Edmunds.com Names Top 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars

Average Fuel Economy is 19 Miles per Gallon in Cities, 26 on Highways; Average Annual Fuel Expense is $1,310 per Vehicle

SANTA MONICA, Calif., May 10 -- Edmunds.com (http://www.edmunds.com/), the Internet's premier resource for automotive information, today announced the most fuel-efficient cars for the 2004 model year(1).

  

   They are:

     (1)  Honda Insight

     (2)  Toyota Prius*

     (3)  Honda Civic Hybrid

     (4)  Volkswagen Golf TDI
          Volkswagen Jetta TDI
          Volkswagen New Beetle TDI

     (5)  Honda Civic HX

     (6)  Toyota Echo

     (7)  Toyota Corolla

     (8)  Scion xA

     (9)  Scion xB

     (10)  Dodge Neon
           Pontiac Vibe
           Toyota Celica GT*
           Toyota Matrix

"It is impressive that the most fuel-efficient vehicles enjoy nearly double the per-gallon mileage of the vehicles lower on the list," remarks Karl Brauer, Editor In Chief of Edmunds.com. "During city driving the Insight and Prius are rated at 60 miles to the gallon, while the vehicles tied for 10th place get 29."

To view the entire list and obtain additional information about the cars referenced, please visit http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/101576/article.html.

Edmunds.com has also determined that the average fuel economy for 2004 model year vehicles is 19 miles per gallon (mpg) in city driving and 26 mpg on highways.

Additionally, Edmunds.com has found the average fuel expense is $1,310 per vehicle, assuming 15,000 miles are driven per year. On average, cars run up $1,178 in fuel expenses per year while trucks, SUVs and minivans average $1,606 annual fuel costs. The most fuel-efficient segment is coupes priced under $15,000, with an average fuel cost of $843 per year while the least fuel-efficient segment is SUVs priced over $45,000, with an average fuel cost of $1,956 per year. The most popular segments are the sedans priced between $15 - $25,000, with an average annual fuel cost of $1,013, and the large trucks, with an average annual fuel cost of $1,874. For details on fuel costs and other ownership expenses, check Edmunds.com's True Cost to Own(TM) tool at http://www.edmunds.com/ownership.

Edmunds.com expects the market to change drastically in the next couple of years as more manufacturers introduce hybrid vehicles, including SUV and truck models. Awaited as 2005 models are hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Silverado, Dodge Ram, Ford Escape, GMC Sierra, Honda Accord, Lexus RX 400h and Toyota Highlander. Additional hybrid vehicles are in development for the 2006 and 2007 model years. Other fuel-saving technologies are also becoming more common, such as the cylinder deactivation systems recently introduced by GM and Chrysler.

  (1)  Edmunds.com compiled the list based on the Environmental Protection
       Agency's (EPA) miles per gallon ratings for city and highway travel,
       using the EPA's combined fuel economy formula. No all-electric or
       natural gas vehicles were included.  All ratings apply to base models
       equipped with a manual transmission, except where indicated otherwise
       with a single asterisk (*).