You might be breathing a little easier about fuel costs these days. But consider this: The average price of gasoline has already rebounded from recent lows, and by historical standards, it's really still not much of a bargain. So don't rule out fuel economy when it comes to your next vehicle. When we at Kiplinger ranked the 2015 cars, we picked winners based on fuel efficiency as well. Let me tell you about a few.
If you're spending less than $20,000, you're not going to find any hybrids or other advanced technology to impress your green-minded friends. But you can buy a really top-notch little car, the Honda Fit LX. It's also Kiplinger's pick for Best New Car. The Fit's revamped 1.5 liter engine now puts out 130 horsepower, while still returning 33 miles per gallon in the city and 41 on the highway.
Selling for a bit over $40,000 is BMW's entry into the alternative-fuel field. The BMW i3 will definitely turn heads with its design, which includes carbon-fiber panels. You can get it in two configurations: Electric only, which will let you cover about 80 miles, or pay more for a range-extender gasoline engine that kicks in to generate electricity, roughly doubling the range. The EPA rating is 137 miles per gallon in the city, 111 on the highway.
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When it comes to pickup trucks, people more often think about payload, reliability and style than fuel economy, which they assume is miserable. But carmakers, who sell an awful lot of trucks, are working hard to crank up their efficiency. Ford built its new Ford F-150 with an aluminum body to save weight. If you pick the 2.7 liter EcoBoost V6, that big ol' pickup turns in 19 MPG in the city, and 26 on the highway. Even if those numbers don't sound so high to you, keep in mind that the F-150 is 10% more efficient than the runner-up, the Chevy Silverado. That difference will save you about $200 a year.
We have 13 other fuel-efficient models to consider. Take a look.
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