The 100 most fuel-efficient cars in 2003

The 100 most fuel-efficient cars of the 2003 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 2003 vehicles, including electric

Every 2003 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	Honda Civic Hybrid	41 MPG	$1,450
4	Toyota Prius	41 MPG	$1,450
5	Volkswagen Golf	33 MPG	$2,450
6	Volkswagen Jetta	33 MPG	$2,450
7	Volkswagen Jetta Wagon	33 MPG	$2,450
8	Volkswagen New Beetle	33 MPG	$2,450
9	Honda Civic	32 MPG	$1,850
10	Toyota Echo	31 MPG	$1,950
11	Honda Civic CNG	28 MPG	$1,600
12	Toyota Celica	28 MPG	$2,150
13	Toyota Corolla	28 MPG	$2,150
14	Nissan Sentra	27 MPG	$2,200
15	Pontiac Vibe	27 MPG	$2,200
16	Toyota Matrix	27 MPG	$2,200
17	Acura RSX	26 MPG	$2,300
18	Ford Focus	26 MPG	$2,300
19	Ford Focus Station Wagon	26 MPG	$2,300
20	Hyundai Accent/Brio	26 MPG	$2,300
21	Chevrolet Cavalier	25 MPG	$2,400
22	Dodge Neon/SRT-4/SX 2.0	25 MPG	$2,400
23	Ford Escort ZX2	25 MPG	$2,400
24	Honda Accord	25 MPG	$2,400
25	Hyundai Elantra	25 MPG	$2,400
26	Kia Rio	25 MPG	$2,400
27	MINI Cooper	25 MPG	$2,750
28	MINI Cooper S	25 MPG	$2,750
29	Oldsmobile Alero	25 MPG	$2,400
30	Pontiac Grand Am	25 MPG	$2,400
31	Pontiac Sunfire	25 MPG	$2,400
32	Pontiac Vibe AWD	25 MPG	$2,400
33	Suzuki Aerio	25 MPG	$2,400
34	Suzuki Aerio SX	25 MPG	$2,400
35	Toyota Matrix AWD	25 MPG	$2,400
36	Toyota MR2	25 MPG	$2,400
37	Chevrolet Cavalier Dual-fuel	24 MPG	$2,500
38	Mazda 6	24 MPG	$2,500
39	Mazda Protege/Protege 5	24 MPG	$2,500
40	Saturn Ion	24 MPG	$2,500
41	Saturn L200	24 MPG	$2,500
42	Saturn LW200	24 MPG	$2,500
43	Toyota Camry	24 MPG	$2,500
44	Toyota Camry Solara	24 MPG	$2,500
45	Audi A4	23 MPG	$3,000
46	Audi A4 Cabriolet	23 MPG	$3,000
47	Daewoo Lanos	23 MPG	$2,600
48	Hyundai Tiburon	23 MPG	$2,600
49	Mercedes-Benz C230 Kompressor	23 MPG	$3,000
50	Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder	23 MPG	$2,600
51	Mitsubishi Lancer	23 MPG	$2,600
52	Nissan Altima	23 MPG	$2,600
53	Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan	23 MPG	$2,600
54	Suzuki Aerio 4WD	23 MPG	$2,600
55	Suzuki Aerio SX 4WD	23 MPG	$2,600
56	Toyota Camry Solara Convertible	23 MPG	$2,600
57	Toyota RAV4 2WD	23 MPG	$2,600
58	Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible	23 MPG	$2,600
59	Volkswagen Passat	23 MPG	$3,000
60	Volkswagen Passat Wagon	23 MPG	$3,000
61	Chevrolet Impala	22 MPG	$2,700
62	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	22 MPG	$2,700
63	Chevrolet Tracker 2WD Convertible	22 MPG	$2,700
64	Chevrolet Tracker 2WD Hardtop	22 MPG	$2,700
65	Chrysler Concorde/LHS	22 MPG	$2,700
66	Chrysler Sebring 4 Door	22 MPG	$2,700
67	Chrysler Sebring Convertible	22 MPG	$2,700
68	Dodge Intrepid	22 MPG	$2,700
69	Dodge Stratus 4 Door	22 MPG	$2,700
70	Ford Escape 2WD	22 MPG	$2,700
71	Ford Ranger Pickup 2WD	22 MPG	$2,700
72	Honda CR-V 2WD	22 MPG	$2,700
73	Hyundai Sonata	22 MPG	$2,700
74	Kia Optima	22 MPG	$2,700
75	Kia Spectra	22 MPG	$2,700
76	London Taxi London Taxi	22 MPG	$3,700
77	Mazda B2300 2WD	22 MPG	$2,700
78	Mazda MX-5 Miata	22 MPG	$3,150
79	Mazda Tribute 2WD	22 MPG	$2,700
80	Mercedes-Benz SLK230 Kompressor	22 MPG	$3,150
81	Saturn Vue FWD	22 MPG	$2,700
82	Subaru Legacy/Outback Wagon AWD	22 MPG	$2,700
83	Toyota Avalon	22 MPG	$2,700
84	Toyota Highlander 2WD	22 MPG	$2,700
85	Toyota RAV4 4WD	22 MPG	$2,700
86	Volkswagen GTI	22 MPG	$3,150
87	Volvo S40 FWD	22 MPG	$3,150
88	Volvo V40	22 MPG	$3,150
89	Acura 3.2TL	21 MPG	$3,300
90	Audi A4 Avant quattro	21 MPG	$3,300
91	Audi A4 quattro	21 MPG	$3,300
92	Audi A6	21 MPG	$3,300
93	Audi TT Coupe	21 MPG	$3,300
94	Audi TT Coupe quattro	21 MPG	$3,300
95	Audi TT Roadster	21 MPG	$3,300
96	Audi TT Roadster quattro	21 MPG	$3,300
97	BMW 325ci	21 MPG	$3,300
98	BMW 325i	21 MPG	$3,300
99	BMW 325i Sport Wagon	21 MPG	$3,300
100	BMW 525i	21 MPG	$3,300

Most efficient 2003 gasoline cars

The same 2003 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	Honda Civic Hybrid	41 MPG	$1,450
3	Toyota Prius	41 MPG	$1,450
4	Volkswagen Golf	33 MPG	$2,450
5	Volkswagen Jetta	33 MPG	$2,450
6	Volkswagen Jetta Wagon	33 MPG	$2,450
7	Volkswagen New Beetle	33 MPG	$2,450
8	Honda Civic	32 MPG	$1,850
9	Toyota Echo	31 MPG	$1,950
10	Honda Civic CNG	28 MPG	$1,600
11	Toyota Celica	28 MPG	$2,150
12	Toyota Corolla	28 MPG	$2,150
13	Nissan Sentra	27 MPG	$2,200
14	Pontiac Vibe	27 MPG	$2,200
15	Toyota Matrix	27 MPG	$2,200
16	Acura RSX	26 MPG	$2,300
17	Ford Focus	26 MPG	$2,300
18	Ford Focus Station Wagon	26 MPG	$2,300
19	Hyundai Accent/Brio	26 MPG	$2,300
20	Chevrolet Cavalier	25 MPG	$2,400
21	Dodge Neon/SRT-4/SX 2.0	25 MPG	$2,400
22	Ford Escort ZX2	25 MPG	$2,400
23	Honda Accord	25 MPG	$2,400
24	Hyundai Elantra	25 MPG	$2,400
25	Kia Rio	25 MPG	$2,400
26	MINI Cooper	25 MPG	$2,750
27	MINI Cooper S	25 MPG	$2,750
28	Oldsmobile Alero	25 MPG	$2,400
29	Pontiac Grand Am	25 MPG	$2,400
30	Pontiac Sunfire	25 MPG	$2,400
31	Pontiac Vibe AWD	25 MPG	$2,400
32	Suzuki Aerio	25 MPG	$2,400
33	Suzuki Aerio SX	25 MPG	$2,400
34	Toyota Matrix AWD	25 MPG	$2,400
35	Toyota MR2	25 MPG	$2,400
36	Chevrolet Cavalier Dual-fuel	24 MPG	$2,500
37	Mazda 6	24 MPG	$2,500
38	Mazda Protege/Protege 5	24 MPG	$2,500
39	Saturn Ion	24 MPG	$2,500
40	Saturn L200	24 MPG	$2,500
41	Saturn LW200	24 MPG	$2,500
42	Toyota Camry	24 MPG	$2,500
43	Toyota Camry Solara	24 MPG	$2,500
44	Audi A4	23 MPG	$3,000
45	Audi A4 Cabriolet	23 MPG	$3,000
46	Daewoo Lanos	23 MPG	$2,600
47	Hyundai Tiburon	23 MPG	$2,600
48	Mercedes-Benz C230 Kompressor	23 MPG	$3,000
49	Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder	23 MPG	$2,600
50	Mitsubishi Lancer	23 MPG	$2,600
51	Nissan Altima	23 MPG	$2,600
52	Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan	23 MPG	$2,600
53	Suzuki Aerio 4WD	23 MPG	$2,600
54	Suzuki Aerio SX 4WD	23 MPG	$2,600
55	Toyota Camry Solara Convertible	23 MPG	$2,600
56	Toyota RAV4 2WD	23 MPG	$2,600
57	Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible	23 MPG	$2,600
58	Volkswagen Passat	23 MPG	$3,000
59	Volkswagen Passat Wagon	23 MPG	$3,000
60	Chevrolet Impala	22 MPG	$2,700
61	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	22 MPG	$2,700
62	Chevrolet Tracker 2WD Convertible	22 MPG	$2,700
63	Chevrolet Tracker 2WD Hardtop	22 MPG	$2,700
64	Chrysler Concorde/LHS	22 MPG	$2,700
65	Chrysler Sebring 4 Door	22 MPG	$2,700
66	Chrysler Sebring Convertible	22 MPG	$2,700
67	Dodge Intrepid	22 MPG	$2,700
68	Dodge Stratus 4 Door	22 MPG	$2,700
69	Ford Escape 2WD	22 MPG	$2,700
70	Ford Ranger Pickup 2WD	22 MPG	$2,700
71	Honda CR-V 2WD	22 MPG	$2,700
72	Hyundai Sonata	22 MPG	$2,700
73	Kia Optima	22 MPG	$2,700
74	Kia Spectra	22 MPG	$2,700
75	London Taxi London Taxi	22 MPG	$3,700
76	Mazda B2300 2WD	22 MPG	$2,700
77	Mazda MX-5 Miata	22 MPG	$3,150
78	Mazda Tribute 2WD	22 MPG	$2,700
79	Mercedes-Benz SLK230 Kompressor	22 MPG	$3,150
80	Saturn Vue FWD	22 MPG	$2,700
81	Subaru Legacy/Outback Wagon AWD	22 MPG	$2,700
82	Toyota Avalon	22 MPG	$2,700
83	Toyota Highlander 2WD	22 MPG	$2,700
84	Toyota RAV4 4WD	22 MPG	$2,700
85	Volkswagen GTI	22 MPG	$3,150
86	Volvo S40 FWD	22 MPG	$3,150
87	Volvo V40	22 MPG	$3,150
88	Acura 3.2TL	21 MPG	$3,300
89	Audi A4 Avant quattro	21 MPG	$3,300
90	Audi A4 quattro	21 MPG	$3,300
91	Audi A6	21 MPG	$3,300
92	Audi TT Coupe	21 MPG	$3,300
93	Audi TT Coupe quattro	21 MPG	$3,300
94	Audi TT Roadster	21 MPG	$3,300
95	Audi TT Roadster quattro	21 MPG	$3,300
96	BMW 325ci	21 MPG	$3,300
97	BMW 325i	21 MPG	$3,300
98	BMW 325i Sport Wagon	21 MPG	$3,300
99	BMW 525i	21 MPG	$3,300
100	BMW Z4 Roadster	21 MPG	$3,300

Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset.