What Are the Most Fuel-Efficient 2017 Model-Year Vehicles?
The prices of new cars continue to rise along with the fuel to power them, but shoppers can turn to fuel-efficient used vehicles to minimize sticker shock at the dealership and at the pump. Below is a list of 2017 model-year vehicles with the highest EPA combined fuel-economy ratings, broken down by vehicle type (car, SUV, minivan and pickup truck) and powertrain type (gas-only, hybrid and plug-in hybrid). The median price among Cars.com dealers as of February is provided for each vehicle; it factors in all trim levels of the model listed, not just the most fuel-efficient one.
Related: Best and Worst Gas Mileage 2017
While average used-car prices are also on the rise, they can still offer substantial savings compared to their brand-new counterparts. For example, the 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage tops the list of most fuel-efficient cars with a median price of $12,998 among Cars.com dealers; new 2022 Mirage models have a median price of $17,465 (34% higher). The most efficient pickup, the 2017 Chevy Colorado, has a median price of $30,526, while the 2022 Colorado carries a median price of $35,153 (a 15% premium).
Note that these ratings are all EPA estimates, and your actual mileage may differ depending on a number of factors.
Cars
Below are the most fuel-efficient sedans, hatchbacks and coupes listed in order of the highest combined mpg rating. The Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback takes the top spot for gas-only vehicles, the Hyundai Ioniq is the most efficient hybrid, and the Prius Prime has the highest mpg-equivalent among PHEVs, along with a 25-mile all-electric range and 640 miles of total range.
Gas-Only
- Mitsubishi Mirage: 37/43/39 mpg city/highway/combined; median price: $12,998
- Chevrolet Cruze: 31/47/37 mpg; $16,734
- Honda Fit: 33/40/36 mpg; $18,490
- Honda Civic: 32/42/36 mpg; $22,498
- Jaguar XE: 32/42/36 mpg; $26,990
Hybrids
- Hyundai Ioniq: 57/59/58 mpg; $18,990
- Toyota Prius Eco: 58/53/56 mpg; $23,990
- Toyota Prius: 54/50/52 mpg; $23,990
- Honda Accord Hybrid: 49/47/48 mpg; $24,210
- Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid: 49/43/46 mpg; $20,276
Plug-in Hybrids
- Toyota Prius Prime: 133 mpg-e; 54 combined mpg; $26,590
- BMW i3 REX: 111 mpg-e; 35 combined mpg; $22,684
- Chevrolet Volt: 106 mpg-e; 42 combined mpg; $21,103
- Kia Optima Plug-in Hybrid: 103 mpg-e; 40 combined mpg; $23,990
- Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid: 99 mpg-e; 39 combined mpg; $21,994
SUVs and Wagons
Compact and subcompact vehicles dominate the list of most fuel-efficient used SUVs. The Mazda CX-3 is the most efficient gas-only model, and its newer counterpart also performed well among the most fuel-efficient SUVs in 2021. The CX-3 will soon be discontinued; the CX-30 will take its place as Mazda’s smallest SUV. The Kia Niro leads the hybrid category with 50 mpg combined, and among PHEVs, the BMW X5 eDrive xDrive40e offers the highest rating of 56 mpg-e as well as an all-electric range of 14 miles and 540 miles of total range.
Gas-Only
- Mazda CX-3: 29/34/31 mpg; $20,746
- Subaru Impreza 5-Door: 28/37/31 mpg; $20,000
- Honda HR-V: 28/34/31 mpg; $21,745
- Honda CR-V: 28/34/30 mpg; $26,613
- Buick Encore: 27/33/30 mpg; $19,999
Hybrids
- Kia Niro: 52/49/50 mpg; $20,790
- Toyota Prius v: 43/39/41 mpg; $22,890
- Nissan Rogue Hybrid: 33/35/34; $24,499
- Toyota RAV4 Hybrid: 34/30/32 mpg; $28,000
- Lexus NX 300h: 33/30/31 mpg; $36,990
Plug-in Hybrids
- BMW X5 eDrive xDrive40e: 56 mpg-e, 24 combined mpg; $38,405
- Volvo XC90 Hybrid: 54 mpg-e, 25 combined mpg; $43,995
- Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid: 46 mpg-e, 22 combined mpg; $52,990
- Mercedes-Benz GLE 550e: 43 mpg-e; 21 combined mpg; $42,333
Minivans
The Nissan Quest, which was discontinued after the 2017 model year, is the most fuel-efficient, 5-year-old minivan powered by gas alone. The runner-up, the Chrysler Pacifica, has a relatively efficient gas-only powertrain and is the only minivan to also offer a PHEV model. In addition to efficiency, its quiet ride, spacious interior and convenient Stow ‘n Go seats (in the gas-only model) earned it Cars.com’s Best of 2017 award. The Pacifica Hybrid has an all-electric range of 33 miles and 570 miles of total range.
Gas-Only
- Nissan Quest: 20/27/22 mpg; $16,874
- Chrysler Pacifica: 19/28/22 mpg; $25,998
- Honda Odyssey: 19/27/22 mpg; $27,894
- Toyota Sienna: 19/27/22 mpg; $30,497
- Kia Sedona: 18/25/21 mpg; $22,499
Plug-in Hybrids
- Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid: 84 mpg-e, 32 combined mpg; $31,418
Pickup Trucks
Mid-size pickup trucks come out ahead as the most fuel-efficient options in the category. The Chevy Colorado and its cousin, the GMC Canyon, take the lead with a combined 25 mpg each.
Gas-Only
- Chevrolet Colorado: 22/30/25 mpg; $30,526
- GMC Canyon: 22/30/25 mpg; $31,831
- Ram 1500: 20/27/23 mpg; $32,125
- Ford F-150: 19/26/22 mpg; $36,593
- Honda Ridgeline: 19/26/22 mpg; $30,900
More From Cars.com:
- What Are the Most Fuel-Efficient Cars for 2022?
- How Much Does It Cost to Charge an Electric Car?
- How to Save Money on Gas
- Top 10 Most Efficient Electric Cars
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