Best Mileage for Hybrids and Alternative-Fuel Vehicles

Each year, the Environmental Protection Agency compiles its Fuel Economy Guide to educate car buyers on fuel-efficient vehicles. The following hybrid and alternative-fuel cars, trucks and SUVs have the best fuel economy within the listed vehicle classes. All segment ranges and averages include both automatic-transmission cars and manual-transmission cars; only automatics are listed, however, due to popularity.

Hybrid Cars and SUVs
Each class includes the 2009 gas-electric vehicles with the best mileage estimates in that category.
Class LeadersCity MPGHighway MPG
Passenger Cars (Range: 20-48; Avg.: 31/34)
Toyota Prius4845
Honda Civic Hybrid4045
SUVs (Range: 20-34; Avg.: 26/25)
Ford Escape Hybrid (2WD)3431
Mazda Tribute Hybrid* (2WD)3431
Mercury Mariner Hybrid (2WD)3431
Trucks (Range: 20-22; Avg.: 21/21)
Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid (2WD)2122
GMC Sierra Hybrid (2WD)2122

*Only available in California.

2WD = two-wheel drive

Source: EPA's 2009 Fuel Economy Guide

Ethanol Flexible-Fuel Cars, Trucks and SUVs
Each class includes the 2009 flexible-fuel vehicles with the best mileage estimates in that category. These vehicles are designed to run on either gas or E85, which is a mixture of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gas. Mileage estimates are for vehicles using E85 fuel only.
Class LeadersCity MPGHighway MPG
Passenger Cars (Range: 12-23; Avg.: 13/19)
Chevrolet HHR1622
Chevrolet Impala1422
SUVs (Range: 9-16; Avg.: 10/14)
Chevrolet Tahoe (2WD)1116
GMC Yukon (2WD)1116
Pickup Trucks (Range: 9-16; Avg.: 10/13)
Chevrolet Silverado (2WD)1116
GMC Sierra (2WD)1116
Minivans (Range: 11-16; Avg.: 11/16)
Chrysler Town & Country1116
Dodge Grand Caravan1116

2WD = two-wheel drive

Source: EPA's 2009 Fuel Economy Guide

Diesel Cars and SUVs
Each class includes the 2009 diesel vehicles with the best mileage estimates in that category. Mileage estimates are for automatic-transmission vehicles only.
Class LeadersCity MPGHighway MPG
Passenger Cars (Range: 23-41; Avg.: 26/36)
Volkswagen Jetta2940
Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec2332
SUVs (Range: 17-24; Avg.: 18/24)
Mercedes-Benz ML3201824
Mercedes-Benz R3201824

Source: EPA's 2009 Fuel Economy Guide

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