Our 6 picks for cars with the best gas mileage
Photo by Sahil Patel on Unsplash
Are you pinching your pennies for one reason or another? Gas money can be a killer on the old pocketbook, so we decided to throw you our picks for six cars with the best gas mileage based on price, comfort, style, and performance.
As we move into a new presidential administration, the uncertainty of how much gas prices will fluctuate are yet to be seen. However, we have seen rising gas prices, some climb it’s because of the pandemic, some blame it on the unusually nasty weather the south has seen this year, and some just blame it on the Biden administration.
Blame it on who or whatever you want, you do have some say in how much you spend on gas money in a year when you purchase your vehicle. These days with hybrids and all-electric vehicles populating the market, prices for them will go down while your options go up.
Our picks for six cars with the best gas mileage
1. 2021 Toyota Prius Prime EXL - $30,000
EPA-Estimated 55 city / 53 / Highway / 54 combined MPG
Is it any surprise that the Prius showed up on this list? They have been known for their quiet domination in the hybrid field for decades. Sure, other competition has caught up, but this Prius proves it still has the stuff that makes consumers happy.
With a comfy interior set to seat five, and 60⁄40 fold-down second-row seats for a nice amount of cargo space, you can’t go wrong here. You’ll find yourself with a wealth of standard safety features with Honda Saftey Sense 2.0 (TSS 2.0). Most technology on the vehicle can be controlled by the 11.6-inch multimedia infotainment display.
2. 2020 Escape SE Sport Hybrid / $28,265
EPA-Estimated 44 city / 37 hwy / 41 MPG
The 2020 Ford Escape comes with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (eCVT). When combined with its 88 kW electric motor, you will receive about 200 horsepower. With cool styling on the outside and a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument gauge cluster for the driver, you won’t find a better crossover for a smaller to larger size family - and even perfect for the single lifestyle.
The reason why this pops up in our top six is that we like the Ford Co-Pilot360, which includes plenty of safety features standard on all trim models. We also like the power of the FordPass Connect technology that allows you to access Wi-Fi hotspots from up to 50 feet of the vehicle and allows users to connect up to 10 devices at once.
3. 2019 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid / $28,200
EPA-Estimated 49 city / 43 hwy MPG
This sedan gets in “our pick for six cars with the best gas mileage” because of its styling, technology, and of course MPG rating. The smaller 1.8-liter engine combined with two eclectic motors manages to muster up 182 horsepower. You also get a whole lot of the goodies you would expect from newer vehicles like available 4G and Wi-Fi hotspot capabilities, dual-zone climate control, an 8-inch touch-screen infotainment center, and more.
The styling on the exterior of this vehicle is real well-rounded with a sporty but sophisticated look. The only problem is when sitting next to a Ford Fusion, they kind of look the same.
4. 2020 Hyundai Ioniq SE Hybrid / $25,150
EPA-Estimated 55 city / 54 hwy / 58 combined MPG
The 2020 Ioniq hybrid is very spacious on the inside. It boasts a lot of the amenities that you’d like including Android Auto and Apply CarPlay, heated seats, available Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW), and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning (RCCC).
The only problem that comes along with the 2020 Hyundai, you might find it to be a little underpowered. With only 139 horsepower with the gas motor and electric motor running together, there are definitely some faster vehicles in its class. But the money on fuel you will save might just relieve you of that worry when making a purchase.
5. 2020 Kia Niro Plug-in / $29,490
EPA-Estimated 48 city / 44 hwy / 46 combined MPG
This Kia plug-in comes further down the list because it has the same problem as the Hyundai Ioniq. With only 104 horsepower and 109 lb.-ft. of torque, you might get beat in a race by a scooter.
But other than its unflattering power-to-weight ratio, you’ll find that this hybrid offers you all of the things you could want from a drive-around-town vehicle. The Kia handles nicely and drives more like a car. And you’ll find plenty of cargo space and plenty of room for five passengers. It’s got great styling on the outside and a nice feel to the interior, if you can get over the power issue, you might really enjoy this vehicle.
6. 2021 Toyota Highlander LE Hybrid / $38,510
EPA-Estimated 36 city / 35 hwy
The 2021 Toyota Highlander LE is an eight-seater SUV hybrid. The 2.5-liter engine that puts out 186 horsepower is controlled by an Intelligent transmission that can seamlessly work both the gas motor and the electric motor for a combined rating of 243 horsepower.
All three rows do fold down for an impressive 84.3 cu.-ft. of cargo volume. You have a towing capacity of 3,500-lbs and plenty of technology. There are four USB charging ports, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, an easy-to-read instrumental gauge cluster, and an 8-inch touch-screen infotainment center.
It should be mentioned, if you don’t like the bench seating configuration in the front, and seating for seven suits you well, the XLE and Limited trim models come with bench seats as an option or you can get a center console (bench seat delete).
Which One Do You Pick?
Those are our picks for six cars with the best gas mileage, but there is a big selection out there to choose from. The best way to make a decision is to start with the small decisions first.
- Do you want a gas-only, hybrid, plug-in, or electric-only vehicle?
- Do you want a sedan, coupe, crossover, SUV, etc.?
- How much does your budget allow you to spend?
Answering some of these questions first will help you narrow down your choices. Then you can start thinking about what is more important to you: comfort for passengers vs. cargo space, better gas mileage vs. a little extra power, something small and easy to drive vs. something big with more off-road and towing capabilities. Happy hunting!
