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

The 100 most fuel-efficient cars in 1998

The 100 most fuel-efficient cars of the 1998 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 1998 vehicles, including electric

Every 1998 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 Chevrolet S10 Electric 55 MPG $1,400
2 Honda EV Plus 48 MPG $1,600
3 Chevrolet Metro 40 MPG $1,500
4 Volkswagen Jetta 37 MPG $2,200
5 Volkswagen New Beetle 33 MPG $2,450
6 Honda Civic HX 31 MPG $1,950
7 Honda Civic 28 MPG $2,150
8 Mitsubishi Mirage 28 MPG $2,150
9 Suzuki Swift 28 MPG $2,150
10 Dodge Stratus 27 MPG $2,200
11 Honda Civic CNG 27 MPG $1,650
12 Nissan Sentra/200SX 27 MPG $2,200
13 Toyota Tercel 27 MPG $2,200
14 Chevrolet Prizm 26 MPG $2,300
15 Hyundai Accent 26 MPG $2,300
16 Mercedes-Benz E300 Turbodiesel 26 MPG $3,100
17 Suzuki Esteem 26 MPG $2,300
18 Suzuki Esteem Wagon 26 MPG $2,300
19 Toyota Corolla 26 MPG $2,300
20 Toyota Paseo 26 MPG $2,300
21 Toyota Paseo Convertible 26 MPG $2,300
22 Daewoo Lanos 25 MPG $2,400
23 Daewoo Nubira 25 MPG $2,400
24 Daewoo Nubira Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
25 Ford Escort 25 MPG $2,400
26 Ford Escort Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
27 Ford Escort ZX2 25 MPG $2,400
28 Mazda Protege 25 MPG $2,400
29 Mercury Tracer 25 MPG $2,400
30 Mercury Tracer Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
31 Saturn SC 25 MPG $2,400
32 Saturn SL 25 MPG $2,400
33 Saturn SW 25 MPG $2,400
34 Acura Integra 24 MPG $2,500
35 Chevrolet Malibu 24 MPG $2,500
36 Dodge Neon 24 MPG $2,500
37 Ford Contour 24 MPG $2,500
38 Mercury Mystique 24 MPG $2,500
39 Oldsmobile Cutlass 24 MPG $2,500
40 Plymouth Neon 24 MPG $2,500
41 Subaru Legacy 24 MPG $2,500
42 Subaru Legacy Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
43 BMW 318i/318is 23 MPG $2,600
44 BMW 318ti 23 MPG $2,600
45 BMW Z3 Roadster 23 MPG $2,600
46 Buick Skylark 23 MPG $2,600
47 Chevrolet Cavalier 23 MPG $2,600
48 Kia Sephia 23 MPG $2,600
49 Mercedes-Benz C230 23 MPG $3,000
50 Nissan Altima 23 MPG $2,600
51 Oldsmobile Achieva 23 MPG $2,600
52 Plymouth Breeze 23 MPG $2,600
53 Pontiac Grand Am 23 MPG $2,600
54 Pontiac Sunfire 23 MPG $2,600
55 Subaru Impreza AWD 23 MPG $2,600
56 Subaru Impreza Wagon AWD 23 MPG $2,600
57 Subaru Legacy AWD 23 MPG $2,600
58 Subaru Legacy Wagon AWD 23 MPG $2,600
59 Toyota Camry 23 MPG $2,600
60 Toyota Celica Convertible 23 MPG $2,600
61 Toyota RAV4 2WD 23 MPG $2,600
62 Toyota RAV4 Soft Top 2WD 23 MPG $2,600
63 Acura 2.3CL/3.0CL 22 MPG $2,700
64 Audi A4 22 MPG $3,150
65 Chrysler Cirrus 22 MPG $2,700
66 Chrysler Concorde 22 MPG $2,700
67 Chrysler JX/JXI/Limited Convertible 22 MPG $2,700
68 Chrysler Sebring 22 MPG $2,700
69 Dodge Avenger 22 MPG $2,700
70 Dodge Intrepid 22 MPG $2,700
71 Eagle Talon 22 MPG $2,700
72 Honda Accord 22 MPG $2,700
73 Hyundai Elantra 22 MPG $2,700
74 Hyundai Elantra Wagon 22 MPG $2,700
75 Hyundai Tiburon 22 MPG $2,700
76 Mazda 626 22 MPG $2,700
77 Mercedes-Benz CLK320 22 MPG $3,150
78 Mitsubishi Eclipse 22 MPG $2,700
79 Mitsubishi Galant 22 MPG $2,700
80 Saab 900S Convertible 22 MPG $2,700
81 Suzuki X-90 4WD 22 MPG $2,700
82 Suzuki X-90 RWD 22 MPG $2,700
83 Toyota Avalon 22 MPG $2,700
84 Toyota Celica 22 MPG $2,700
85 Toyota RAV4 Soft Top 4WD 22 MPG $2,700
86 Volkswagen Cabrio 22 MPG $2,700
87 Volkswagen Golf/GTI 22 MPG $2,700
88 Volkswagen Passat 22 MPG $3,150
89 Volkswagen Passat Wagon 22 MPG $3,150
90 BMW M Roadster 21 MPG $2,850
91 Buick Century 21 MPG $2,850
92 Buick LeSabre 21 MPG $2,850
93 Buick Regal 21 MPG $2,850
94 Chevrolet Lumina/Monte Carlo 21 MPG $2,850
95 Chevrolet Tracker 2WD Convertible 21 MPG $2,850
96 Chevrolet Tracker 2WD Hardtop 21 MPG $2,850
97 Chevrolet Tracker 4WD Convertible 21 MPG $2,850
98 Chevrolet Tracker 4WD Hardtop 21 MPG $2,850
99 Honda CR-V 2WD 21 MPG $2,850
100 Honda Odyssey 21 MPG $2,850

Most efficient 1998 gasoline cars

The same 1998 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 Chevrolet Metro 40 MPG $1,500
2 Volkswagen Jetta 37 MPG $2,200
3 Volkswagen New Beetle 33 MPG $2,450
4 Honda Civic HX 31 MPG $1,950
5 Honda Civic 28 MPG $2,150
6 Mitsubishi Mirage 28 MPG $2,150
7 Suzuki Swift 28 MPG $2,150
8 Dodge Stratus 27 MPG $2,200
9 Honda Civic CNG 27 MPG $1,650
10 Nissan Sentra/200SX 27 MPG $2,200
11 Toyota Tercel 27 MPG $2,200
12 Chevrolet Prizm 26 MPG $2,300
13 Hyundai Accent 26 MPG $2,300
14 Mercedes-Benz E300 Turbodiesel 26 MPG $3,100
15 Suzuki Esteem 26 MPG $2,300
16 Suzuki Esteem Wagon 26 MPG $2,300
17 Toyota Corolla 26 MPG $2,300
18 Toyota Paseo 26 MPG $2,300
19 Toyota Paseo Convertible 26 MPG $2,300
20 Daewoo Lanos 25 MPG $2,400
21 Daewoo Nubira 25 MPG $2,400
22 Daewoo Nubira Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
23 Ford Escort 25 MPG $2,400
24 Ford Escort Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
25 Ford Escort ZX2 25 MPG $2,400
26 Mazda Protege 25 MPG $2,400
27 Mercury Tracer 25 MPG $2,400
28 Mercury Tracer Wagon 25 MPG $2,400
29 Saturn SC 25 MPG $2,400
30 Saturn SL 25 MPG $2,400
31 Saturn SW 25 MPG $2,400
32 Acura Integra 24 MPG $2,500
33 Chevrolet Malibu 24 MPG $2,500
34 Dodge Neon 24 MPG $2,500
35 Ford Contour 24 MPG $2,500
36 Mercury Mystique 24 MPG $2,500
37 Oldsmobile Cutlass 24 MPG $2,500
38 Plymouth Neon 24 MPG $2,500
39 Subaru Legacy 24 MPG $2,500
40 Subaru Legacy Wagon 24 MPG $2,500
41 BMW 318i/318is 23 MPG $2,600
42 BMW 318ti 23 MPG $2,600
43 BMW Z3 Roadster 23 MPG $2,600
44 Buick Skylark 23 MPG $2,600
45 Chevrolet Cavalier 23 MPG $2,600
46 Kia Sephia 23 MPG $2,600
47 Mercedes-Benz C230 23 MPG $3,000
48 Nissan Altima 23 MPG $2,600
49 Oldsmobile Achieva 23 MPG $2,600
50 Plymouth Breeze 23 MPG $2,600
51 Pontiac Grand Am 23 MPG $2,600
52 Pontiac Sunfire 23 MPG $2,600
53 Subaru Impreza AWD 23 MPG $2,600
54 Subaru Impreza Wagon AWD 23 MPG $2,600
55 Subaru Legacy AWD 23 MPG $2,600
56 Subaru Legacy Wagon AWD 23 MPG $2,600
57 Toyota Camry 23 MPG $2,600
58 Toyota Celica Convertible 23 MPG $2,600
59 Toyota RAV4 2WD 23 MPG $2,600
60 Toyota RAV4 Soft Top 2WD 23 MPG $2,600
61 Acura 2.3CL/3.0CL 22 MPG $2,700
62 Audi A4 22 MPG $3,150
63 Chrysler Cirrus 22 MPG $2,700
64 Chrysler Concorde 22 MPG $2,700
65 Chrysler JX/JXI/Limited Convertible 22 MPG $2,700
66 Chrysler Sebring 22 MPG $2,700
67 Dodge Avenger 22 MPG $2,700
68 Dodge Intrepid 22 MPG $2,700
69 Eagle Talon 22 MPG $2,700
70 Honda Accord 22 MPG $2,700
71 Hyundai Elantra 22 MPG $2,700
72 Hyundai Elantra Wagon 22 MPG $2,700
73 Hyundai Tiburon 22 MPG $2,700
74 Mazda 626 22 MPG $2,700
75 Mercedes-Benz CLK320 22 MPG $3,150
76 Mitsubishi Eclipse 22 MPG $2,700
77 Mitsubishi Galant 22 MPG $2,700
78 Saab 900S Convertible 22 MPG $2,700
79 Suzuki X-90 4WD 22 MPG $2,700
80 Suzuki X-90 RWD 22 MPG $2,700
81 Toyota Avalon 22 MPG $2,700
82 Toyota Celica 22 MPG $2,700
83 Toyota RAV4 Soft Top 4WD 22 MPG $2,700
84 Volkswagen Cabrio 22 MPG $2,700
85 Volkswagen Golf/GTI 22 MPG $2,700
86 Volkswagen Passat 22 MPG $3,150
87 Volkswagen Passat Wagon 22 MPG $3,150
88 BMW M Roadster 21 MPG $2,850
89 Buick Century 21 MPG $2,850
90 Buick LeSabre 21 MPG $2,850
91 Buick Regal 21 MPG $2,850
92 Chevrolet Lumina/Monte Carlo 21 MPG $2,850
93 Chevrolet Tracker 2WD Convertible 21 MPG $2,850
94 Chevrolet Tracker 2WD Hardtop 21 MPG $2,850
95 Chevrolet Tracker 4WD Convertible 21 MPG $2,850
96 Chevrolet Tracker 4WD Hardtop 21 MPG $2,850
97 Honda CR-V 2WD 21 MPG $2,850
98 Honda Odyssey 21 MPG $2,850
99 Honda Prelude 21 MPG $3,300
100 Infiniti I30 21 MPG $2,850

Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset.