The 100 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars in 1990

Have you ever wondered what the most fuel efficient cars manufactured in 1990 are? In this article, we'll list out the best 100 fuel efficient cars from 1990 with information on each of them!

How to Determine Fuel Efficiency

The list of the best fuel efficient cars on this page is based on one simple metric provided to us by the U.S. Department of Energy: the combined miles per gallon (MPG).

This metric is calculated by taking the total miles driven by the car and dividing it by the total gallons of fuel used.

Manufacturers provide this information to the Department of Energy, they provide it to us, and we provide it to you after sifting and organizing it.

The combined miles per gallon (MPG) is a measure of how much fuel the car uses per mile and is a good indicator of how efficient the car is. It's a combination of both city and highway driving, to give you a more overall accurate MPG.

With that out of the way, let's dive into the list. You can click the links in the table below to see more detailed information about each car.

Best 1990 Cars by Miles per Gallon

CarCombined MPGFuel Cost
Geo Metro XFI Manual 5-spd47$1,350
Honda Civic CRX HF Manual 5-spd43$1,450
Chevrolet Sprint Manual 5-spd41$1,550
Geo Metro Manual 5-spd41$1,550
Pontiac Firefly Manual 5-spd41$1,550
Suzuki Swift Manual 5-spd41$1,550
Geo Metro LSI Manual 5-spd40$1,550
Honda Civic CRX HF Manual 5-spd39$1,600
Geo Metro LSI Convertible Manual 5-spd37$1,700
Suzuki Swift Manual 5-spd36$1,750
Chevrolet Turbo Sprint Manual 5-spd34$1,850
Daihatsu Charade Manual 5-spd34$1,850
Pontiac Turbo Firefly Manual 5-spd34$1,850
Volkswagen Jetta Manual 5-spd34$2,250
Chevrolet Sprint Automatic 3-spd33$1,900
Ford Festiva Manual 5-spd33$1,900
Geo Metro Automatic 3-spd33$1,900
Geo Metro LSI Automatic 3-spd33$1,900
Pontiac Firefly Automatic 3-spd33$1,900
Suzuki Swift Automatic 3-spd33$1,900
Daihatsu Charade Manual 5-spd32$1,950
Ford Escort Manual 4-spd32$1,950
Geo Metro LSI Convertible Automatic 3-spd30$2,100
Honda Civic Manual 4-spd30$2,100
Isuzu Stylus Manual 5-spd30$2,100
Pontiac Lemans Manual 5-spd30$2,100
Subaru Justy Manual 5-spd30$2,100
Subaru Justy Automatic (variable gear ratios)30$2,100
Subaru Justy Manual 5-spd30$2,100
Dodge Colt Manual 4-spd29$2,150
Geo Storm Manual 5-spd29$2,150
Honda Civic Manual 5-spd29$2,150
Honda Civic CRX Manual 5-spd29$2,150
Honda Civic Wagon Manual 5-spd29$2,150
Mitsubishi Mirage Manual 4-spd29$2,150
Plymouth Colt Manual 4-spd29$2,150
Toyota Tercel Manual 4-spd29$2,150
Daihatsu Charade Automatic 3-spd28$2,250
Ford Festiva Automatic 3-spd28$2,250
Honda Civic CRX Automatic 4-spd28$2,250
Hyundai Excel Manual 5-spd28$2,250
Mazda 323/323 Protege Manual 5-spd28$2,250
Mitsubishi Precis Manual 5-spd28$2,250
Nissan Sentra Manual 4-spd28$2,250
Pontiac Lemans Manual 4-spd28$2,250
Subaru Justy 4WD Automatic (variable gear ratios)28$2,250
Suzuki Swift Automatic 3-spd28$2,250
Suzuki Swift GT Manual 5-spd28$2,250
Toyota Tercel Manual 5-spd28$2,250
Dodge Colt Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Dodge Colt Wagon Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Eagle Summit Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Ford Escort Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Ford Escort Wagon Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Geo Prizm Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Honda Civic CRX Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Hyundai Excel Manual 4-spd27$2,300
Mazda 323/323 Protege Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Mitsubishi Mirage Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Mitsubishi Mirage Wagon Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Mitsubishi Precis Manual 4-spd27$2,300
Nissan Sentra Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Nissan Sentra Coupe Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Nissan Sentra Wagon Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Plymouth Colt Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Plymouth Colt Wagon Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Subaru Justy 4WD Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Toyota Tercel Automatic 3-spd27$2,300
Chevrolet Cavalier Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Chevrolet Cavalier Wagon Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Ford Escort Automatic 3-spd26$2,400
Geo Storm Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Honda Civic Automatic 4-spd26$2,400
Honda Civic Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Honda Civic Wagon Automatic 4-spd26$2,400
Hyundai Excel Automatic 4-spd26$2,400
Isuzu Impulse Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Isuzu Stylus Automatic 3-spd26$2,400
Mercedes-Benz 300D 2.5 Turbo Automatic 4-spd26$2,950
Mitsubishi Precis Automatic 4-spd26$2,400
Nissan Pulsar NX Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Pontiac Lemans Automatic 3-spd26$2,400
Pontiac Sunbird Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Toyota Camry Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Toyota Celica Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Toyota Corolla Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Toyota Corolla Wagon Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Chevrolet Beretta Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Chevrolet Cavalier Automatic 3-spd25$2,500
Chevrolet Corsica Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Dodge Colt Automatic 3-spd25$2,500
Dodge Colt Wagon Automatic 3-spd25$2,500
Dodge Omni Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Eagle Summit Automatic 3-spd25$2,500
Ford Escort Wagon Automatic 3-spd25$2,500
Geo Prizm Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Isuzu Stylus Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Mazda 323/323 Protege Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Mitsubishi Mirage Automatic 3-spd25$2,500
Mitsubishi Mirage Wagon Automatic 3-spd25$2,500

Best 1990 Regular Fuel Cars by Miles per Gallon

The table below contains the best 1990 regular fuel cars by combined miles per gallon (MPG).

CarCombined MPGFuel Cost
Geo Metro XFI (Manual 5-spd)47$1,350
Honda Civic CRX HF (Manual 5-spd)43$1,450
Chevrolet Sprint (Manual 5-spd)41$1,550
Geo Metro (Manual 5-spd)41$1,550
Pontiac Firefly (Manual 5-spd)41$1,550
Suzuki Swift (Manual 5-spd)41$1,550
Geo Metro LSI (Manual 5-spd)40$1,550
Honda Civic CRX HF (Manual 5-spd)39$1,600
Geo Metro LSI Convertible (Manual 5-spd)37$1,700
Suzuki Swift (Manual 5-spd)36$1,750
Chevrolet Turbo Sprint (Manual 5-spd)34$1,850
Daihatsu Charade (Manual 5-spd)34$1,850
Pontiac Turbo Firefly (Manual 5-spd)34$1,850
Volkswagen Jetta (Manual 5-spd)34$2,250
Chevrolet Sprint (Automatic 3-spd)33$1,900
Ford Festiva (Manual 5-spd)33$1,900
Geo Metro (Automatic 3-spd)33$1,900
Geo Metro LSI (Automatic 3-spd)33$1,900
Pontiac Firefly (Automatic 3-spd)33$1,900
Suzuki Swift (Automatic 3-spd)33$1,900
Daihatsu Charade (Manual 5-spd)32$1,950
Ford Escort (Manual 4-spd)32$1,950
Geo Metro LSI Convertible (Automatic 3-spd)30$2,100
Honda Civic (Manual 4-spd)30$2,100
Isuzu Stylus (Manual 5-spd)30$2,100
Pontiac Lemans (Manual 5-spd)30$2,100
Subaru Justy (Manual 5-spd)30$2,100
Subaru Justy (Automatic (variable gear ratios))30$2,100
Subaru Justy (Manual 5-spd)30$2,100
Dodge Colt (Manual 4-spd)29$2,150
Geo Storm (Manual 5-spd)29$2,150
Honda Civic (Manual 5-spd)29$2,150
Honda Civic CRX (Manual 5-spd)29$2,150
Honda Civic Wagon (Manual 5-spd)29$2,150
Mitsubishi Mirage (Manual 4-spd)29$2,150
Plymouth Colt (Manual 4-spd)29$2,150
Toyota Tercel (Manual 4-spd)29$2,150
Daihatsu Charade (Automatic 3-spd)28$2,250
Ford Festiva (Automatic 3-spd)28$2,250
Honda Civic CRX (Automatic 4-spd)28$2,250
Hyundai Excel (Manual 5-spd)28$2,250
Mazda 323/323 Protege (Manual 5-spd)28$2,250
Mitsubishi Precis (Manual 5-spd)28$2,250
Nissan Sentra (Manual 4-spd)28$2,250
Pontiac Lemans (Manual 4-spd)28$2,250
Subaru Justy 4WD (Automatic (variable gear ratios))28$2,250
Suzuki Swift (Automatic 3-spd)28$2,250
Suzuki Swift GT (Manual 5-spd)28$2,250
Toyota Tercel (Manual 5-spd)28$2,250
Dodge Colt (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Dodge Colt Wagon (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Eagle Summit (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Ford Escort (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Ford Escort Wagon (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Geo Prizm (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Honda Civic CRX (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Hyundai Excel (Manual 4-spd)27$2,300
Mazda 323/323 Protege (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Mitsubishi Mirage (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Mitsubishi Mirage Wagon (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Mitsubishi Precis (Manual 4-spd)27$2,300
Nissan Sentra (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Nissan Sentra Coupe (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Nissan Sentra Wagon (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Plymouth Colt (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Plymouth Colt Wagon (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Subaru Justy 4WD (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Toyota Tercel (Automatic 3-spd)27$2,300
Chevrolet Cavalier (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Chevrolet Cavalier Wagon (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Ford Escort (Automatic 3-spd)26$2,400
Geo Storm (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Honda Civic (Automatic 4-spd)26$2,400
Honda Civic (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Honda Civic Wagon (Automatic 4-spd)26$2,400
Hyundai Excel (Automatic 4-spd)26$2,400
Isuzu Impulse (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Isuzu Stylus (Automatic 3-spd)26$2,400
Mercedes-Benz 300D 2.5 Turbo (Automatic 4-spd)26$2,950
Mitsubishi Precis (Automatic 4-spd)26$2,400
Nissan Pulsar NX (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Pontiac Lemans (Automatic 3-spd)26$2,400
Pontiac Sunbird (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Toyota Camry (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Toyota Celica (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Toyota Corolla (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Toyota Corolla Wagon (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Chevrolet Beretta (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Chevrolet Cavalier (Automatic 3-spd)25$2,500
Chevrolet Corsica (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Dodge Colt (Automatic 3-spd)25$2,500
Dodge Colt Wagon (Automatic 3-spd)25$2,500
Dodge Omni (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Eagle Summit (Automatic 3-spd)25$2,500
Ford Escort Wagon (Automatic 3-spd)25$2,500
Geo Prizm (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Isuzu Stylus (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Mazda 323/323 Protege (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Mitsubishi Mirage (Automatic 3-spd)25$2,500
Mitsubishi Mirage Wagon (Automatic 3-spd)25$2,500

Conclusion

The most fuel efficient car of 1990 is the Geo Metro XFI. It has a combined MPG of 47 and costs $1,350 per year to drive it.

The most fuel efficient non-electric car of 1990 is the Geo Metro XFI. It has a combined MPG of 47 and costs $1,350 per year to drive it.

Most Fuel Efficient Cars By Year

Link To or Reference This Page

If you use this page in your research, please reference MPG Buddy as the source.

  • "The 100 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars in 1990." MPG Buddy. Accessed on January 3, 2026. https://mpgbuddy.com/most-fuel-efficient-cars-in-1990.

  • "The 100 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars in 1990." MPG Buddy, https://mpgbuddy.com/most-fuel-efficient-cars-in-1990. Accessed January 3, 2026.

  • The 100 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars in 1990. MPG Buddy. Retrieved from https://mpgbuddy.com/most-fuel-efficient-cars-in-1990.