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These are the hybrids that get the most miles per gallon in CR’s exclusive real-world fuel-economy tests
If you’re in the market for a new car as gas prices hover around $5 per gallon, a hybrid might be on your list. Hybrid vehicles combine a gasoline engine and a battery-powered electric motor to provide optimum fuel economy. But unlike fully electric vehicles, they don’t need to be plugged in. Hybrids come in all shapes and sizes, and some will start saving you money on your first fill-up compared with a similar traditional model.
But if you’re buying a car with fuel economy in mind, you’ll want to know exactly what kind of mileage to expect in real-world driving. That’s where Consumer Reports comes in. We perform fuel-economy tests on every car we purchase and test, including the latest and best-selling hybrids on the market. We evaluate fuel economy under standardized conditions, using a specific procedure on our test track to calculate stop-and-go city-driving numbers, and a 5-mile stretch of a nearby high-speed road for highway mileage. (Learn more about how Consumer Reports tests cars.)
Below, you’ll find the vehicles that get the best fuel economy overall—all over 35 mpg—ranked in order of their fuel economy. We calculated the payoff time using $5 per gallon for gas and comparing the sticker price for the hybrid and the most comparable nonhybrid version.
For more on fuel economy, we have a complete guide to the most fuel-efficient cars, trucks, and SUVs on the market today.
Depending on your needs, it might also be worth considering a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV), which offers a short electric-only range until the gas engine kicks in, and may be an especially good choice for commuters who can charge at home and/or work. And if you’re really looking to save, check out our list of pure electric vehicles—which our analysis shows could save you up to $10,000 in fuel and maintenance costs and help offset the typically higher purchase price of EVs.
When looking at the vehicles below we are working with the manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) in making the payoff time comparisons. Unfortunately, car-dealer markups are likely to cut into some of that savings or extend the payoff time.
If you’re a CR member, this article and the list below are already available to you. But if you haven’t signed up, click below and become a member to access the list and all our exclusive ratings and reviews for each vehicle we buy and test. Joining also gives you full access to exclusive ratings and reviews for every product we buy and test, including grills, mobile phones, appliances, and flat-panel TVs.
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