The 100 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars in 2004

Have you ever wondered what the most fuel efficient cars manufactured in 2004 are? In this article, we'll list out the best 100 fuel efficient cars from 2004 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 2004 Cars by Miles per Gallon

CarCombined MPGFuel Cost
Honda Insight Manual 5-spd52$1,200
Honda Insight Automatic (variable gear ratios)47$1,350
Toyota Prius Automatic (variable gear ratios)46$1,350
Honda Civic Hybrid Automatic (variable gear ratios)41$1,550
Honda Civic Hybrid Manual 5-spd41$1,550
Honda Civic Hybrid Automatic (variable gear ratios)40$1,550
Honda Civic Hybrid Manual 5-spd40$1,550
Volkswagen Golf Manual 5-spd36$2,150
Volkswagen Jetta Manual 5-spd36$2,150
Volkswagen New Beetle Manual 5-spd36$2,150
Volkswagen Jetta Wagon Manual 5-spd35$2,200
Honda Civic Manual 5-spd34$1,850
Toyota Echo Manual 5-spd33$1,900
Volkswagen New Beetle Automatic (S6)33$2,350
Honda Civic Automatic (variable gear ratios)32$1,950
Volkswagen Golf Automatic (S5)32$2,400
Volkswagen Jetta Automatic (S5)32$2,400
Volkswagen Jetta Wagon Automatic (S5)32$2,400
Toyota Corolla Manual 5-spd31$2,000
Toyota Echo Automatic 4-spd31$2,000
Honda Civic Automatic 4-spd30$2,100
Honda Civic Manual 5-spd30$2,100
Honda Civic Manual 5-spd30$2,100
Scion xA Automatic 4-spd30$2,100
Scion xA Manual 5-spd30$2,100
Honda Civic Automatic 4-spd29$2,150
Scion xB Manual 5-spd29$2,150
Dodge Neon/SRT-4/SX 2.0 Manual 5-spd28$2,250
Honda Civic CNG Automatic (variable gear ratios)28$1,250
Hyundai Accent/Brio Manual 5-spd28$2,250
MINI Cooper Manual 5-spd28$2,650
Pontiac Vibe Manual 5-spd28$2,250
Scion xB Automatic 4-spd28$2,250
Toyota Celica Automatic 4-spd28$2,250
Toyota Corolla Automatic 4-spd28$2,250
Toyota Matrix Manual 5-spd28$2,250
Chevrolet Aveo Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Chevrolet Cavalier Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Daewoo Kalos Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Ford Focus Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Hyundai Accent/Brio Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Mazda 3 Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Mitsubishi Lancer Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Nissan Sentra Automatic 4-spd27$2,300
Nissan Sentra Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Oldsmobile Alero Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Pontiac Grand Am Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Pontiac Sunfire Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Pontiac Vibe Automatic 4-spd27$2,300
Suzuki Swift Manual 5-spd27$2,300
Toyota Matrix Automatic 4-spd27$2,300
Volkswagen Passat Automatic (S5)27$2,850
Volkswagen Passat Wagon Automatic (S5)27$2,850
Acura RSX Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Chevrolet Aveo Automatic 4-spd26$2,400
Daewoo Kalos Automatic 4-spd26$2,400
Ford Focus Station Wagon Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Honda Accord Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Hyundai Accent/Brio Automatic 4-spd26$2,400
Hyundai Accent/Brio Automatic 4-spd26$2,400
Hyundai Elantra Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Hyundai Elantra Hatchback Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Kia Rio Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Mazda 3 Automatic (S4)26$2,400
Mazda 3 Automatic (S4)26$2,400
Saturn Ion Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Suzuki Swift Automatic 4-spd26$2,400
Toyota Celica Manual 5-spd26$2,400
Toyota MR2 Manual 6-spd26$2,400
Acura RSX Automatic (S5)25$2,500
Chevrolet Cavalier Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Chevrolet Classic Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Chevrolet Malibu Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Dodge Neon/SRT-4/SX 2.0 Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Ford Focus Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Ford Focus Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Ford Focus Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Ford Focus Station Wagon Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Ford Focus Station Wagon Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Honda Civic Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Kia Rio Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Kia Rio Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Kia Spectra 2.0L Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Kia Spectra 2.0L Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Mazda 3 Manual 5-spd25$2,500
MINI Cooper Automatic (variable gear ratios)25$2,950
MINI Cooper S Manual 6-spd25$2,950
Oldsmobile Alero Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Pontiac Grand Am Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Pontiac Sunfire Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Pontiac Vibe Manual 6-spd25$2,950
Pontiac Vibe AWD Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Saturn L300 Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Saturn LW300 Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Toyota Celica Manual 6-spd25$2,950
Toyota Matrix AWD Automatic 4-spd25$2,500
Toyota MR2 Manual 5-spd25$2,500
Acura RSX Manual 6-spd24$3,100
Chevrolet Cavalier Dual-fuel Automatic 4-spd24$2,600
Chrysler Sebring Manual 5-spd24$2,600

Best 2004 Regular Fuel Cars by Miles per Gallon

The table below contains the best 2004 regular fuel cars by combined miles per gallon (MPG).

CarCombined MPGFuel Cost
Honda Insight (Manual 5-spd)52$1,200
Honda Insight (Automatic (variable gear ratios))47$1,350
Toyota Prius (Automatic (variable gear ratios))46$1,350
Honda Civic Hybrid (Automatic (variable gear ratios))41$1,550
Honda Civic Hybrid (Manual 5-spd)41$1,550
Honda Civic Hybrid (Automatic (variable gear ratios))40$1,550
Honda Civic Hybrid (Manual 5-spd)40$1,550
Volkswagen Golf (Manual 5-spd)36$2,150
Volkswagen Jetta (Manual 5-spd)36$2,150
Volkswagen New Beetle (Manual 5-spd)36$2,150
Volkswagen Jetta Wagon (Manual 5-spd)35$2,200
Honda Civic (Manual 5-spd)34$1,850
Toyota Echo (Manual 5-spd)33$1,900
Volkswagen New Beetle (Automatic (S6))33$2,350
Honda Civic (Automatic (variable gear ratios))32$1,950
Volkswagen Golf (Automatic (S5))32$2,400
Volkswagen Jetta (Automatic (S5))32$2,400
Volkswagen Jetta Wagon (Automatic (S5))32$2,400
Toyota Corolla (Manual 5-spd)31$2,000
Toyota Echo (Automatic 4-spd)31$2,000
Honda Civic (Automatic 4-spd)30$2,100
Honda Civic (Manual 5-spd)30$2,100
Honda Civic (Manual 5-spd)30$2,100
Scion xA (Automatic 4-spd)30$2,100
Scion xA (Manual 5-spd)30$2,100
Honda Civic (Automatic 4-spd)29$2,150
Scion xB (Manual 5-spd)29$2,150
Dodge Neon/SRT-4/SX 2.0 (Manual 5-spd)28$2,250
Honda Civic CNG (Automatic (variable gear ratios))28$1,250
Hyundai Accent/Brio (Manual 5-spd)28$2,250
MINI Cooper (Manual 5-spd)28$2,650
Pontiac Vibe (Manual 5-spd)28$2,250
Scion xB (Automatic 4-spd)28$2,250
Toyota Celica (Automatic 4-spd)28$2,250
Toyota Corolla (Automatic 4-spd)28$2,250
Toyota Matrix (Manual 5-spd)28$2,250
Chevrolet Aveo (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Chevrolet Cavalier (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Daewoo Kalos (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Ford Focus (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Hyundai Accent/Brio (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Mazda 3 (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Mitsubishi Lancer (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Nissan Sentra (Automatic 4-spd)27$2,300
Nissan Sentra (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Oldsmobile Alero (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Pontiac Grand Am (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Pontiac Sunfire (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Pontiac Vibe (Automatic 4-spd)27$2,300
Suzuki Swift (Manual 5-spd)27$2,300
Toyota Matrix (Automatic 4-spd)27$2,300
Volkswagen Passat (Automatic (S5))27$2,850
Volkswagen Passat Wagon (Automatic (S5))27$2,850
Acura RSX (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Chevrolet Aveo (Automatic 4-spd)26$2,400
Daewoo Kalos (Automatic 4-spd)26$2,400
Ford Focus Station Wagon (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Honda Accord (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Hyundai Accent/Brio (Automatic 4-spd)26$2,400
Hyundai Accent/Brio (Automatic 4-spd)26$2,400
Hyundai Elantra (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Hyundai Elantra Hatchback (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Kia Rio (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Mazda 3 (Automatic (S4))26$2,400
Mazda 3 (Automatic (S4))26$2,400
Saturn Ion (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Suzuki Swift (Automatic 4-spd)26$2,400
Toyota Celica (Manual 5-spd)26$2,400
Toyota MR2 (Manual 6-spd)26$2,400
Acura RSX (Automatic (S5))25$2,500
Chevrolet Cavalier (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Chevrolet Classic (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Chevrolet Malibu (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Dodge Neon/SRT-4/SX 2.0 (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Ford Focus (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Ford Focus (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Ford Focus (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Ford Focus Station Wagon (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Ford Focus Station Wagon (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Honda Civic (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Kia Rio (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Kia Rio (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Kia Spectra 2.0L (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Kia Spectra 2.0L (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Mazda 3 (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
MINI Cooper (Automatic (variable gear ratios))25$2,950
MINI Cooper S (Manual 6-spd)25$2,950
Oldsmobile Alero (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Pontiac Grand Am (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Pontiac Sunfire (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Pontiac Vibe (Manual 6-spd)25$2,950
Pontiac Vibe AWD (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Saturn L300 (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Saturn LW300 (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Toyota Celica (Manual 6-spd)25$2,950
Toyota Matrix AWD (Automatic 4-spd)25$2,500
Toyota MR2 (Manual 5-spd)25$2,500
Acura RSX (Manual 6-spd)24$3,100
Chevrolet Cavalier Dual-fuel (Automatic 4-spd)24$2,600
Chrysler Sebring (Manual 5-spd)24$2,600

Conclusion

The most fuel efficient car of 2004 is the Honda Insight. It has a combined MPG of 52 and costs $1,200 per year to drive it.

The most fuel efficient non-electric car of 2004 is the Honda Insight. It has a combined MPG of 52 and costs $1,200 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 2004." MPG Buddy. Accessed on January 3, 2026. https://mpgbuddy.com/most-fuel-efficient-cars-in-2004.

  • "The 100 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars in 2004." MPG Buddy, https://mpgbuddy.com/most-fuel-efficient-cars-in-2004. Accessed January 3, 2026.

  • The 100 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars in 2004. MPG Buddy. Retrieved from https://mpgbuddy.com/most-fuel-efficient-cars-in-2004.