Can you still find efficiency in a non-hybrid car? Yes, you can. These are the seven most fuel-efficient gas-powered cars offered right now.
The automotive market embraced hybrids several years ago and is now moving toward full electrification. Those of us that still want an honest-to-goodness gas-powered car with no hybrid feeling to it are finding it harder and harder to find the right cars to drive. That said, some gas-only cars still exist.
Here are seven of the most fuel-efficient gas-powered cars in the market, making them the right choice when you want to avoid hybrid or plug-in vehicles.
Volkswagen Jetta: 35 MPG
The Volkswagen Jetta is affordable, efficient and brings a German driving personality to a market filled with Asian vehicles. The Jetta provides 158 horsepower through a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that mates to either a 6-speed manual or 8-speed automatic transmission. If you want the best fuel mileage numbers, the automatic is the way to go. This powertrain setup delivers 31 city/41 hwy/35 combined mpg, giving you an impressive and efficient car to drive.
Nissan Versa: 35 MPG
The Nissan Versa claims the title of the most affordable sedan while also being one of the most fuel-efficient gasoline cars in the market. The Versa doesn’t come with a lot of frills or extras, but it brings enough equipment and the right price to fit nearly every budget. You’ll only find 122 horsepower coming out of the 4-cylinder engine, but the CVT allows this small sedan to achieve great efficiency numbers of 32 city/40 hwy/35 combined mpg. For less than $20,000, you can have the spacious Versa and enjoy a quality and efficient drive every day.
Toyota Corolla: 35 MPG
If you sense a theme here, there’s a reason. Most of the fuel-efficient cars that aren’t offered with hybrid powertrains come from only a few automakers. The Toyota Corolla is one of the most popular and reliable small cars still in the market. This car uses a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and a CVT to deliver fuel mileage numbers of 32 city/41 hwy/35 combined mpg. When you want more features and benefits than a Nissan Versa, the Toyota Corolla is an excellent choice, but it costs about $4,000 more.
Kia Rio: 36 MPG
When the engines get smaller, and the vehicle is shorter, we begin to see better fuel-efficiency numbers in these gas-powered cars. The Kia Rio is a subcompact sedan that makes use of a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 120 horsepower. This engine mates to a CVT to sip gas at 32 city/41 hwy/36 combined mpg. The base price of $17,875 makes the Rio one of the most affordable cars in the entire market ensuring you can have a useful car that doesn’t need to stop at the gas station very often.
Honda Civic: 36 MPG
You might not expect to find sporty fun in one of these cars, but the Civic has a sporty side and could be perfect for your driving pleasure. There are several versions of this Honda compact car, but the most efficient gas-powered model has a 1.5-lite turbocharged 4-cylinder engine attached to a CVT that produces 180 horsepower. This model gives you 33 city/42 hwy/36 combined mpg and brings a fantastic package of features.
Hyundai Elantra: 37 MPG
For those consumers that don’t want to pay the higher price for the Honda Civic, the Hyundai Elantra brings things back to the affordable price range. The base Elantra gives you a 147-horsepower 4-cylinder engine and CVT to achieve excellent fuel efficiency in one of the best gas-powered cars in its class. This small Hyundai sedan returns 33 city/42 hwy/37 combined mpg, and it comes with a sticker price of 21,765, which is much more affordable than the $27,545 for the most efficient Honda Civic. The Elantra could easily be the right car for you.
Mitsubishi Mirage: 39 MPG
Most people will turn their noses up at the Mirage, but it is the most efficient gas-powered car in the market. As long as you’re not in a hurry, the 78-horsepower three-cylinder engine can take you where you need to go. Mitsubishi only offers a CVT with this car. The standard Mirage is the hatchback, which costs $17,450 and returns fuel mileage figures of 36 city/43 hwy/39 combined mpg. There’s a G4 sedan model as well, but it’s not as efficient as the hatchback.
If you’re looking for an efficient car that doesn’t use a hybrid or electric powertrain, these seven fuel-efficient gas-powered cars offer the best figures.
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