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EPA reveals top 10 most fuel-efficient cars since 1984, original Honda Insight takes top honors

Autoblog Staff — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Sedan, Hatchback

Top Ten EPA-rated Fuel Sippers (1984 to present) - Click above for image gallery

Fuel efficiency has increased dramatically in the last decade, or at least that's what we've been told. So it might come as a surprise to find out that six of the Top Ten EPA-rated Fuel Sippers from 1984 to present were built prior to 2000. Don't believe it? We didn't either, but this info comes straight from the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) website, the authoritative source on this fuel efficiency stuff.

While some current vehicles, such as the 2010 Toyota Prius, 2010 Honda Insight and the 2006-2010 Honda Civic Hybrid, garnered a spot on the top ten list, it's really older lightweight models like the 1986 Chevy Sprint ER or 1990-1994 Geo Metro XFI that make it obvious efficiency hasn't come as far as we'd like to think.

Overall, Honda holds top honors for automakers with five models present on the list, while Toyota's Prius made its mark twice. All of the vehicles on the list run with either 3- or 4-cylinder engines and five out of the top ten rely on hybrid motivation. The overall winner, the 2000 Honda Insight (pictured above), scores a combined rating of 53 miles per gallon, a number that exceeds even the modern-day Prius by three mpg.

In many cases, we've been mistakenly led to believe that buying a new car equates to increased efficiency, but this list clearly shows that many of the relics from days gone by can easily hold their own with the most efficient vehicles made today. However, finding a running example of some of these old fuel sippers may prove impossible and we'd venture to guess that many of them are far from safe to drive by today's standards. Check out all ten fuel sippers in our gallery below.

Gallery: Top Ten EPA-rated Fuel Sippers (1984 to present)

[Source: Environmental Protection Agency]

EPA reveals top 10 most fuel-efficient cars since 1984, original Honda Insight takes top honors originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford claims biggest five-year fuel economy improvement among major automakers

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:25:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Ford

Ford 1.6-liter EcoBoost - Click above for high-res image gallery

According to the latest report from the Environmental Protection Agency, Ford has scored the biggest improvement in combined fuel economy of any major carmaker over the last five years. Between 2005 and 2009, Ford improved its fleet average by nearly 20 percent - almost twice as much as any other company. While Ford certainly made a lot of incremental improvements in the efficiency of its vehicles over that period, that wasn't the only factor.

That same time period saw a huge shift in the model mix at Ford. Sales of SUVs like the Explorer and Expedition collapsed as consumers moved to crossovers like the Edge and Flex (oh, and we suppose a car or two). The Explorer has gone from more than 400,000 annual sales earlier this decade to just over 68,000 last year.

Ford has made actual improvements, as well, however, including the introduction of the Escape Hybrid and the roll out of six-speed transmissions. The next five years should see even bigger gains as Ford deploys millions of EcoBoost engines, battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Ford's official press release is after the jump.

Gallery: Ford 1.6-liter EcoBoost

[Source: Ford]

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Ford claims biggest five-year fuel economy improvement among major automakers originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai tops list as most fuel efficient automaker in the U.S.

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:59:00 EST

Filed under: Hyundai

Quick - name the most fuel efficient automobile brand in America. Did you say Toyota? Honda? Surely, you're not alone, but incorrect all the same. In fact, the answer is none other than Hyundai, which publicly set out to nab the title just one year ago. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Hyundai cars averaged 30.1 miles per gallon for the 2009 model year.

Rounding out the top five are Honda (29.7 mpg), Volkswagen (29.6), Toyota (29.4) and Kia (28.0). Naturally, we can expect all of these figures to continue rising in the coming years as every automaker strives to meet the upcoming 35.5 mpg U.S. standard for the 2016 model year.

Hyundai promises to meet that requirement with such technologies as direct injection, turbocharging, hybrid powertrains and lithium polymer batteries. The Korean automaker's first hybrid vehicle will be the 2011 Sonata sedan, which will hit the market early next year. Click past the break for the press release.

[Source: Hyundai]

Continue reading Hyundai tops list as most fuel efficient automaker in the U.S.

Hyundai tops list as most fuel efficient automaker in the U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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