Consumer Reports has confirmed the 52-mpg combined EPA fuel-economy rating of the 2016 Toyota Prius hybrid, although its ratings in city and highway testing differed.

Nonetheless, the magazine says the 2016 Prius is the most fuel-efficient car it's ever tested.

The latest Prius even beats the original Honda Insight hybrid, the magazine says, That small two-seater was introduced for the 2000 model year.

DON'T MISS: 2016 Toyota Prius: Most Fuel-Efficient Car Without A Plug, Ever (Dec 2015)

The 2016 Prius actually has two separate versions, when it comes to gas-mileage ratings.

Most models are rated at 52 mpg combined (54 mpg city, 50 mpg highway).

However the Prius Two Eco, essentially a base model fitted with a lithium-ion battery pack that's smaller and lighter than the nickel-metal-hydride pack in the base Prius Two, does better than that.

2016 Toyota Prius Four Touring

2016 Toyota Prius Four Touring

It's rated at 56 mpg combined (58 mpg city, 53 mpg highway), making it the most fuel-efficient car without a plug, in terms of EPA ratings.

As with the Consumer Reports ratings, the car the Prius Two Eco had to beat was the original Honda Insight, which is rated at 53 mpg combined (49 mpg city, 61 mpg highway) under the system in use today.

Consumer Reports did not test this model, though.

ALSO SEE: 2016 Toyota Prius: Gas Mileage Review Of 50-MPG-Plus Hybrid (Dec 2015)

It did confirm the 52 mpg combined rating of the standard Prius in its proprietary testing regimen, with 43 mpg city and 59 mpg highway.

So the 2016 Prius couldn't match the EPA city rating, but exceeded the EPA highway rating.

Consumer Reports' results also contradict a piece of conventional wisdom regarding hybrids.

2016 Toyota Prius Four Touring

2016 Toyota Prius Four Touring

These cars are always expected to do better in city fuel economy than highway because they can rely on their electric motors more in low-speed, stop-and-go traffic.

Indeed, many hybrids have higher EPA city ratings than highway ratings.

MORE: Toyota at 9 million hybrids, now makes more than 1 million a year

Consumer Reports has said it uses a more aggressive city cycle than the EPA, which it believes better reflects real-world driving conditions.

Now the magazine just needs to get a Prius Two Eco on its test track.

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