EPA combined-efficiency ranking
Best MPG cars with receipts for every figure
Every ranked model links to a generation specification sheet and the EPA record that supports the number. This page deliberately avoids unverified inventory inflation: source-backed coverage beats a thin universal list.
Efficiency leader
Hyundai Kona
120.0 MPG
Default fuel estimate
$360
12,000 mi/yr · $3.60/gal
Coverage discipline
45
verified model families
| # | Model & trim | Body | Cycle | Combined | City/Hwy | Est. fuel/yr | L/100km | Spec source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hyundai Kona 1st Generation (OS) Electric (64 kWh) · FWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 120.0 MPG | 132.0/108.0 | $360 | 2.0 | |
| 2 | Kia EV6 EV6 I (CV) Wind RWD (77.4 kWh) · RWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 117.0 MPG | 136.0/100.0 | $369 | 2.0 | |
| 3 | Tesla Model X Model X (Palladium Refresh) Dual Motor Long Range AWD · AWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 102.0 MPG | 107.0/97.0 | $424 | 2.3 | |
| 4 | Volkswagen Golf Golf Mk8 2.0 TDI · FWD | Hatchback | EPA combined | 54.0 MPG | 46.0/61.0 | $800 | 4.4 | |
| 5 | Volkswagen Passat Passat B8 2.0 TDI · FWD | Sedan | EPA combined | 53.0 MPG | 44.0/60.0 | $815 | 4.4 | |
| 6 | Toyota Corolla Corolla XII 1.8 Hybrid · FWD | Sedan | EPA combined | 52.0 MPG | 53.0/52.0 | $831 | 4.5 | |
| 7 | Toyota Camry Camry XV70 2.5 Hybrid · FWD | Sedan | EPA combined | 52.0 MPG | 51.0/53.0 | $831 | 4.5 | |
| 8 | Ford Focus Focus IV 1.0 EcoBoost 125 · FWD | Hatchback | EPA combined | 46.0 MPG | 40.0/53.0 | $939 | 5.1 | |
| 9 | Honda Accord Accord XI 2.0 e:HEV Hybrid · FWD | Sedan | EPA combined | 44.0 MPG | 46.0/41.0 | $982 | 5.3 | |
| 10 | Volkswagen Tiguan Tiguan II 2.0 TDI 4MOTION · AWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 44.0 MPG | 39.0/50.0 | $982 | 5.3 | |
| 11 | Mazda MX-5 Miata MX-5 ND 1.5 SKYACTIV-G · RWD | Convertible | EPA combined | 42.0 MPG | 37.0/48.0 | $1,029 | 5.6 | |
| 12 | Audi Q5 Q5 FY 40 TDI quattro · AWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 42.0 MPG | 37.0/46.0 | $1,029 | 5.6 | |
| 13 | BMW 3 Series 3 Series G20 320i 2.0 · RWD | Sedan | EPA combined | 41.0 MPG | 35.0/47.0 | $1,054 | 5.7 | |
| 14 | Toyota RAV4 RAV4 XA50 2.5 Hybrid AWD · AWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 40.0 MPG | 41.0/38.0 | $1,080 | 5.9 | |
| 15 | Mercedes-Benz C-Class C-Class W206 C 200 mild-hybrid · RWD | Sedan | EPA combined | 40.0 MPG | 33.0/46.0 | $1,080 | 5.9 | |
| 16 | Kia Sportage Sportage V 1.6 T-GDI Hybrid · AWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 38.0 MPG | 38.0/38.0 | $1,137 | 6.2 | |
| 17 | Mazda CX-5 CX-5 II 2.2D SKYACTIV-D AWD · AWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 38.0 MPG | 34.0/42.0 | $1,137 | 6.2 | |
| 18 | Mazda Mazda3 Mazda3 IV 2.0 SKYACTIV-G · FWD | Hatchback | EPA combined | 38.0 MPG | 32.0/44.0 | $1,137 | 6.2 | |
| 19 | Honda CR-V CR-V VI 2.0 e:HEV Hybrid · AWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 37.0 MPG | 40.0/34.0 | $1,168 | 6.4 | |
| 20 | Hyundai Tucson Tucson IV 1.6 T-GDI Hybrid · AWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 37.0 MPG | 37.0/36.0 | $1,168 | 6.4 | |
| 21 | Audi A4 A4 B9 40 TFSI 2.0 · FWD | Sedan | EPA combined | 37.0 MPG | 32.0/43.0 | $1,168 | 6.4 | |
| 22 | Honda Civic Civic XI 1.5 VTEC Turbo · FWD | Sedan | EPA combined | 36.0 MPG | 33.0/42.0 | $1,200 | 6.5 | |
| 23 | Mercedes-Benz E-Class E-Class W213 E 200 · RWD | Sedan | EPA combined | 36.0 MPG | 30.0/43.0 | $1,200 | 6.5 | |
| 24 | Kia Sorento Sorento IV 1.6 T-GDI Hybrid · AWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 35.0 MPG | 36.0/33.0 | $1,234 | 6.7 | |
| 25 | Toyota Highlander Highlander IV (XU70) 2.5L Hybrid AWD · AWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 35.0 MPG | 35.0/35.0 | $1,234 | 6.7 | |
| 26 | Hyundai Elantra Elantra VII 2.0 MPI · FWD | Sedan | EPA combined | 35.0 MPG | 31.0/41.0 | $1,234 | 6.7 | |
| 27 | Hyundai Santa Fe 4th Generation (TM) 1.6L Turbo Hybrid AWD · AWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 34.0 MPG | 36.0/31.0 | $1,271 | 6.9 | |
| 28 | BMW 5 Series 5 Series G30 530i 2.0 · RWD | Sedan | EPA combined | 34.0 MPG | 30.0/39.0 | $1,271 | 6.9 | |
| 29 | Mercedes-Benz GLC GLC X254 GLC 200 4MATIC · AWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 33.0 MPG | 29.0/38.0 | $1,309 | 7.1 | |
| 30 | Audi A6 A6 C8 50 TDI quattro · AWD | Sedan | EPA combined | 33.0 MPG | 29.0/38.0 | $1,309 | 7.1 | |
| 31 | Nissan Altima Altima VI 2.5 · FWD | Sedan | EPA combined | 32.0 MPG | 28.0/39.0 | $1,350 | 7.4 | |
| 32 | Hyundai Sonata Sonata VIII 2.5 GDI · FWD | Sedan | EPA combined | 32.0 MPG | 28.0/38.0 | $1,350 | 7.4 | |
| 33 | Kia K5 K5 DL3 1.6 T-GDI · FWD | Sedan | EPA combined | 31.0 MPG | 27.0/37.0 | $1,394 | 7.6 | |
| 34 | Nissan Rogue Rogue III 1.5 VC-Turbo · AWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 30.0 MPG | 28.0/34.0 | $1,440 | 7.8 | |
| 35 | BMW X3 X3 III (G01) xDrive30e PHEV · AWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 25.0 MPG | 24.0/27.0 | $1,728 | 9.4 | |
| 36 | Ford Explorer Explorer VI (U625) 3.3L V6 Hybrid AWD · AWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 25.0 MPG | 23.0/26.0 | $1,728 | 9.4 | |
| 37 | BMW X5 X5 G05 xDrive40i 3.0 · AWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 25.0 MPG | 22.0/29.0 | $1,728 | 9.4 | |
| 38 | Ford Mustang Mustang VI 2.3 EcoBoost · RWD | Coupe & convertible | EPA combined | 25.0 MPG | 21.0/30.0 | $1,728 | 9.4 | |
| 39 | Mercedes-Benz GLE GLE II (W167) GLE 450e 4MATIC Plug-in Hybrid · AWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 24.0 MPG | 23.0/25.0 | $1,800 | 9.8 | |
| 40 | Ford F-150 F-150 XIV 3.5 PowerBoost Hybrid · 4WD | Pickup & van | EPA combined | 23.0 MPG | 23.0/24.0 | $1,878 | 10.2 | |
| 41 | Volkswagen Atlas Atlas I (CA1 Pre-Facelift) 2.0L TSI FWD · FWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 23.0 MPG | 21.0/25.0 | $1,878 | 10.2 | |
| 42 | Toyota Land Cruiser Land Cruiser J300 3.3 V6 Twin-Turbo Diesel · 4WD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 23.0 MPG | 20.0/26.0 | $1,878 | 10.2 | |
| 43 | Kia Telluride Telluride I (ON) 3.8L Lambda II V6 FWD · FWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 23.0 MPG | 20.0/26.0 | $1,878 | 10.2 | |
| 44 | Honda Pilot Pilot III (YF5/YF6) 3.5L V6 FWD (6-Speed) · FWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 22.0 MPG | 19.0/27.0 | $1,964 | 10.7 | |
| 45 | Hyundai Palisade Palisade I (LX2) 3.8L V6 FWD · FWD | SUV & crossover | EPA combined | 22.0 MPG | 19.0/26.0 | $1,964 | 10.7 |
How the ranking is constructed
Each vehicle family appears once, using either its most efficient verified trim or the source-certified configuration attached to that generation. The comparison favors combined EPA cycle figures because they are the closest public proxy to mixed daily use. City and highway values remain visible because a highway-heavy seller should not be judged by an urban-cycle-only number.
Annual fuel cost uses a simple planning baseline: 12,000 miles and $3.60 per gallon. That estimate does not pretend to be current local pricing. It creates a fair comparison denominator, and the Fuel-Cost Calculator lets you replace both inputs with your own commute and price data.
MPG ranking questions
Does this include every car in the United States?
No. The ranking uses our verified production cluster and official EPA certification rows. This is deliberate: fewer, source-backed records outperform a long list of unverified placeholders.
How is annual fuel cost estimated?
The default estimate is 12,000 miles per year × $3.60 per gallon divided by combined MPG. It is a planning baseline, not a prediction of local prices. The calculator accepts your own mileage and price.
Why are EVs measured differently?
Electric records use MPGe (miles-per-gallon equivalent), which converts electricity consumption into a comparable energy unit. Plug-in hybrids may appear in a separate electric-capable row when the EPA reports both modes.