The 100 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars in 2002

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 2002 vehicles, including electric

Every 2002 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	Toyota RAV4 EV	78 MPG	$950
2	Honda Insight	47 MPG	$1,250
3	Toyota Prius	41 MPG	$1,450
4	Ford Explorer USPS Electric	39 MPG	$1,950
5	Volkswagen Golf	33 MPG	$2,450
6	Honda Civic HX	32 MPG	$1,850
7	Honda Civic	30 MPG	$2,000
8	Toyota Echo	30 MPG	$2,000
9	Honda Civic CNG	28 MPG	$1,600
10	Toyota Celica	28 MPG	$2,150
11	Chevrolet Prizm	27 MPG	$2,200
12	Mitsubishi Mirage	27 MPG	$2,200
13	Saturn SL	27 MPG	$2,200
14	Toyota Corolla	27 MPG	$2,200
15	Acura RSX	26 MPG	$2,300
16	Ford Escort	26 MPG	$2,300
17	Saturn SC	26 MPG	$2,300
18	Suzuki Esteem	26 MPG	$2,300
19	Ford Escort ZX2	25 MPG	$2,400
20	Ford Focus	25 MPG	$2,400
21	Ford Focus Station Wagon	25 MPG	$2,400
22	Hyundai Accent/Brio	25 MPG	$2,400
23	Hyundai Elantra	25 MPG	$2,400
24	MINI Cooper	25 MPG	$2,750
25	Suzuki Aerio	25 MPG	$2,400
26	Suzuki Aerio SX	25 MPG	$2,400
27	Suzuki Esteem Wagon	25 MPG	$2,400
28	Chevrolet Cavalier	24 MPG	$2,500
29	Dodge Neon	24 MPG	$2,500
30	Kia Rio	24 MPG	$2,500
31	Mazda Protege/Protege 5	24 MPG	$2,500
32	Mercury Cougar	24 MPG	$2,500
33	Oldsmobile Alero	24 MPG	$2,500
34	Pontiac Grand Am	24 MPG	$2,500
35	Pontiac Sunfire	24 MPG	$2,500
36	Saturn L100/200	24 MPG	$2,500
37	Saturn LW200	24 MPG	$2,500
38	Toyota Camry	24 MPG	$2,500
39	Toyota Camry Solara	24 MPG	$2,500
40	Toyota MR2	24 MPG	$2,500
41	Volkswagen Jetta Wagon	24 MPG	$2,900
42	Audi TT Coupe	23 MPG	$3,000
43	Audi TT Roadster	23 MPG	$3,000
44	Chevrolet Cavalier Dual-fuel	23 MPG	$2,600
45	Daewoo Lanos	23 MPG	$2,600
46	Honda Accord	23 MPG	$2,600
47	Honda CR-V 2WD	23 MPG	$2,600
48	Hyundai Tiburon	23 MPG	$2,600
49	Infiniti G20	23 MPG	$2,600
50	Mercedes-Benz SLK230 Kompressor	23 MPG	$3,000
51	Mitsubishi Lancer	23 MPG	$2,600
52	Nissan Altima	23 MPG	$2,600
53	Toyota Camry Solara Convertible	23 MPG	$2,600
54	Toyota RAV4 2WD	23 MPG	$2,600
55	Volkswagen Cabrio	23 MPG	$2,600
56	Volkswagen GTI	23 MPG	$3,000
57	Volkswagen New Beetle	23 MPG	$3,000
58	Volkswagen Passat	23 MPG	$3,000
59	Volkswagen Passat Wagon	23 MPG	$3,000
60	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	22 MPG	$2,700
61	Chevrolet Tracker 2WD Convertible	22 MPG	$2,700
62	Chevrolet Tracker 2WD Hardtop	22 MPG	$2,700
63	Chrysler Sebring 4 Door	22 MPG	$2,700
64	Chrysler Sebring Convertible	22 MPG	$2,700
65	Daewoo Nubira	22 MPG	$2,700
66	Daewoo Nubira Station Wagon	22 MPG	$2,700
67	Dodge Stratus 4 Door	22 MPG	$2,700
68	Ford Escape 2WD	22 MPG	$2,700
69	Hyundai Sonata	22 MPG	$2,700
70	Kia Spectra	22 MPG	$2,700
71	Mazda 626	22 MPG	$2,700
72	Mazda MX-5 Miata	22 MPG	$3,150
73	Mazda Tribute 2WD	22 MPG	$2,700
74	Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder	22 MPG	$2,700
75	Nissan Sentra	22 MPG	$2,700
76	Saturn Vue FWD	22 MPG	$2,700
77	Toyota Avalon	22 MPG	$2,700
78	Toyota Highlander 2WD	22 MPG	$2,700
79	Toyota RAV4 4WD	22 MPG	$2,700
80	Volkswagen Jetta	22 MPG	$2,700
81	Volvo S40 FWD	22 MPG	$3,150
82	Volvo V40	22 MPG	$3,150
83	Acura 3.2CL	21 MPG	$3,300
84	Acura 3.2TL	21 MPG	$3,300
85	Audi A4	21 MPG	$3,300
86	Audi TT Coupe quattro	21 MPG	$3,300
87	Audi TT Roadster quattro	21 MPG	$3,300
88	BMW 325ci	21 MPG	$3,300
89	BMW 325i	21 MPG	$3,300
90	BMW 325i Sport Wagon	21 MPG	$3,300
91	BMW 525i	21 MPG	$3,300
92	Buick Century	21 MPG	$2,850
93	Buick LeSabre	21 MPG	$2,850
94	Chevrolet Camaro	21 MPG	$2,850
95	Chevrolet Malibu	21 MPG	$2,850
96	Chevrolet Tracker 4WD Convertible	21 MPG	$2,850
97	Chevrolet Tracker 4WD Hardtop	21 MPG	$2,850
98	Chevrolet Tracker ZR2 4WD Convertible	21 MPG	$2,850
99	Chrysler Concorde	21 MPG	$2,850
100	Chrysler Sebring	21 MPG	$2,850

Most efficient 2002 gasoline cars

The same 2002 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	Honda Insight	47 MPG	$1,250
2	Toyota Prius	41 MPG	$1,450
3	Volkswagen Golf	33 MPG	$2,450
4	Honda Civic HX	32 MPG	$1,850
5	Honda Civic	30 MPG	$2,000
6	Toyota Echo	30 MPG	$2,000
7	Honda Civic CNG	28 MPG	$1,600
8	Toyota Celica	28 MPG	$2,150
9	Chevrolet Prizm	27 MPG	$2,200
10	Mitsubishi Mirage	27 MPG	$2,200
11	Saturn SL	27 MPG	$2,200
12	Toyota Corolla	27 MPG	$2,200
13	Acura RSX	26 MPG	$2,300
14	Ford Escort	26 MPG	$2,300
15	Saturn SC	26 MPG	$2,300
16	Suzuki Esteem	26 MPG	$2,300
17	Ford Escort ZX2	25 MPG	$2,400
18	Ford Focus	25 MPG	$2,400
19	Ford Focus Station Wagon	25 MPG	$2,400
20	Hyundai Accent/Brio	25 MPG	$2,400
21	Hyundai Elantra	25 MPG	$2,400
22	MINI Cooper	25 MPG	$2,750
23	Suzuki Aerio	25 MPG	$2,400
24	Suzuki Aerio SX	25 MPG	$2,400
25	Suzuki Esteem Wagon	25 MPG	$2,400
26	Chevrolet Cavalier	24 MPG	$2,500
27	Dodge Neon	24 MPG	$2,500
28	Kia Rio	24 MPG	$2,500
29	Mazda Protege/Protege 5	24 MPG	$2,500
30	Mercury Cougar	24 MPG	$2,500
31	Oldsmobile Alero	24 MPG	$2,500
32	Pontiac Grand Am	24 MPG	$2,500
33	Pontiac Sunfire	24 MPG	$2,500
34	Saturn L100/200	24 MPG	$2,500
35	Saturn LW200	24 MPG	$2,500
36	Toyota Camry	24 MPG	$2,500
37	Toyota Camry Solara	24 MPG	$2,500
38	Toyota MR2	24 MPG	$2,500
39	Volkswagen Jetta Wagon	24 MPG	$2,900
40	Audi TT Coupe	23 MPG	$3,000
41	Audi TT Roadster	23 MPG	$3,000
42	Chevrolet Cavalier Dual-fuel	23 MPG	$2,600
43	Daewoo Lanos	23 MPG	$2,600
44	Honda Accord	23 MPG	$2,600
45	Honda CR-V 2WD	23 MPG	$2,600
46	Hyundai Tiburon	23 MPG	$2,600
47	Infiniti G20	23 MPG	$2,600
48	Mercedes-Benz SLK230 Kompressor	23 MPG	$3,000
49	Mitsubishi Lancer	23 MPG	$2,600
50	Nissan Altima	23 MPG	$2,600
51	Toyota Camry Solara Convertible	23 MPG	$2,600
52	Toyota RAV4 2WD	23 MPG	$2,600
53	Volkswagen Cabrio	23 MPG	$2,600
54	Volkswagen GTI	23 MPG	$3,000
55	Volkswagen New Beetle	23 MPG	$3,000
56	Volkswagen Passat	23 MPG	$3,000
57	Volkswagen Passat Wagon	23 MPG	$3,000
58	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	22 MPG	$2,700
59	Chevrolet Tracker 2WD Convertible	22 MPG	$2,700
60	Chevrolet Tracker 2WD Hardtop	22 MPG	$2,700
61	Chrysler Sebring 4 Door	22 MPG	$2,700
62	Chrysler Sebring Convertible	22 MPG	$2,700
63	Daewoo Nubira	22 MPG	$2,700
64	Daewoo Nubira Station Wagon	22 MPG	$2,700
65	Dodge Stratus 4 Door	22 MPG	$2,700
66	Ford Escape 2WD	22 MPG	$2,700
67	Hyundai Sonata	22 MPG	$2,700
68	Kia Spectra	22 MPG	$2,700
69	Mazda 626	22 MPG	$2,700
70	Mazda MX-5 Miata	22 MPG	$3,150
71	Mazda Tribute 2WD	22 MPG	$2,700
72	Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder	22 MPG	$2,700
73	Nissan Sentra	22 MPG	$2,700
74	Saturn Vue FWD	22 MPG	$2,700
75	Toyota Avalon	22 MPG	$2,700
76	Toyota Highlander 2WD	22 MPG	$2,700
77	Toyota RAV4 4WD	22 MPG	$2,700
78	Volkswagen Jetta	22 MPG	$2,700
79	Volvo S40 FWD	22 MPG	$3,150
80	Volvo V40	22 MPG	$3,150
81	Acura 3.2CL	21 MPG	$3,300
82	Acura 3.2TL	21 MPG	$3,300
83	Audi A4	21 MPG	$3,300
84	Audi TT Coupe quattro	21 MPG	$3,300
85	Audi TT Roadster quattro	21 MPG	$3,300
86	BMW 325ci	21 MPG	$3,300
87	BMW 325i	21 MPG	$3,300
88	BMW 325i Sport Wagon	21 MPG	$3,300
89	BMW 525i	21 MPG	$3,300
90	Buick Century	21 MPG	$2,850
91	Buick LeSabre	21 MPG	$2,850
92	Chevrolet Camaro	21 MPG	$2,850
93	Chevrolet Malibu	21 MPG	$2,850
94	Chevrolet Tracker 4WD Convertible	21 MPG	$2,850
95	Chevrolet Tracker 4WD Hardtop	21 MPG	$2,850
96	Chevrolet Tracker ZR2 4WD Convertible	21 MPG	$2,850
97	Chrysler Concorde	21 MPG	$2,850
98	Chrysler Sebring	21 MPG	$2,850
99	Dodge Intrepid	21 MPG	$2,850
100	Dodge Stratus	21 MPG	$2,850

Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset.