Best Fuel Efficient Cars

With Electric cars hitting the market the fuel economy figures are all skewed. Electric cars have fuel economy based on their electricity energy consumption. But there are still a ton of regular gas and hybrid powered cars that have the Best Fuel Economy. The list below uses the EPA combined (city and highway) fuel economy for each car. See which cars make the list.

1. 2012 Toyota Prius Hybrid - 50 MPG
2. 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid - 44 MPG
3. 2012 Lexus CT 200h - 42 MPG
4. 2012 Honda Insight Hybrid - 41 MPG
5. 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid - 41 MPG

Notice something? The best Fuel Efficient cars are all hybrids! There are other cars that are regular gas powered and do not rely on hybrid power plants that can break the 40 MPG mark. But that is usually only on the highway. Their city driving MPG is not as good.

For the 2012 model year the Toyota Camry has been equipped with a newly developed 2.5-liter engine. Last year’s model Camry hybrid had a smaller less efficient 2.4L engine. The new Camry hybrid is not only more powerful, but it is 39% more fuel efficient. The 2012 Toyota Camry Gas Mileage is 43 MPG in the city and 39 MPG on the highway. The 2012 model is the same size but the body is a bit more aerodynamic and the weight has been reduced by 200 lbs. which always helps in the fuel economy department. The 2012 Camry Hybrid engine is beltless meaning all the power accessories are driven off electricity. But the major upgrade comes in the form of a revamped Hybrid Synergy Drive which more efficiently manages power delivery. With a MSRP price of under $26k, the 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid is cheaper, more powerful, better looking, and most importantly more fuel efficient than the 2011 model.

The Prius is the best selling hybrid car in the world. But now Toyota has decided to cash in on the Prius name by introducing a family of different sized Prius cars. For 2012 you can now buy the Toyota Prius V. The V stands for "versatile" because the Prius V has 60% more cargo room and a ton more rear seat space. This is the perfect car for the person who need cargo room with great fuel economy. Gas Mileage Ratings for the 2012 Toyota Prius V are 44 MPG in the city and 40 MPG on the highway.

The 2012 Toyota Prius V looks a bit like the Mazda 5 but more slender, more pointed, more angular. In other words, more futuristic, which is expected of a hybrid vehicle. Nothing new under the hood as the same powerplant in the regular Prius now powers the V. But the Prius V does not get as good of gas mileage as the regular Prius for 2 reasons:

1) The Prius V is 230 lbs. heavier. And more weight has a dramatic affect on fuel economy.

2) The Prius V is longer and taller which changes the shape and drag coefficient.

The rear seat can do just about everything: it can accommodate three people, it slides on rails, and it incorporates 60/40 folding to double the cargo space. The car is also taller and longer which does have an effect on the drag coefficient. Base price for the 2012 Toyota Prius V is $26,400. You still get one of the most fuel efficient cars in the world for that amount!