What are the most fuel-efficient cars available on the market right now? Will you drive one of these fuel sippers and save some money?
Before we dive into the list, let’s define what vehicles are included. There aren’t any electric vehicles because they don’t compare directly with vehicles that use gasoline. This means most of the vehicles on this list are hybrids; in fact, all of them are. What are the most efficient hybrids? Typically, those are plug-in hybrid models. These vehicles offer an electric driving range and plenty of extended driving range thanks to an efficient gasoline engine setup.
Kia Sorento PHEV – 79 MPGe
The Kia Sorento PHEV can drive for 32 miles using only electric power and has a range of 460 miles on a full tank of gas and fully charged batteries. This SUV comes powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, an electric motor, and a 13.8-kWh battery pack. This gives you 261 horsepower and up to 34 mpg on average using only the gasoline engine. The Sorento PHEV provides the practicality you desire with the versatility required of a useful SUV.
Hyundai Tucson PHEV – 80 MPGe
One of the most fuel-efficient cars you’ll find is a compact SUV. The Hyundai Tucson PHEV can drive for 33 miles using electric power and has a total range of 420 miles. The Tucson has the same powertrain setup and power delivery as the Sorento, but it’s slightly more efficient at 35 mpg on average for the gas engine. This Hyundai SUV recently received an upgraded infotainment system and is one of the best PHEVs for the money because it’s a well-rounded choice with just about everything you want or need in a small SUV.
Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid – 82 MPGe
If you want to carry your family in a classy minivan with a full range of impressive features, the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is an excellent option. This hybrid minivan can drive for 32 miles on battery power and has a full driving range of 520 miles. The Pacifica uses a 3.6-liter V6 engine and two electric motors mated with a 16-kWh battery pack. This setup delivers 260 horsepower to give you the power desired during your drive. The average fuel mileage is 30 mpg when using only the gasoline engine.
Kia Sportage PHEV – 84 MPGe
The Kia Sportage PHEV is one of the most fuel-efficient cars you’ll find and the winner of the U.S. News & World Report Best Plug-In Hybrid SUV for the Money award. It has the same powertrain setup as the Tucson and Sorento and provides you with 34 miles of all-electric driving and a total driving range of 426 miles. While using only the gas engine, the Sportage delivers 35 mpg combined, making it a great choice for fuel savings.
Lexus NX 450h+ – 84 MPGe
Lexus makes some of the most enjoyable and efficient hybrid SUVs on the market, one of which is the Lexus NX 450h+. This SUV can drive 37 miles using only electric battery power and continues on to complete a drive of 550 miles in total. The NX uses a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and three electric motors, giving you a combined 304 horsepower for this little SUV. While using only the gas engine, the NX 450h+ achieves 37 mpg combined.
Toyota RAV4 Prime – 94 MPGe
The Toyota RAV4 Prime provides you with 42 miles of electric driving distance and a total driving range of 600 miles, which is impressive. You’ll pass many fuel stations on your way when the fuel tank and batteries are full. This little SUV uses a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, an electric motor, and an 18.1-kWh battery pack to produce 302 horsepower and give you an excellent drive. When the gas engine is doing all of the driving, the RAV4 Prime achieves 38 mpg combined.
Toyota Prius Prime – 127 MPGe
As expected, the most fuel-efficient car on the market is the Toyota Prius Prime. This incredible hybrid car can drive up to 44 miles on battery power and continues to complete 600 miles before it runs out of gas. Those figures are the same as the RAV4 Prime, but the Prius uses a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, tow electric motors, and a 13.6-kWh battery to produce 220 horsepower. When the Prius Prime uses only the gas engine, the fuel mileage figure is 52 mpg combined.
These are the most fuel-efficient cars available right now. As you can see, most of them are SUVs, which means you could enjoy the benefits of added versatility to go along with the impressive fuel savings associated with driving one of these vehicles.