Top 10 Most Fuel Efficient Cars – Non-Hybrid

Between cutting back on your expenses, the crushing weight of the terrible economy, you have to watch every single dollar. And when it comes to buying a car, there are the hybrids and the straight out gas powered vehicles. While there’s an obvious mileage difference in what they can accomplish, there’s also a pretty sizable cost difference.  While there may be thousands of dollars difference in the purchase price, you can bet that at $45 dollars a tank of gas, that difference will add up quick on the backend.   But if you simply can’t afford the upfront purchase price of a hybrid and you still want the best bang for your buck. These are the models that will get it done;

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1) 2010 Smart Fortwo – 36 MPG combined (33 city/41 highway)

At the top of the list is the Smart Fortwo. There are a bunch of prerequisites that come with this car including space limitations. While it’s perfect for the single college kid or eco-conscious childless couple, it is not very roomy and is a crampy ride at best.  Some people love having a vehicle this size, but for those that haven’t starred in any Chocolate Factory movies, it’s a pretty tight experience. That being said, it still wins this contest with gas mileage that is very noteworthy and environmentally friendly.  Whether or not this fits the bill for you is totally your choice. While it certainly won’t pass any decent crash test ratings, at under $12,000 for a new car, it’s almost difficult to pass up or at least take a look at for the budget minded and short-legged height challenged person.

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2) 2010 Audi A3 - 34 MPG combined (30 city/42 highway)

We looked at multiple lists to compile ours and some had the Audi tied with our #3 and #4 contenders below, but further research from independent studies, had the Audi clocking in 42 on the highway which barely squeaked by the VW clan below which clocked in at 41. Audi’s diesel engine really made the difference this year and while the sales for Audi dealerships may not have been record breaking for them, it will certainly change if they can keep up this direction.  The aforementioned engine is about the same as what’s found in the VW Jetta and Golf, but the slight modifications gave it that extra 1 MPG that put it in the #2 slot as opposed to settling for a 3 way tie.

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3) 2010 Volkswagen Golf – 34 MPG combined (30 city/41 highway)
Comments below under #4

4) 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI - 34 MPG combined (30 city/41 highway)

Both the Golf and Jetta tied for the coveted slots 3 and 4.   And since the Volkswagen Golf and Volkswagen Jetta share the same diesel engine, it’s probably why they turned in the same numbers.  Interestingly enough, while the Audi above may sit in the number 2 slot, some reviews also give these VW’s 42 on the highway, but some were showing 41 while the Audi had no variations in the reports like VW did.  The Jetta has 3 TDI models under $25K that accomplish these numbers in the 2010 line which include the TDI, Sportswagen TDI and TDI Cup.   The lower end Jettas around the $18K mark sacrifice that mileage dramatically (22 City/30 Hwy).   Same story with the VW Golf TDI.  The Volkswagen Golf is standard fair for the hatchback lovers out there.  Volkswagen will always have its hardcore fans who are almost as rabid as Apple fans and having two vehicles in the top 5 slots is something VW proponents can be proud of to make the others “green” with envy.  Yes, awful, I know.

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5) MINI Cooper – 32 MPG combined (28 City / 37 highway)

The Mini Cooper has a lot going for it and some going against it.  It comes with amazing power and driving prowess and a very British feel to it and along with that comes a very noisy ride. We’ve seen many reports showing this vehicle as very loud on the inside, which is kind of a bummer with all of its accomplishments. There is also very little leg room in the rear seats, although unlike the Fortwo, it at least actually has seats in the back.  There were a lot of other complaints about things such as the factory stereo, but since this is about the gas mileage, it rests here on the list at the midway point.

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6) 2010 Toyota Yaris – 32 MPG combined (29 City / 36 highway)

In reality, the Yaris could be tied for 5th place since they both average out to the same mileage, but there are other issues that let it take a step down that are driving related such as the very slow reacting automatic transmission.  It’s a nice quiet ride for regular drivers, but for speed demons or those with a little heavier foot, the engine can get loud when pushed to its limits.  While those are seemingly minor complaints, they still affect your driving experience and fuel efficiency.  So while fuel economy is the headline of the day, at what cost will you make sacrifices?  Apparently there are some vehicles that actually combine comfort, efficiency and a solid driving experience very well, but Toyota’s Yaris leaves us lacking., but economical nonetheless.

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7) 2010 Mini Cooper Clubman - 32 MPG combined (28 City / 36 highway)

If it wasn’t for the drop in city mileage, the Mini Cooper Clubman could have sat beside his base model, but they were sadly parted by the Yaris claim to better mileage while out on the town. The Clubman is actually a much more comfortable ride than the standard Cooper with its roomy interior. However, it does sacrifice the storage area to accomplish that.  There are also reports very stiff controls and once again, we heard about the Mini Coopers horribly noisy ride.  Our guess is that 2011 models may fix some of the insulation issues to address this problem since it’s the biggest complaint from both users and reviewers.

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8) Hyundai Accent Hatchback - 31 MPG combined (27 City / 36 highway)
See review below #9

9) Hyundai Accent Blue – 31 MPG combined (27 City / 36 highway)

Hyundai keeps there models close together on this chart for obvious reasons.  The Hyundai Accents come with a mixed bag of reviews but all of which is repairable if you choose the right options.  On the driving side of the coin, there is a slightly slow acceleration with the automatic version of the vehicles, but at around $10,000 base price, it’s a good and economical vehicle.  However, once you add things like, um, air conditioning, and other typical things you would normally get on a base model such as power windows, stereo, etc.  you’re up at around $15,000.  The base model of these vehicles is painfully absent of features that you wouldn’t even normally think of holding back.  Air conditioning? Really?  Safety features are another thing that is minimal. It has 6 air bags, but even anti-lock brakes are optional on higher end models. But, got carried away again, we’re focusing on fuel efficiency, that’s just a taste of what you might be up against if you consider either of the Accents.  The base model is called Blue and then the hatchback is essentially a trim level, but because it’s really a truly different vehicle (although the same under the hood), it takes up two slots on the list.

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10) Chevrolet Aveo – 30 MPG combined (27 City / 35 highway)

Last on this list and coming in right behind the Hyundai clan is the Chevrolet Aveo.  There are a lot of reviews for the Aveo and most not so friendly.  The primary reason for its detractors is because of the engine. It’s extremely fuel efficient because of taller gear ratios, but at the cost of some umph on the highway. But if you’re using this vehicle to get around town and the occasional road trip, it’s a completely capable car.  Out of the gate, the Aveo comes standard with a 5 speed manual transmission and only that version accomplishes these numbers.  The automatic version drops considerably to a 28 MPG combined, so expect to lose 2 miles to the gallon by letting the car do the work for you, which is a tad disappointing.

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And there you have it. The top 10 fuel efficient cars that are non-hybrids.  We hope to do a follow up in a day or so featuring the non-hybrid winners and we’ll see who comes out on top. Are there others that should be on the list, but aren’t rated that way? Tell us about it!