Volatile gas prices may have you considering a more fuel-efficient model. Even if you’re not looking for an electric car, several hybrid and plug-in models offer spectacular fuel efficiency without the range anxiety of a full EV.

And don’t write off a non-hybrid model just yet, either. Some of the most frugal gas-only cars on the market return great numbers without a hybrid’s complexity or upfront cost.

Let’s look at the most fuel-efficient hybrids and the most eco-friendly non-hybrid models on the market, rated by their combined mpg figure from the Environmental Protection Agency. Note: When more than one car has the same combined fuel economy rating, we use the city mpg as the tiebreaker.

Most fuel-efficient hybrids

1. 2022 Hyundai Ioniq Blue: 59 mpg

The least expensive of the Hyundai 005380, -0.55% Ioniq is the current champ among hybrids. Starting a little under $25,000, the base Ioniq Blue rides on special low rolling-resistance tires wrapped around unique wheels designed to cheat the wind. Those tweaks — and a few others behind the scenes — are enough to merit a 4-mpg combined improvement over the costlier Ioniq SE. 

2. 2022 Toyota Prius Eco: 56 mpg

The Toyota Prius

Toyota

No longer the fuel-economy champ, the Toyota TM, -2.79% Prius takes second place to its Hyundai rival. Still, there are many great reasons to choose the Prius, especially in Eco trim. As in the Ioniq, this trim level is the gateway to the lineup. Forget about flashy big wheels, however, since the Prius Eco uses special aero hubcaps and tires that delicately dance over the road to save fuel. 

Also see: U.S. new-car sales seen slightly higher in April, but tight inventories and rising prices will keep a lid on any big jumps

3. 2022 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Blue: 54 mpg

Want a hybrid that doesn’t look like one? The Hyundai Elantra Blue is for you. This sharply styled compact sedan shares its bold lines, spacious cabin, and terrific infotainment system with the rest of the Elantra lineup. At just over $25,000, it’s only slightly thirstier than the Ioniq — but it makes a different statement. 

4. 2022 Honda Insight: 52 mpg

The 2022 Honda Insight

Honda

If you want to get in on Honda’s rival to the Prius and Ioniq, you’d better act fast. This sleek hybrid is an appealing, underrated choice Honda HMC, -3.67% is cutting after 2022 as the company (once again) shifts toward an upcoming hybrid version of its Civic. Its fuel economy is 55 mpg in the city and 49 on the highway. 

5. 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid: 52 mpg

This year, Toyota is offering just a single trim level of its Corolla Hybrid: the reasonably equipped LE trim. It nets 53 mpg city/52 mpg highway. With standard adaptive cruise control, proximity key, and dual-zone automatic climate control, it’s better equipped than its sub-$25,000 price tag might suggest. 

6. 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid LE: 52 mpg

With a big 4-cylinder engine, a spacious cabin, and plenty of standard convenience and safety tech, the Toyota Camry Hybrid is a top choice among mid-size sedans with terrific fuel economy numbers. The LE version is thriftier than other trims, with 51 city/53 highway mpg, so you may be willing to overlook its dull hubcaps for a 6-mpg improvement.

7. 2022 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Blue: 52 mpg

Take everything we like about the Hyundai Elantra and stretch it into a midsize sedan nearly as frugal, and you’ll get the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Blue, netting 50 mpg in the city and 54 on the highway. Be careful about which version of the Sonata Hybrid you shop for since the entry-level Blue model offers an improvement of five mpg combined over other versions.

Related: 10 top hybrids for less than $30,000

Non-hybrid, gas-powered models

The addition of an electric motor that assists when cruising and accelerating makes hybrid models more frugal than their gas-only counterparts. It also makes them more expensive, though, so you may have to do some math to decide whether a hybrid is worth it.

Here’s a look at the five most frugal non-hybrid, gas-powered cars.

8. 2022 Mitsubishi Mirage: 39 mpg

The Mitsubishi Mirage

Mitsubishi

With its itty-bitty 3-cylinder engine rated at just 78 horsepower, the Mitsubishi MMTOF, +6.34% Mirage is an inexpensive subcompact hatchback that will not win any impromptu stoplight drag races. It will, however, save you money any way you look at it. Starting at under $16,000, it comes reasonably well-equipped with features, and it sips fuel at a rate of just 39 mpg combined. 

9. 2022 Hyundai Elantra: 37 mpg

The Hyundai Elantra

Hyundai

Versions of the Elantra sedan with the 2.0-liter inline-4 and the continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) are tops among compact cars in fuel economy. The EPA says the typical driver will spend about $1,650 on fuel annually versus $1,150 for the Elantra Hybrid Blue. Hyundai charges $3,200 more for an Elantra Hybrid Blue than it does a similar Elantra SEL, though they have slightly different equipment (the hybrid has heated front seats, for instance). That works out to a little over six years to break even. 

You might like: Why a plug-in hybrid might be your best choice

10. 2022 Honda Civic: 36 mpg

The sedan version of the latest Honda Civic delivers an impressive 36 mpg combined when it’s fitted with a CVT and optional turbocharged powertrain. That turbo enables more power from a smaller engine, which combines with the CVT’s ability to keep engine revs low when cruising to sip down fuel at a slow rate. The EPA rates the Civic’s fuel economy as 33 mpg city/42 highway. 

11. 2022 Kia Rio: 36 mpg

The Kia Rio

Kia

The Kia Rio 000270, +1.82% and Hyundai Accent are models that share engines, transmissions, and platforms. That’s also why they have identical fuel economy: 33 city, 41 highway, and 36 combined. But the Rio has a lower starting price, so it earns the higher spot. And with the Rio, you take the Accent and spice it up with Kia’s somewhat racier styling inside and out. 

12. 2022 Hyundai Accent: 36 mpg

Hyundai’s smallest car doesn’t offer a lot of power, but its 36 mpg combined means it also doesn’t use much fuel. This small sedan costs just a little more than the Mitsubishi Mirage, and while it’s not quite as thrifty, the Hyundai has a far more spacious interior and a more refined feel. 

This story originally ran on Autotrader.com.

Source: MarketWatch.com

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