The 100 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars in 1996

Have you ever wondered what the most fuel efficient cars manufactured in 1996 are? In this article, we'll list out the best 100 fuel efficient cars from 1996 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 1996 Cars by Miles per Gallon

CarCombined MPGFuel Cost
Geo Metro Manual 5-spd40$1,550
Volkswagen Golf/GTI Manual 5-spd38$2,050
Volkswagen Jetta Manual 5-spd38$2,050
Honda Civic HX Manual 5-spd36$1,750
Geo Metro Manual 5-spd35$1,800
Suzuki Swift Manual 5-spd35$1,800
Volkswagen Passat Manual 5-spd35$2,200
Volkswagen Passat Wagon Manual 5-spd35$2,200
Ford Aspire Manual 5-spd33$1,900
Honda Civic HX Automatic (variable gear ratios)32$1,950
Honda Del Sol Manual 5-spd32$1,950
Toyota Tercel Manual 4-spd32$1,950
Eagle Summit Manual 5-spd31$2,000
Honda Civic Manual 5-spd31$2,000
Mitsubishi Mirage Manual 5-spd31$2,000
Ford Escort Manual 5-spd30$2,100
Ford Escort Wagon Manual 5-spd30$2,100
Mazda Protege Manual 5-spd30$2,100
Mercury Tracer Manual 5-spd30$2,100
Mercury Tracer Wagon Manual 5-spd30$2,100
Toyota Tercel Manual 5-spd30$2,100
Geo Prizm Manual 5-spd29$2,150
Mazda MX-3 Manual 5-spd29$2,150
Nissan Sentra/200SX Manual 5-spd29$2,150
Saturn SC Manual 5-spd29$2,150
Saturn SL Manual 5-spd29$2,150
Suzuki Esteem Manual 5-spd29$2,150
Toyota Corolla Manual 5-spd29$2,150
Toyota Tercel Automatic 3-spd29$2,150
Toyota Tercel Automatic 4-spd29$2,150
Dodge Neon Manual 5-spd28$2,250
Ford Aspire Automatic 3-spd28$2,250
Geo Metro Automatic 3-spd28$2,250
Honda Civic Automatic 4-spd28$2,250
Honda Civic Manual 5-spd28$2,250
Honda Del Sol Automatic 4-spd28$2,250
Honda Del Sol Manual 5-spd28$2,250
Hyundai Accent Manual 5-spd28$2,250
Nissan Sentra/200SX Automatic 4-spd28$2,250
Plymouth Neon Manual 5-spd28$2,250
Saturn SW Manual 5-spd28$2,250
Suzuki Swift Automatic 3-spd28$2,250
Toyota Paseo Manual 5-spd28$2,250
Geo Prizm Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Honda Civic Automatic 4-spd27$2,300
Honda Del Sol Automatic 4-spd27$2,300
Hyundai Accent Automatic 4-spd27$2,300
Hyundai Accent Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Hyundai Accent (Sporty) Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Kia Sephia Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Mazda Protege Automatic 4-spd27$2,300
Mercedes-Benz E300 Diesel Automatic 4-spd27$2,850
Saturn SC Automatic 4-spd27$2,300
Saturn SL Automatic 4-spd27$2,300
Saturn SW Automatic 4-spd27$2,300
Toyota Celica Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Toyota Corolla Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Toyota Corolla Wagon Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Toyota Paseo Automatic 4-spd27$2,300
Chevrolet Beretta Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Chevrolet Cavalier Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Dodge Stratus Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Eagle Summit Automatic 3-spd26$2,400
Geo Prizm Automatic 4-spd26$2,400
Hyundai Accent Automatic 4-spd26$2,400
Mazda 626 Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Mazda MX-3 Automatic 4-spd26$2,400
Mazda MX-6 Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Mitsubishi Mirage Automatic 3-spd26$2,400
Plymouth Breeze Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Pontiac Sunfire Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Saturn SC Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Saturn SL Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Saturn SW Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Suzuki Esteem Automatic 4-spd26$2,400
Toyota Celica Automatic 4-spd26$2,400
Toyota Corolla Automatic 4-spd26$2,400
Toyota Corolla Wagon Automatic 4-spd26$2,400
Acura Integra Manual 5-spd25$2,950
Acura Integra Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Chevrolet Cavalier Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Dodge Neon Automatic 3-spd25$2,500
Eagle Summit Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Eagle Summit Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Ford Contour Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Ford Escort Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Ford Escort Wagon Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Ford Probe Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Geo Prizm Automatic 3-spd25$2,500
Honda Accord Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Honda Del Sol Manual 5-spd25$2,950
Hyundai Accent (Sporty) Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Mazda Protege Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Mercury Mystique Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Mercury Tracer Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Mercury Tracer Wagon Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Mitsubishi Mirage Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Mitsubishi Mirage Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Plymouth Neon Automatic 3-spd25$2,500
Pontiac Sunfire Automatic 4-spd25$2,500

Best 1996 Regular Fuel Cars by Miles per Gallon

The table below contains the best 1996 regular fuel cars by combined miles per gallon (MPG).

CarCombined MPGFuel Cost
Geo Metro (Manual 5-spd)40$1,550
Volkswagen Golf/GTI (Manual 5-spd)38$2,050
Volkswagen Jetta (Manual 5-spd)38$2,050
Honda Civic HX (Manual 5-spd)36$1,750
Geo Metro (Manual 5-spd)35$1,800
Suzuki Swift (Manual 5-spd)35$1,800
Volkswagen Passat (Manual 5-spd)35$2,200
Volkswagen Passat Wagon (Manual 5-spd)35$2,200
Ford Aspire (Manual 5-spd)33$1,900
Honda Civic HX (Automatic (variable gear ratios))32$1,950
Honda Del Sol (Manual 5-spd)32$1,950
Toyota Tercel (Manual 4-spd)32$1,950
Eagle Summit (Manual 5-spd)31$2,000
Honda Civic (Manual 5-spd)31$2,000
Mitsubishi Mirage (Manual 5-spd)31$2,000
Ford Escort (Manual 5-spd)30$2,100
Ford Escort Wagon (Manual 5-spd)30$2,100
Mazda Protege (Manual 5-spd)30$2,100
Mercury Tracer (Manual 5-spd)30$2,100
Mercury Tracer Wagon (Manual 5-spd)30$2,100
Toyota Tercel (Manual 5-spd)30$2,100
Geo Prizm (Manual 5-spd)29$2,150
Mazda MX-3 (Manual 5-spd)29$2,150
Nissan Sentra/200SX (Manual 5-spd)29$2,150
Saturn SC (Manual 5-spd)29$2,150
Saturn SL (Manual 5-spd)29$2,150
Suzuki Esteem (Manual 5-spd)29$2,150
Toyota Corolla (Manual 5-spd)29$2,150
Toyota Tercel (Automatic 3-spd)29$2,150
Toyota Tercel (Automatic 4-spd)29$2,150
Dodge Neon (Manual 5-spd)28$2,250
Ford Aspire (Automatic 3-spd)28$2,250
Geo Metro (Automatic 3-spd)28$2,250
Honda Civic (Automatic 4-spd)28$2,250
Honda Civic (Manual 5-spd)28$2,250
Honda Del Sol (Automatic 4-spd)28$2,250
Honda Del Sol (Manual 5-spd)28$2,250
Hyundai Accent (Manual 5-spd)28$2,250
Nissan Sentra/200SX (Automatic 4-spd)28$2,250
Plymouth Neon (Manual 5-spd)28$2,250
Saturn SW (Manual 5-spd)28$2,250
Suzuki Swift (Automatic 3-spd)28$2,250
Toyota Paseo (Manual 5-spd)28$2,250
Geo Prizm (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Honda Civic (Automatic 4-spd)27$2,300
Honda Del Sol (Automatic 4-spd)27$2,300
Hyundai Accent (Automatic 4-spd)27$2,300
Hyundai Accent (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Hyundai Accent (Sporty) (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Kia Sephia (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Mazda Protege (Automatic 4-spd)27$2,300
Mercedes-Benz E300 Diesel (Automatic 4-spd)27$2,850
Saturn SC (Automatic 4-spd)27$2,300
Saturn SL (Automatic 4-spd)27$2,300
Saturn SW (Automatic 4-spd)27$2,300
Toyota Celica (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Toyota Corolla (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Toyota Corolla Wagon (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Toyota Paseo (Automatic 4-spd)27$2,300
Chevrolet Beretta (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Chevrolet Cavalier (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Dodge Stratus (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Eagle Summit (Automatic 3-spd)26$2,400
Geo Prizm (Automatic 4-spd)26$2,400
Hyundai Accent (Automatic 4-spd)26$2,400
Mazda 626 (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Mazda MX-3 (Automatic 4-spd)26$2,400
Mazda MX-6 (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Mitsubishi Mirage (Automatic 3-spd)26$2,400
Plymouth Breeze (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Pontiac Sunfire (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Saturn SC (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Saturn SL (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Saturn SW (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Suzuki Esteem (Automatic 4-spd)26$2,400
Toyota Celica (Automatic 4-spd)26$2,400
Toyota Corolla (Automatic 4-spd)26$2,400
Toyota Corolla Wagon (Automatic 4-spd)26$2,400
Acura Integra (Manual 5-spd)25$2,950
Acura Integra (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Chevrolet Cavalier (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Dodge Neon (Automatic 3-spd)25$2,500
Eagle Summit (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Eagle Summit (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Ford Contour (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Ford Escort (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Ford Escort Wagon (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Ford Probe (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Geo Prizm (Automatic 3-spd)25$2,500
Honda Accord (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Honda Del Sol (Manual 5-spd)25$2,950
Hyundai Accent (Sporty) (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Mazda Protege (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Mercury Mystique (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Mercury Tracer (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Mercury Tracer Wagon (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Mitsubishi Mirage (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Mitsubishi Mirage (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Plymouth Neon (Automatic 3-spd)25$2,500
Pontiac Sunfire (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500

Conclusion

The most fuel efficient car of 1996 is the Geo Metro. It has a combined MPG of 40 and costs $1,550 per year to drive it.

The most fuel efficient non-electric car of 1996 is the Geo Metro. It has a combined MPG of 40 and costs $1,550 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 1996." MPG Buddy. Accessed on January 3, 2026. https://mpgbuddy.com/most-fuel-efficient-cars-in-1996.

  • "The 100 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars in 1996." MPG Buddy, https://mpgbuddy.com/most-fuel-efficient-cars-in-1996. Accessed January 3, 2026.

  • The 100 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars in 1996. MPG Buddy. Retrieved from https://mpgbuddy.com/most-fuel-efficient-cars-in-1996.