The Most Fuel Efficient Cars

Monday, May 09, 2016

GoLocalPDX News Team

Sinuous | Wikimedia Commons

Fuel efficiency has become increasingly important to today’s car buyers. Not only does it help save money on gas, but it also reduces one’s carbon footprint. Many car companies have adopted fuel economy as a central strategy for their business, even for their performance models.

The earth-friendly gear heads at AxleGeeks, a vehicle data site that’s part of the Graphiq network, wanted to find out which cars are the most fuel-efficient of 2016. We used data from Edmunds.com to create a list of the 15 slowest-sipping new cars out there this year. Only base models and cars that consume some form of fossil fuel were considered for the list.

If you’re interested in saving money and reducing your carbon footprint, take a look at the 15 most fuel-efficient new cars of 2016. Once you've seen them, click to the next slide to see some of our big takeaways.

#15. 2016 BMW 3-Series Diesel

Combined MPG: 37

Fuel Type: Diesel

MSRP: $39,850

#14. 2016 Kia Optima Hybrid

Combined MPG: 38

Fuel Type: Hybrid

MSRP: $25,995

#13. 2016 Toyota Avalon Hybrid

Combined MPG: 40

Fuel Type: Hybrid

MSRP: $36,650

#12. 2016 Lexus ES 300h Hybrid

Combined MPG: 40

Fuel Type: Hybrid

MSRP: $41,020

#11. 2016 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid

Combined MPG: 40

Fuel Type: Hybrid

MSRP: $35,190

#10. 2016 Ford C-Max Hybrid Wagon

Combined MPG: 40

Fuel Type: Hybrid

MSRP: $24,170

#9. 2016 Toyota Camry Hybrid

Combined MPG: 41

Fuel Type: Hybrid

MSRP: $26,790

#8. 2016 Lexus CT200h Hybrid 4-Door Hatchback

Combined MPG: 42

Fuel Type: Hybrid

MSRP: $31,250

#7. 2016 Toyota Prius V Hybrid Wagon

Combined MPG: 42

Fuel Type: Hybrid

MSRP: $26,675

#6. 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

Combined MPG: 42

Fuel Type: Hybrid

MSRP: $26,000

#5. 2016 Ford Fusion Hybrid

Combined MPG: 43

Fuel Type: Hybrid

MSRP: $25,675

#4. 2016 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid

Combined MPG: 45

Fuel Type: Hybrid

MSRP: $31,120

#3. 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid

Combined MPG: 47

Fuel Type: Hybrid

MSRP: $27,770

#2. 2016 Toyota Prius C Hybrid 4-Door Hatchback

Combined MPG: 50

Fuel Type: Hybrid

MSRP: $19,560

#1. 2016 Toyota Prius Hybrid 4-Door Hatchback

Combined MPG: 52

Fuel Type: Hybrid

MSRP: $24,200

Conclusion

If you’re looking to get the most fuel efficiency bang for your buck, look no further than the Toyota Prius C. Starting at just $19,560, the Prius C has the best value-to-fuel efficiency ratio, achieving 50 MPG. For luxury buyers who want to double as conservationists, the Lexus ES300h takes the cake. It starts at $41,020 and achieves 40 MPG. Toyota is definitively the most represented manufacturer on our list, with five Toyota models and two Lexus models. Second place goes to Ford, with two Ford models and one Lincoln model. In third place is Hyundai, the parent company of Kia, with one model from each brand.

As fuel economy becomes increasingly emphasized in vehicle design, even these impressively efficient vehicles will be improved.