffs of individual emissions in an unrealistic duty cycle (FTP). It also includes only exhaust emissions and doesn't include upstream emissions of the respective fuels (gasoline is much higher in VOC emissions due to its volatility).
And again, I was disputing the diesels are "much worse" in particle emissions than either the Volt or Prius. The Volt has higher well-to-wheels PM emissions even at 20% coal generation and PZEV has the same PM emission limit (0.01 g/mi) as "just" LEV or ULEV.
http://webpages.charter.net/lmarz/emissions2012.html
Next, your assumption about Volt's gas usage is also silly. What is your ratio of EV/gas? B/c that will impact the final emission.
Also, the majority of the difference is based on the Well to Pump part of the assumptions. I don't think that is a good assumption since the majority of the emission difference is due to the electricity used by the upstream refining which uses year of 2002 electricity generation model (we are currently much lower in coal% today).
Like I said, my power is clean.
Because peak oil is real.
Even if it is from fossil fuel, it is far easily to clean up a concentrated source such as powerplants than a million cars. 1 million EVs driving 40 miles per day will only add about 0.38% load to the existing grid. That can be easily offset by "alternative" energy sources.
And in 2013 that is more renewables, more nat. gas, and less coal.
Considering many people do use alternative sources, your comment is ridiculous. Xiaolong and John B. here, among many others, DO have home solar
I found one fuel brand that is dependable and always provides 50 MPG. The brand is Country Mark refined in Mt Vernon Indiana.
I don't think the fuel that we get local ever hits the pipeline. Direct from refinery to the station via tanker. That may be the reason it gives a constant MPG.
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