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Top 10 most fuel efficient cars: US EPA

By Brett Davis |

The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) in the US has named the top 10 most fuel efficient vehicles currently on sale, according to the US cycle fuel consumption ratings. And the winner is, the fully electric Mitsubishi i-MiEV.

The EPA ratings considered all of the passenger motor vehicles currently on sale, including those powered by hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric powertrains. Of course, all cars in the top 10 are electric or electric-based vehicles, but it’s interesting to see just how they all shaped up.

Out in front is the Mitsubishi i-MiEV with an equivalent fuel consumption rating of 1.86L/100km in the city and 2.37L/100km on the highway, leading to an average of 2.1L/100km. The i-MiEV is available in Australia from $48,800.

Taking second spot is the fully electric Nissan LEAF. It has an EPA rating of 2.2L/100km in the city and 2.55L/100km on the highway, combining for an average rating of 2.37L/100km. The Nissan LEAF is not yet on sale in Australia, but it will launch in April 2012.

Third spot is an interesting one. It is the fully electric Ford Azure Dynamics Transit Connect Van. It has an EPA rating of 3.79L/100km on both the city and highway cycles. The Azure Dynamics Transit Connect Van is not available in Australia.

Taking fourth spot is the plug-in Chevrolet Volt. It has an EPA rating of 4.05L/100km in the city and 3.79L/100km on the highway, combining for an average of 3.92L/100km. The Chevrolet Volt will go on sale in Australia as a Holden Volt at the end of 2012.

Rounding out the top five is the Toyota Prius. It has an EPA rating of 4.6L/100km in the city and 4.9L/100km on the highway, averaging 4.75L/100km. The Toyota Prius is currently on sale in Australia with an ADR combined fuel consumption rating of 3.9L/100km. Prices start at $34,990.

Making up the rest of the top 10 most fuel efficient cars rated by the EPA were: (city/highway)

6. Honda Civic Hybrid; Combined 5.34L/100km (5.34L/5.34L). Available in Australia from $34,490.

7. Toyota Prius V; Combined 5.61L/100km (5.34L/5.88L). Will join Australian line-up as Prius V or Prius + in 2012.

8. Lexus CT 200h; Combined 5.67L/100km (5.47L/5.88L). Available in Australia from $39,990.

9. Honda Insight; Combined 5.53L/100km (5.73L/5.34L). Available in Australia from $29,990.

10. Toyota Camry Hybrid LE: Combined 5.75L/100km (5.47L/6.03L). Available in Australia as Camry Hybrid from $36,990.


 
  • Pauly

    Intresting that the Honda CR-Z is not listed there and thats a Hybrid running off the same setup as the Insight and Civic except its a 1.5L over a 1.3L engine.

    Odd..

    • Phil

      This is a USA market list and I don’t think the CRZ is on sale there – most likely due to being manual only. I’m surprised its on sale in Australia (but not selling).

      • Mr Happy :)

        Top Gear USA reviewed it in San Francisco.

      • Henry

        The CR-Z is onsale in USA…

      • Alexander

        The CR-Z is available on the US market (and Japanese) as a manual or CVT auto, it’s possible we might get both transmissions as well…

  • http://Facebook Jerome Jackson

    Unfortunately the most fuel efficient cars are also the ugliest.

  • Ata

    This must be the next generation Camry Hybrid: the one on sale in Australia is nowhere near as efficient.

    Anyone know why the Prius numbers for EPA and ADR are so disparate (+25% for EPA numbers)? That would make our Camry Hybrid at >8.0l/100 under EPA…

    • Ata

      Why did I bother? :-)

      • Ben 10

        Our hybrid camry does 6L/100km which isnt bad considering its size.

        • Ata

          I had a rental Camry Hybrid here in Adelaide and could not squeeze less than 7.0l/100km in the 6 busy days I had it. I think ADR combined is around 6.5l/100km.

          I do squeeze 11l/100km from our Aurion so I am not heavy footed by any means.

          Anyway, something does not make sense, since EPA = 1.25*ADR (based on Prius figures), thus current Oz Camry Hybrid 2011 with an ADR of 6.5l/100km would be nearly 8l/100km…

    • Alexander

      It’s because the US city cycle isn’t really that ‘city’ like, it allows for very little stop/start driving and low speed with engine idling, this is where the fuel savings of a hybrid really become noticeable, hence the higher number. Our cycle (basically the EU) is probably better suited for hybrids. That said, the US cycle is more realistic, a gen 3 Prius gets about 4.3-4.5l/100km in the real world like any other auto, driven lightly 3.9 is realistic.

  • BK

    Do u think people worry about the .1 the .2 the .3 the .4 etc etc etc a litre difference.I dont.

  • Commentator

    Fuel efficiency is one thing, Life Cycle Assessment is another, and these cars would be more polluting compared to a clean modern diesel. But if Petrolium does get very short in the future then these types of car will prevail.

    • Alexander

      ‘modern clean diesel’ even if filtered to EU6 leves (due in europe by 2014) diesels still are nowhere near as clean as a petrol engine. Diesel engines are not clean, even in their most modern form. It’s proven that if charged with clean energy and EV is far cleaner than a petrol/diesel engine despite their batteries. The batteries are over 95% recyclable and in the Nissan Leafs case it uses a heap of recycled and/or bio plastic in its production. The extra emissions created are offset after around 20,000km.

      • Maple leaf

        100% agree. Europeans pretend to be flag bearers of the enviro movement but go to any city like Barcelona or London and its polluted by diesel smoke. California, I believe sets the standards for emission controls.

  • JSTTRS

    errrrrr pretty sure the Mini Cooper D does like 3.7l/100????

    • Ata

      Presumably Diesels are excluded as they are not offered or popular in the US?

  • Lazybones

    It seems completely retarded to apply a fuel consumption rating to an electric. Its fine for hybrids but otherwise its just pointless.

    • Andrew M

      we have to rate them somehow.

      There might be electric cars that use twice as many kwhs to run 100ks versus its competitor.
      How else is the consumer to become educated??

      What I do want to know though is how they convert?
      Do they convert cost or energy consumption

    • Lazybones

      Agreed we need a system of comparison. But it needs to be just that. Kwh usage, not L/100 or MPG equivalent. A bit like what you get on a white goods appliance. Plug-in hybrids like the volt would need an electric only rating and a hybrid mode rating.

  • Pro346

    No small diesels in the list because small diesels arent sold in the us!

  • claude le frog

    My wifes golf 103 tdi consistently averages 5.1 L/100 km for a 50/50 city/highway mix.

  • http://www.hararamagroup.com/ Eye and Eye Slings

    so nice car and style car…………..