Gas prices are rising, and we all want to save some money when we drive. Unfortunately, hybrid or all-electric cars are a bit too expensive for lots of new-car buyers. Plus, maybe you don’t want the complexity of a high-tech hybrid vehicle, one that might require an expensive battery replacement or difficult repairs somewhere down the road.
Thankfully, there are lots of high-efficiency internal-combustion new cars available. Here, we’ve rounded up the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid new cars you can buy in 2024, ranked in order of their EPA rating for combined city and highway MPG. These models offer the simplicity, reliability, and affordability of conventional gasoline power, without draining your wallet at the fuel pump.
- Fuel Economy: 36 MPG City / 43 MPG Highway
- Total Driving Range: 359 Miles
- Base Price: $17,840
The Mitsubishi Mirage is the most traditional economy car on this list: A compact hatchback with a tiny gasoline engine delivering outstanding fuel economy. The EPA rates the Mirage hatchback at 36 miles per gallon city, 43 highway, 39 combined, making this the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid vehicle you can buy new in 2024—and at a base price of $17,840 with destination, it’s one of the most affordable new cars on the market, too.
- Fuel Economy: 33 MPG City / 42 MPG Highway
- Total Driving Range: 446 Miles
- Base Price: $25,045
The Honda Civic is a perennial fuel-economy champ, and that doesn’t change for 2024. If you’re looking for ultimate gas mileage, skip the hatchback and go for the Civic sedan, which gets an extra mpg or two over its liftback twin. Unfortunately, you’ll have to spend a little to get the most mileage out of your new Civic: While the base-model Civic LX sedan starts at a very affordable $25,045 base price with the standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, you’ll have to step up to the $28,045 Civic EX with the upgraded 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder to get the best economy, with an EPA-rated 33 miles per gallon city, 42 mpg highway, and 36 mpg combined.
- Fuel Economy: 32 MPG City / 41 MPG Highway
- Total Driving Range: 446 Miles
- Base Price: $22,775
Hyundai offers an Elantra Hybrid with impressive fuel economy, but the base-model version with a conventional internal-combustion drivetrain is no slouch either. Starting at $22,775, the non-hybrid base-model Elantra SE earns an EPA rating of 36 miles per gallon combined.
- Fuel Economy: 32 MPG City / 40 MPG Highway
- Total Driving Range: 378 Miles
- Base Price: $17,225
The Nissan Versa is one of the cheapest new car you can buy in 2024, with a base-model sedan commanding just $17,225. It’s also one of very few cars left that offers a five-speed manual transmission as standard equipment. But if you want the absolute best fuel economy, you’ll have to ditch the clutch pedal and check the box for the optional CVT, which earns the Versa 35 miles per gallon combined in EPA testing.
- Fuel Economy: 32 MPG City / 41 MPG Highway
- Total Driving Range: 462 Miles
- Base Price: $23,145
The Toyota Corolla is another longtime mpg champ. Buyers can opt for a hybrid version for ultimate economy, but the base-model Corolla sedan with a conventional 2.0-liter four-cylinder costs just $23,145 and nets 35 miles per gallon combined in EPA testing. Even better, the $24,600 Corolla hatchback gets identical fuel mileage if you prefer a five-door body style.
- Fuel Economy: 30 MPG City / 41 MPG Highway
- Total Driving Range: 476 Miles
- Base Price: $21,145
The Kia Forte proves that affordable, economical transportation doesn’t have to look boring. This aggressively-styled sedan starts at just over $20,000 and offers an EPA verified 34 miles per gallon combined in base-model LX trim. The Forte lineup includes performance models with manual or dual-clutch transmissions, but the CVT-equipped LX is the fuel-economy king.
- Fuel Economy: 30 MPG City / 40 MPG highway
- Total Driving Range: 422 Miles
- Base Price: $22,320
The Sentra is a well-known economy-car nameplate, and the compact sedan doesn’t disappoint on fuel economy in 2024. Starting at just $22,320, the Sentra earns an EPA rating of 34 miles per gallon combined, and unlike some models on this list, you can get that thrifty fuel economy on the base-model Sentra S or the mid-range Sentra SV.
- Fuel Economy: 30 City / 41 Highway
- Total Driving Range: 449 Miles
- Base Price: $22,600
The Jetta is an affordable sedan with premium styling and features, but it won’t give you pains at the pump. With a starting price just a shade over $22,000, the base-model Jetta returns 34 miles per gallon combined in EPA testing. Unlike most other cars on this list, the standard six-speed manual and the optional eight-speed automatic both get the same combined fuel-mileage rating, though the automatic is rated 1 mpg higher in city driving and the manual gets an extra MPG on the highway.
- Fuel Economy: 30 MPG City / 37 MPG Highway
- Total Driving Range: 409 Miles
- Base Price: $33,595
The Acura Integra is a small luxury car that offers impressive fuel economy without the use of a hybrid drivetrain. Powered by an upgraded version of the 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder found in the Honda Civic, the $33,595 base-model Integra gets 33 miles per gallon combined in EPA testing, though higher trim levels and the optional six-speed manual will drop that number slightly.
- Fuel Economy: 31 MPG City / 36 MPG Highway
- Total Driving Range:
- Base Price $21,340
The Kicks has the proportions of a small SUV, but the EPA classifies it as a mid-size car, and its fuel economy numbers are decidedly more efficient than the typical SUV. All trim levels get an identical EPA rating of 33 miles per gallon combined, and the most affordable model rings in at a base price just over $21,000. A new Kicks will arrive for 2025, but Nissan hasn’t released all the details on that model yet.
- Mitsubishi Mirage – 39 MPG
- Honda Civic – 36 MPG
- Hyundai Elantra – 36 MPG
- Nissan Versa – 35 MPG
- Toyota Corolla – 35 MPG
- Kia Forte – 34 MPG
- Nissan Sentra – 34 MPG
- Volkswagen Jetta – 34 MPG
- Acura Integra – 33 MPG
- Nissan Kicks – 33 MPG
Read the full article here