10 Most Fuel Efficient First Cars (Gas & Hybrid Models)
Good first cars need to be economical and, besides inexpensive upkeep, fuel economy is crucial.
Small vehicles are your best bet if you want the most fuel-efficient first car.
Fuel-Efficient First Cars (Gas)
#1 Hyundai Accent
Hyundai vehicles offer the longest warranty coverage and the best value in their respective classes.
Thankfully, the brand makes an extra-small sedan, the Hyundai Accent, capable of zipping around town with the occasional highway drive, needing a meager one gallon of fuel every 36 miles.
It is also one of the most fuel-efficient among traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.
Even though a subcompact, the Accent boasts a spacious interior with solid build quality and a relatively quiet and comfortable ride considering its size.
Plus, it’s easy to see out of the Accent in all directions, thanks to the low hood, dashboard, and trunk and a generous glass area to car dimensions ratio.
If you want a used Hyundai Accent to lower your upfront investment, a ten-year-old model still clocks above 30 mpg combined and costs under $8,000.
#2 Kia Rio
Kia vehicles are excellent first cars due to their affordability, extensive feature list, long warranty, and overall value for money.
Available as a sedan or hatchback, the Kia Rio is as efficient as the similarly-sized Accent, achieving 36 mpg in mixed driving.
It is easy to drive, and its diminutive size means parking and maneuvering the Rio in tight urban spaces is a breeze.
The Rio has impressive build quality for a price-conscious vehicle where commuting from point A to point B reliably matters most.
It costs no more than $17k, brand-new, for the standard model, while a fifteen-year-old is super-affordable at below $7k.
You don’t need to worry about a used Rio’s fuel efficiency:
- a decade-old model can achieve 31 mpg combined, while
- a fifteen-year-old one still manages 29 mpg overall.
It is an all-around smart pick for small-first-car shoppers, regardless of age.
#3 Nissan Versa
It is the cheapest subcompact, brand-new, and the extra-small Nissan Versa is a fuel-thrifty first car.
The latest-generation Versa returns a high of 35 mpg combined with the 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine; older models’ consumption doesn’t fall below 27 mpg, regardless of the model year or trim level.
Besides the frugal engine, the Versa has:
- Good visibility.
- Spacious cabin.
- Sizable trunk – between 17 cubic ft. and 14 cubic feet, depending on the model year.
- Plenty of safety features.
That said, the ride is only pretty comfortable but only as good as a subcompact car at this price point can be.
#4 Honda Civic
The Honda Civic is a highly recognizable nameplate and super-popular among new drivers looking for an economical but solid first car.
It consistently returns near or the highest fuel economy among compact cars.
While the thrifty Civic model years of the past two decades can achieve between 29 mpg and 35 mpg overall, its other achievements and reputation are worth mentioning:
- One of the most reliable first cars.
- Rocksolid first car with excellent safety ratings.
- Sharp handling that makes the car fun to drive.
- Roomy cabin and cargo.
Impressively, the fuel-efficient engine is powerful and more than adequate for daily use.
For those who desire more power, the Civic Si and Civic Type R hot hatch are available; they are superior in their respective classes.
The regular, non-Type R Civic hatchback is available for those who need broader versatility, approximately a thousand dollars more than the sedan body.
#5 Hyundai Elantra
The Elantra typically produces less horsepower than its direct rival, the Honda Civic, but it has an impressive fuel economy that beats the Japanese compact.
The seventh-generation Elantra returns a class-leading 37 mpg overall in the base model, while models of the previous twenty years can achieve at least mid-20s-mpg combined.
It is an excellent value-for-money buy with a spacious interior and a host of standard and optional features to suit a broad price range.
User-friendliness is an Elantra strong suit, aiding the good visibility and compact dimensions that make it easy to drive for beginners.
The Elantra is a competent first car that does everything reasonably well, but its fuel efficiency is a massive draw for new drivers needing to save on fuel.
#6 Toyota Corolla
The Toyota Corolla is another trusted model alongside the Honda Civic, but the former has arguably a longer history of serving first car seekers.
Although the latest Corolla isn’t the most frugal, its fuel consumption is segment-competitive at 33 mpg combined; older models share the same trait, a solid choice when buying used.
The Corolla’s endearing (more than half a century old) first-car qualities include:
- Solid crash safety,
- Comfortable ride,
- Good visibility,
- Easy to drive, and
- It is one of the safest first cars that money can buy.
It’s one of the best-selling compact cars and an intelligent choice for young drivers.
The Toyota Corolla Hybrid is available if a considerably higher fuel efficiency appeals (later in this post).
#7 Kia Forte
If you want an affordable Kia as your first car, the compact Forte is worth considering.
It may not be as famous as its established Japanese rivals, but the Kia Forte quietly goes about its business meeting first-car needs.
After three generations and more than two decades of being the segment underdog, the Forte continues to satisfy with:
- Impressive fuel economy – between 29 mpg and 35 mpg combined, depending on the model year.
- Easy to drive with good visibility.
- A respectable list of standard advanced safety features.
If you’re looking for a safe and affordable first car with automatic transmission, the Kia Forte fits the bill.
Further, the latest-generation Forte is a desirable car with aggressive styling.
Fuel-Efficient First Cars (Hybrid)
#8 Toyota Prius & Prius Prime
Hybrid vehicles are ideal for low fuel consumption, although they generally cost a few thousand dollars more than their equivalent-spec gas models.
But if you want maximum fuel efficiency without opting for an even more expensive electric vehicle, the Toyota Prius (hybrid) or Prius Prime (plug-in-hybrid) are no-brainers.
It’s one of the earliest hybrids to hit the road, and its mid-50s-mpg overall today leads the segment.
Even if you opt for a used Prius from the pioneering generation, you still get an impressive 40-plus-mpg average, a frugal first car by any gas-powered standards.
Not only is it thrifty on fuel, but it’s also probably the best hybrid with:
- A quiet cabin that rides comfortably.
- Good visibility and easy to maneuver around town.
- Practical with its hatchback-like body style.
- Solid reliability.
All-wheel-drive is optional but handy for teenage drivers in regions with adverse weather.
#9 Honda Insight
Unlike many hybrid models that started with an internal combustion engine, Honda debuted Insight as a hybrid.
But like the Toyota Prius, the Insight’s first model in 2020 was a hatchback, although its reincarnation in 2019 took on a sedan body.
Insight gave Honda loyalists a pure hybrid model as a compelling alternative to the Toyota Prius.
Its fuel economy is just as impressive, capable of a low-50s-mpg average, only a couple of mpg behind the class-leading Prius.
The older four-door Insight hatchback carries a smaller 1.3-liter hybrid powertrain and returns 42 mpg overall, again closely rivaling the Prius.
Other Insight pluses include:
- Reasonably sporty handling – livelier than the Prius.
- Strong acceleration for a hybrid – quicker than the Prius.
- Roomy and refined interior – again, surpasses the Prius.
The Insight is similar in size to the Civic, and an all-new Civic Hybrid replaces the Insight beginning in 2023 as Honda’s hybrid compact sedan.
#10 Toyota Corolla Hybrid
While the gas-powered Corolla is a mainstay in the compact car segment, the Hybrid version is relatively new, making its debut in 2020 alongside the twelfth-generation standard model.
Crucially, it has all the first-car attributes of the conventional Corolla, except with a considerably more efficient hybrid powertrain.
The Corolla Hybrid matches the Honda Insight with fuel economy just north of 50 mpg in mixed driving.
Although Toyota Corollas have a reputation for uninspired design and handling in the past, the latest generation carries greater appeal with flashier styling and a more premium-feeling interior – qualities you can see in the gas/electric model.
Still, Toyota Corolla, hybrid or otherwise, is a fuel-efficient choice for a first car, regardless of the model year.
References:
https://www.carsforsale.com/used-cars-for-sale
