FUEL-EFFICIENT CARS
Breaking down the best models for efficiency, according to class
While electric vehicles are all the rage, there’s still something to be said for the internal combustion engine.
Fuel efficiency has come a long way, especially in the last decade, and now there’s an option for just about every class of vehicle.
If you’re looking for fuel efficiency absent of any other factors, then there’s a group of usual suspects you should consider. From Volkswagen, the Golf and Jetta will both do roughly seven litres per 100 kilometres. So, too, will the Honda Accord and Chevrolet Spark. The Kia Rio, Nissan Versa, Toyota Corolla Hatchback, Honda Civic and Hyundai Accent all claim around 6.7 litres per 100 km.
But if you have a specific need in mind for your vehicle, such as size, towing capacity or even — dare we say it — having fun, here’s a handy guide to know which vehicles will let you go the furthest on a single tank.
Two-seater: Mazda MX-5 Fuel economy: 7.8 L/100 km Price: From $33,200 No surprises here. The MX-5’s light weight and 2.0-litre Skyactiv engine give it an edge in fuel efficiency. Just note that the automatic transmission variant is slightly more efficient than the manual for highway driving.
Subcompact: Chevrolet Spark Fuel economy: 7.1 L/100 km Price: From $10,398 What may be a surprise is to see Chevrolet outperforming Japanese and South Korean rivals in this segment with the Spark. While the CVT variant may cost an extra $6,000 more than the manual version, it also offers better fuel economy in the city.
Compact: Toyota Corolla Hybrid
Fuel economy: 4.5 L/100 km Price: From $25,090
Is a hybrid cheating? We’ll leave that for the comment section to decide. You’ll still need to visit the gas pumps in a Corolla Hybrid, just significantly less thanks to its 1.8-litre four-cylinder DOHC engine, an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (ECVT) and, of course, Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD).
Midsize: Toyota Prius
Fuel economy: 4.5 L/100 km Price: From $28,850
We tend to think of the Prius as a compact car, but the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies it as a “midsize” car. The Prius achieves the same fuel economy as the Corolla Hybrid, utilizing the same 1.8-litre engine, ECVT and HSD systems.
Large: Hyundai IONIQ hybrid
Fuel economy: 4 L/100 km Price: From $25,649
The IONIQ hybrid claims to be Canada’s most fuel-efficient car and fueleconomy.gov seems to support that claim. For some, the IONIQ has a lot in common with the 840-horsepower Dodge Demon. Both vehicles have figured out how to squeeze the absolute most out of the internal combustion engine – they just have different definitions of what “most” is.
Small Station Wagon: Kia Niro
Fuel economy: 4.7 L/100 km Price: From $25,649
Is the Kia Niro a station wagon? According to the EPA it is. The Niro uses many familiar tricks to achieve its impressive fuel economy, including a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder engine with variable valve timing, coupled to a permanent magnet synchronous motor — a similar setup to that of Toyota’s hybrids. However, while Toyota has opted for CVT gearboxes in its hybrids, the Niro has a six-speed, dualclutch unit. Midsize Station Wagon: Volvo V60 FWD
Fuel economy: 9 L/100 km Price: From $46,900 While its fuel economy doesn’t seem very impressive when keeping with some of the companies on this list, it’s not too shabby considering the overall size of the Volvo V60. Keeping things in a front-wheel-drive configuration, combined with the 2.0-litre engine and eightspeed automatic transmission help make the V60 the king of wagons as far as efficiency goes.
Small Sport Utility Vehicle: Ford Escape SEL Hybrid
Fuel economy: 5.7 L/100 km
Price: From $34,499
This is a huge win for Ford. Outside of pickup trucks (which it also dominates) the small SUV market is the hottest one going. Between the best fuel economy in its class (achieved by utilizing Ford’s 2.5-litre Atkinson-Cycle, four-cylinder engine) and a laundry list of features, the Escape is positioned as a serious competitor in its segment.
Standard Sport Utility Vehicle: Toyota Highlander Hybrid Fuel economy: 6.7 L/100 km Price: From $48,450 Welcome to the only all-wheel drive vehicle on this list. That feature alone makes the Highlander’s fuel economy impressive, never mind its weight and aerodynamic challenges. While the Highlander is equipped with Toyota’s standard HSD system, it uses a larger 2.5-litre, DOHC four-cylinder engine — no doubt necessary to motivate the larger vehicle.
Minivan: Toyota Sienna Hybrid
Fuel economy: 6.5 L/100 km Price: From $39,990
If you read this and thought, “Oh yeah, minivans are still a thing,” you’re not alone. The Sienna Hybrid utilizes the exact same powertrain as the Highlander Hybrid; however, it manages to achieve an even better fuel economy rating perhaps because of its standard front-wheel drivetrain and more slippery shape.
Small Pickup Truck: Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon 2WD
Fuel economy: 10.2 L/100 km Price: From $44.883 True, 10.2 litres isn’t great fuel economy, but you don’t buy any pickup truck to save on trips to the pumps. You buy a pickup before it has torque. And luckily, GM’s 2.8-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder is not only the most efficient engine you can get in a small pickup, but it also delivers a very healthy 369 lb.ft. of torque at 2,000 r.p.m.
Standard Pickup Truck:
Chevrolet Silverado 2WD Fuel economy: 8.7 L/100 km Price: From $54.628
GM wins again here. This time with its 3.0-litre turbodiesel sixcylinder mated to an automatic 10-speed transmission. And it may be that last piece, the 10speed, that allows the Silverado to achieve better mileage than the smaller Colorado while still delivering a whopping 460 lb.-ft. of torque at just 1,500 r.p.m.