MPG Buddy Fuel economy and gas mileage for every car, 1984 to today

The 100 most fuel-efficient cars in 1989

The 100 most fuel-efficient cars of the 1989 model year, ranked by combined MPG and MPGe. The data comes straight from the EPA fuel economy dataset and includes both gasoline cars and electric vehicles.

Combined MPG (or MPGe for electric vehicles) is the EPA's headline efficiency figure. It blends a city test cycle and a highway test cycle, weighted 55% city and 45% highway, into a single number that lets you compare cars across the entire dataset.

Electric vehicles dominate the very top of the ranking because moving electrons through a motor is several times more efficient than burning gasoline. If you are shopping for a regular gasoline car, scroll down to the second table, which excludes battery-electric vehicles.

All 1989 vehicles, including electric

Every 1989 model year vehicle the EPA rated, sorted by combined MPG from highest to lowest. Battery electric vehicles use MPGe, which converts their electricity use into a gasoline-equivalent figure so the ranking remains on a single scale.

# Make and model Combined MPG(e) Annual fuel cost
1 Geo Metro 47 MPG $1,250
2 Honda Civic CRX HF 44 MPG $1,350
3 Suzuki Swift GA 36 MPG $1,650
4 Chevrolet Sprint 34 MPG $1,750
5 Chevrolet Turbo Sprint 34 MPG $1,750
6 Daihatsu Charade 34 MPG $1,750
7 Daihatsu Charade E 34 MPG $1,750
8 Ford Festiva 34 MPG $1,750
9 Geo Metro LSI 34 MPG $1,750
10 Pontiac Firefly 34 MPG $1,750
11 Pontiac Turbo Firefly 34 MPG $1,750
12 Suzuki Swift 34 MPG $1,750
13 Volkswagen Golf 34 MPG $2,400
14 Volkswagen Jetta 34 MPG $2,400
15 Subaru Justy 30 MPG $2,000
16 Geo Spectrum 28 MPG $2,150
17 Honda Civic CRX 28 MPG $2,150
18 Isuzu I-Mark 28 MPG $2,150
19 Pontiac Sunburst 28 MPG $2,150
20 Mercedes-Benz 190D 2.5 27 MPG $3,000
21 Subaru Justy 4WD 27 MPG $2,200
22 Dodge Colt 26 MPG $2,300
23 Honda Civic 26 MPG $2,300
24 Honda Civic Wagon 26 MPG $2,300
25 Hyundai Excel 26 MPG $2,300
26 Mitsubishi Precis 26 MPG $2,300
27 Plymouth Colt 26 MPG $2,300
28 Pontiac Lemans 26 MPG $2,300
29 Toyota Tercel 26 MPG $2,300
30 Yugo GV/GVX 26 MPG $2,300
31 Buick Skyhawk 25 MPG $2,400
32 Buick Skyhawk Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
33 Chevrolet Cavalier 25 MPG $2,400
34 Chevrolet Cavalier Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
35 Dodge Colt Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
36 Eagle Summit 25 MPG $2,400
37 Ford Escort 25 MPG $2,400
38 Geo Tracker Convertible 4WD 25 MPG $2,400
39 Mitsubishi Mirage 25 MPG $2,400
40 Mitsubishi Mirage Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
41 Nissan Sentra 25 MPG $2,400
42 Nissan Sentra Coupe 25 MPG $2,400
43 Nissan Sentra Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
44 Plymouth Colt Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
45 Suzuki Samurai Convertible 25 MPG $2,400
46 Suzuki Samurai Hardtop 25 MPG $2,400
47 Suzuki Sidekick Convertible 4WD 25 MPG $2,400
48 Toyota Celica Convertible 25 MPG $2,400
49 Toyota Corolla 25 MPG $2,400
50 Toyota Corolla Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
51 Acura Integra 24 MPG $2,500
52 Buick Century Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
53 Buick Skylark 24 MPG $2,500
54 Chevrolet Beretta 24 MPG $2,500
55 Chevrolet Corsica 24 MPG $2,500
56 Dodge Aries 24 MPG $2,500
57 Dodge Omni 24 MPG $2,500
58 Ford Escort Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
59 Ford Laser 24 MPG $2,500
60 Mazda 323 24 MPG $2,500
61 Mercury Tracer 24 MPG $2,500
62 Mercury Tracer Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
63 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais 24 MPG $2,500
64 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser 24 MPG $2,500
65 Plymouth Horizon 24 MPG $2,500
66 Plymouth Reliant 24 MPG $2,500
67 Pontiac 6000 Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
68 Subaru Hatchback 4WD 24 MPG $2,500
69 Suzuki Swift GTI 24 MPG $2,500
70 Toyota Camry Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
71 Toyota MR2 24 MPG $2,500
72 Volkswagen Fox 24 MPG $2,500
73 Volkswagen Fox Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
74 Buick Century 23 MPG $2,600
75 Chevrolet Celebrity 23 MPG $2,600
76 Chevrolet Celebrity Wagon 23 MPG $2,600
77 Chrysler LeBaron GTS 23 MPG $2,600
78 Dodge 600 23 MPG $2,600
79 Dodge Colt Wagon 4WD 23 MPG $2,600
80 Dodge Lancer 23 MPG $2,600
81 Dodge Shadow 23 MPG $2,600
82 Dodge Shadow Convertible 23 MPG $2,600
83 Dodge Spirit 23 MPG $2,600
84 Geo Prizm 23 MPG $2,600
85 Geo Tracker Hardtop 4WD 23 MPG $2,600
86 Honda Accord 23 MPG $2,600
87 Honda Civic Wagon 4WD 23 MPG $2,600
88 Mazda 323 Wagon 23 MPG $2,600
89 Nissan Pulsar NX 23 MPG $2,600
90 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera 23 MPG $2,600
91 Plymouth Acclaim 23 MPG $2,600
92 Plymouth Caravelle 23 MPG $2,600
93 Plymouth Colt Wagon 4WD 23 MPG $2,600
94 Plymouth Sundance 23 MPG $2,600
95 Plymouth Sundance Convertible 23 MPG $2,600
96 Pontiac 6000 23 MPG $2,600
97 Pontiac Sunbird 23 MPG $2,600
98 Subaru XT 23 MPG $2,600
99 Subaru XT-DL 23 MPG $2,600
100 Suzuki Sidekick Hardtop 4WD 23 MPG $2,600

Most efficient 1989 gasoline cars

The same 1989 ranking with battery electric vehicles removed. Hybrids and plug-in hybrids appear because they run primarily on gasoline. This is the table to use when shopping for a conventional car, since comparing a pure EV to a regular gas car on a per-gallon basis tends to mislead more than it informs.

# Make and model Combined MPG Annual fuel cost
1 Geo Metro 47 MPG $1,250
2 Honda Civic CRX HF 44 MPG $1,350
3 Suzuki Swift GA 36 MPG $1,650
4 Chevrolet Sprint 34 MPG $1,750
5 Chevrolet Turbo Sprint 34 MPG $1,750
6 Daihatsu Charade 34 MPG $1,750
7 Daihatsu Charade E 34 MPG $1,750
8 Ford Festiva 34 MPG $1,750
9 Geo Metro LSI 34 MPG $1,750
10 Pontiac Firefly 34 MPG $1,750
11 Pontiac Turbo Firefly 34 MPG $1,750
12 Suzuki Swift 34 MPG $1,750
13 Volkswagen Golf 34 MPG $2,400
14 Volkswagen Jetta 34 MPG $2,400
15 Subaru Justy 30 MPG $2,000
16 Geo Spectrum 28 MPG $2,150
17 Honda Civic CRX 28 MPG $2,150
18 Isuzu I-Mark 28 MPG $2,150
19 Pontiac Sunburst 28 MPG $2,150
20 Mercedes-Benz 190D 2.5 27 MPG $3,000
21 Subaru Justy 4WD 27 MPG $2,200
22 Dodge Colt 26 MPG $2,300
23 Honda Civic 26 MPG $2,300
24 Honda Civic Wagon 26 MPG $2,300
25 Hyundai Excel 26 MPG $2,300
26 Mitsubishi Precis 26 MPG $2,300
27 Plymouth Colt 26 MPG $2,300
28 Pontiac Lemans 26 MPG $2,300
29 Toyota Tercel 26 MPG $2,300
30 Yugo GV/GVX 26 MPG $2,300
31 Buick Skyhawk 25 MPG $2,400
32 Buick Skyhawk Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
33 Chevrolet Cavalier 25 MPG $2,400
34 Chevrolet Cavalier Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
35 Dodge Colt Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
36 Eagle Summit 25 MPG $2,400
37 Ford Escort 25 MPG $2,400
38 Geo Tracker Convertible 4WD 25 MPG $2,400
39 Mitsubishi Mirage 25 MPG $2,400
40 Mitsubishi Mirage Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
41 Nissan Sentra 25 MPG $2,400
42 Nissan Sentra Coupe 25 MPG $2,400
43 Nissan Sentra Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
44 Plymouth Colt Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
45 Suzuki Samurai Convertible 25 MPG $2,400
46 Suzuki Samurai Hardtop 25 MPG $2,400
47 Suzuki Sidekick Convertible 4WD 25 MPG $2,400
48 Toyota Celica Convertible 25 MPG $2,400
49 Toyota Corolla 25 MPG $2,400
50 Toyota Corolla Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
51 Acura Integra 24 MPG $2,500
52 Buick Century Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
53 Buick Skylark 24 MPG $2,500
54 Chevrolet Beretta 24 MPG $2,500
55 Chevrolet Corsica 24 MPG $2,500
56 Dodge Aries 24 MPG $2,500
57 Dodge Omni 24 MPG $2,500
58 Ford Escort Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
59 Ford Laser 24 MPG $2,500
60 Mazda 323 24 MPG $2,500
61 Mercury Tracer 24 MPG $2,500
62 Mercury Tracer Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
63 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais 24 MPG $2,500
64 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser 24 MPG $2,500
65 Plymouth Horizon 24 MPG $2,500
66 Plymouth Reliant 24 MPG $2,500
67 Pontiac 6000 Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
68 Subaru Hatchback 4WD 24 MPG $2,500
69 Suzuki Swift GTI 24 MPG $2,500
70 Toyota Camry Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
71 Toyota MR2 24 MPG $2,500
72 Volkswagen Fox 24 MPG $2,500
73 Volkswagen Fox Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
74 Buick Century 23 MPG $2,600
75 Chevrolet Celebrity 23 MPG $2,600
76 Chevrolet Celebrity Wagon 23 MPG $2,600
77 Chrysler LeBaron GTS 23 MPG $2,600
78 Dodge 600 23 MPG $2,600
79 Dodge Colt Wagon 4WD 23 MPG $2,600
80 Dodge Lancer 23 MPG $2,600
81 Dodge Shadow 23 MPG $2,600
82 Dodge Shadow Convertible 23 MPG $2,600
83 Dodge Spirit 23 MPG $2,600
84 Geo Prizm 23 MPG $2,600
85 Geo Tracker Hardtop 4WD 23 MPG $2,600
86 Honda Accord 23 MPG $2,600
87 Honda Civic Wagon 4WD 23 MPG $2,600
88 Mazda 323 Wagon 23 MPG $2,600
89 Nissan Pulsar NX 23 MPG $2,600
90 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera 23 MPG $2,600
91 Plymouth Acclaim 23 MPG $2,600
92 Plymouth Caravelle 23 MPG $2,600
93 Plymouth Colt Wagon 4WD 23 MPG $2,600
94 Plymouth Sundance 23 MPG $2,600
95 Plymouth Sundance Convertible 23 MPG $2,600
96 Pontiac 6000 23 MPG $2,600
97 Pontiac Sunbird 23 MPG $2,600
98 Subaru XT 23 MPG $2,600
99 Subaru XT-DL 23 MPG $2,600
100 Suzuki Sidekick Hardtop 4WD 23 MPG $2,600

Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset.