Top 10: The EPA Gives Us Its 10 Fuel Sippers From 1984 to 2010, Notice Anything Weird?

Searching for a fuel sipper? One of those legendary cars that refuses to gulp from the pumps? Thanks to the EPA, we have a list that will provide some insight.

As AutoSavant points out, there is one correlation in this top 10 list; all of the cars are either hybrids or very small cars from the 90s. Either that or it is a Honda.

So, what's this mean going forward? With an increase in safety regulations, which does not bode well for keeping vehicles lighter, it appears that we may be fighting an uphill battle in terms of achieving better MPG numbers.

**Please make note, the only modern cars on the list are the 2010 Toyota Prius, 2010 Honda Insight and '06 - 2010 Honda Civic Hybrid.

Keeping this in mind, it looks like we're going to have to start shelling out some serious dough to keep upping technological advancements OR we're going to have to give in with some of these safety regulations.

Personally, I am a firm believer in Darwinism.

Who's with me?

The US Environmental Protection Agency issued a news release yesterday that listed the top-ten fuel sippers from the period 1984 to 2010.  During the 17 model years in question, one common theme among the most-efficient vehicles is that they are either hybrids, or very small cars from the early 1990s.  The lesson:  if you want to save fuel, you either need significant technology or very light cars.  And very light, cheap cars (like the 1989 Chevy Sprint) fare very poorly in collisions.  The list of most fuel-efficient new cars according to EPA ratings from 1984-2010 are below (numbers are presented as city/highway/combined, and are adjusted to the 2008 and later methodology):

 

1. 2000 Honda Insight 5MT CVT (49/61/53)
2. 2010 Toyota Prius (51/48/50)
3. 1986 Chevrolet Sprint ER 5MT (44/53/48)
4. 1990-1994 Geo Metro XFI 5MT (43/52/47)
5. 1986-87 Honda Civic Coupe HF 5MT (42/51/46)
6. 1994-95 Honda Civic Hatchback VX 5MT (39/50/43)
7. 2006-2010 Honda Civic Hybrid CVT (40/45/42)
8. 2010 Honda Insight CVT (40/43/41)
9. 2001-2003 Toyota Prius CVT (42/41/40)
10. 1989 Chevrolet Sprint/Suzuki Swift 5MT (38/45/41)

[Source: AutoSavant]








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uaw_lax - 6/10/2010 1:57:28 AM

0 Boost

"Top 10: The EPA Gives Us Its 10 Fuel Sippers From 1984 to 2010, Notice Anything Weird?"

Yea these cars are for wusses.

BondMI6 - 6/10/2010 2:42:48 AM

-2 Boost

Of course- the "Save the Rainforests" Clinton days were full of these cars.

Well, no thanks- I'll stick with my 2mpg 6.3 litre fuel guzzlin AMG/Ford Excursion........

monster - 6/10/2010 9:41:18 AM

+3 Boost

If you can afford the gas then all the power to you. However, with the gas prices rising, the salaries remaining stagnant and increasing inflation, lots of people are rethinking about automobiles MPGs. I agree there should be a balance of power and mpgs but lately, people are more conscious about mpgs. Do I want to drive a Prius? No. But give me a Maxima with the MPG of a Prius then yes.

528i - 6/10/2010 3:46:18 AM

+3 Boost

The Honda insight is moving backward.

M35MT - 6/11/2010 12:26:46 PM

+1 Boost

seriously, that car is a true dud.

truckman - 6/10/2010 4:39:43 AM

+1 Boost

I'll take the safety first approach, I would rather live closer to my work and drive a large truck instead of owning a Civic, although it is a nice economical car, just not very fun.

truckman - 6/10/2010 2:57:30 PM

-1 Boost

My future construction hauler will bring me to remote locations over rough snow covered terrain, camping, and I don't mean boring camp sites with drunks everywhere...Adventure, And it can haul my art around along with dead animals when I go hunting or fishing. And yes a sports car would be more fun to drive on the road, then again with the economic down turn the police have been fundraising more from "speeders" .

Steve - 6/10/2010 8:21:36 AM

+5 Boost

One of Honda's corporate values, from way back, is fuel economy. And it shows. This also explains why you are unlikely to encounter a Honda muscle car.

uaw_lax - 6/10/2010 1:07:16 PM

-3 Boost

Or honda ever being known for thrills.

veyron1001 - 6/10/2010 10:58:06 AM

+5 Boost

9 of 10 are Japanese. It is the same with motorcycles as well.

thstone - 6/10/2010 1:23:59 PM

+4 Boost

Smaller cars are the new trend.

With a smaller car, you can add safety features and not increase overall weight. Lower weight means smaller/less powerful engines (that are highly efficient) can maintain power-to-weight ratio which is the key criteria for driving excitment.

This is the ONLY way that manufacturers will be able to meet the new CAFE standards:

Less weight + smaller engine = same performance + higher MPG

rxh8me9000 - 6/11/2010 3:06:33 AM

+1 Boost

It seems like the opposite to me. Bigger cars are the trend now. Every coupe or sedan I can think of has grown noticeably from its previous model.Even the new hybrids arnt that small anymore.