25 Fuel Efficient Cars That Are Not Hybrids

MPG-O-Matic ^ | January 1, 2014

[2ndDivisionVet]

Are you thinking about buying a new fuel efficient car but are wary of hybrid technology? Fear not! There are dozens of cars on the market today that deliver great fuel economy without resorting to heavy and expensive battery packs. While most of these vehicles are designed to run on petroleum products (either conventional gasoline or diesel fuel), the Ford Focus SFE is a FlexFuel vehicle that can run on 100% domestic E85 ethanol fuel as well as conventional unleaded gasoline.

2014 Ford Focus five-door E85 holds a significant price advantage over regular unleaded gas in some parts of the country. It comes as no surprise that the top of the list is dominated by Volkswagen TDI models, as clean diesels are renown for their excellent highway MPGs. While this list is primarily 2013 models, we’ve included the remarkable 2014 Chevy Cruze Diesel … (continued)

[madprof98]

I recently got assigned a Ford Focus as a rental car, and I was amazed at what a good car it was. I have never had a rental car I liked as well. I could see it was getting great mileage too.

[OneWingedShark]

he list is dominated by Volkswagen TDI models, as clean diesels are renown for their excellent highway MPGs.

That's kinda an understatement; I have a 1983 Oldsmobile, Diesel, that gets about 38 MPG highway — and this is a big, heavy car we're talking about.

I have no doubt that (1) adding a turbocharger, (2) dropping the transmission and drive-shaft, in favor of a hydraulic [infinitely-variable-]transmission/power-train would increase it even further.

[Repeal The 17th]

From the undated and unattributed article “The 25 Highest MPG Non-Hybrids of 2013”:
Audi A3 TDI
Chevy Cruze Diesel
Chevy Cruze Eco
Chevy Sonic
Chevy Spark
Dodge Dart Aero
Fiat 500
Ford Fiesta SFE
Ford Focus SFE
Honda Civic HF
Honda Civic
Kia Rio
Mazda3 Skyactiv
Mini Cooper Coupe
Mini Cooper Hardtop
Nissan Sentra
Nissan Versa
Scion iQ
Smart ForTwo
Toyota Yaris
VW Beetle TDI
VW Beetle Convertible TDI
VW Golf TDI
VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI
VW Jetta TDI
VW Passat TDI

[jjotto]

Don’t have to settle for Mickey Mouse cars either!

Lexus has nice ES hybrid that gets 40 mpg, RX and GS hybrids that get into that 30+ mpg range.

The Mercedes E25o diesel crosses 40+mpg with ease and can go a bladder-busting 900+ miles between fill-ups.

[Hoodat]

My Toyota Corolla averages 38 mpg. If I keep the speed below 60 mph, I average about 42 mpg.

[bmwcyle]

While by KIA Serento was in the body shop for a repair for a rear fender, I rented a Ford Escape. It was a piece of crap. It is fully loaded and I would never buy one.

[Tupelo]

I guess we are in for another run of diesel automobiles. And same as the last time back in the mid 80s, we are going see the price of diesel fuel go up. Since this will raise the fuel costs for the trucking industry, we will see another round of inflation. Inflation that Washington will deny. AGAIN. Then we will see another round of complaints about diesel engines being dirty, inefficient and unreliable, brought on by the American people’s ignorance of the diesel engine. Then Washington in their ever so smarter than us mode will come up with “New Standards” for diesel engines and price them out of this market once again. Actually I did not know that GM had a automobile powered with a diesel engine. I cannot help but wonder if it is a true diesel or a giesel like the old Oldsmobile ‘diesel’.
Giesel = A gasoline powered engine converted to run on diesel

[Charles Martel]

The current BMW 335d is impressive, too. MPG numbers rivaling those of a VW tdi.

[McGruff]

I have a 2013 Hyundai Sonata that can get 40 MPG highway if I try. Recommended Sonata to some friends. Great good size car and inexpensive. Built in Montgomery, Alabama. This is my second Sonata.

[jjotto]

Yep.

And the new 328d diesel gets into that 40+ mpg too.

[The Great RJ]

Note gas mileage with any flex fuel vehicle using E-85 (85% ethanol gasoline blend) will be abysmal. Compared to gasoline, ethanol has about 40% less energy resulting in greatly reduced gas mileage. A few years ago the Bureau of Administration in South Dakota heavily invested in a flex fuel fleet of state vehicles. Though the heavily subsidized E-85 was 23 cents per gallon cheaper than the standard 10-percent ethanol blend, tests showed the 23-percent decrease in gas mileage with E-85 negated the cost savings. The net result was a 1.49 cent cost-per-mile operating increase in the E85 vehicles. Article

[2ndDivisionVet]

No, none of the diesels today are re-engineered gasoline engines, to my knowledge. I drive a 1984 Mercedes 300D turbo diesel sedan that I bought ten years ago for $100 and I get 25-30 mpg. The car weighs over 1 1/2 tons and is a tank. It’s a 5 cylinder, inline.

[Charles Martel]

I believe the engine in the Cruze is one that GM of Europe has been using in Opels and Vauxhalls for several years. Pity it’s in such a crappy car.

[raybbr]

Look at all those TDI’s on that list.

[Alberta's Child]

One problem nowadays is that diesel fuel taxes are much higher than gasoline taxes in many states. This is one reason why diesel fuel is more expensive than gasoline in most places even though it costs less to refine and produce diesel fuel.

The implication here is that diesel-powered cars will have to be substantially more fuel-efficient than their gasoline-powered counterparts in order to make it worthwhile for motorists to buy them.

[Paleo Conservative]

Tupelo No, none of the diesels today are re-engineered gasoline engines, to my knowledge. I drive a 1984 Mercedes 300D turbo diesel sedan that I bought ten years ago for $100 and I get 25-30 mpg. The car weighs over 1 1/2 tons and is a tank. It’s a 5 cylinder, inline.

Comparing mpg of diesel engined cars to gasoline is not valid. Diesel is denser, and it takes more crude oil to make a gallon of diesel than a gallon of gasoline.

[Charles Martel]

Note also that the list of vehicles with “low greenhouse gas” ratings are mostly *not* flex-fuel. That’s tacit admission by the EPA that higher levels of ethanol in gasoline blends are not beneficial.

[Born to Conserve]

Fleet average mileage mandates results in auto companies increasing the price of bigger, safer, lower mileage cars to reduce the numbers sold, and their impact on the fleet average. This means that the poorer car owners will have to buy more dangerous cars. If a wealthy upper class person and a lower middle class person meet head on, the rich guy wins. This is the way it usually is in nature, but I’m surprised the feds encourage it.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Solution: Buy used 4-10 year old luxury cars for much less money.