Fuel Economy vs. Acceleration
You don't always have to give up engine performance in return for good fuel economy. To prove this, Consumer Reports compiled this list of vehicles that provided the best combination of fuel economy and acceleration in our tests. Vehicles are ranked within each category based on the overall miles per gallon and 0-60-mph acceleration times they achieved in our tests. Both were weighted equally.
For more on saving gas, see our guide to fuel economy.
* = MPGe, mile-per-gallon equivalent.
Best fuel economy and acceleration by category based on CR tests
Make & model | Fuel economy | Acceleration |
---|---|---|
BMW i3 Giga | 139* | 7.5 |
Ford Focus Electric | 107* | 10.2 |
Nissan Leaf SL | 106* | 10.3 |
Chevrolet Volt LT | 105* | 8.0 |
Ford C-Max Energi | 94* / 37** | 8.1 |
Toyota Prius Three | 52 | 10.3 |
Toyota Prius C Two | 43 | 11.3 |
Lexus CT 200h Premium | 40 | 11.0 |
*=MPGe, **=MPG on gas only | ||
Smart ForTwo Passion | 36 | 11.2 |
Ford Fiesta SE (3-cyl., MT) | 35 | 9.0 |
Scion iA | 35 | 10.3 |
Toyota Yaris iA | 35 | 10.3 |
Honda Fit EX | 33 | 10.0 |
Ford Fiesta SE sedan | 33 | 10.9 |
Chevrolet Spark LT | 33 | 12.0 |
Toyota Yaris LE | 32 | 10.8 |
Hyundai Accent GLS | 31 | 10.3 |
Nissan Versa Note SV | 31 | 10.9 |
Mazda3 i Touring sedan | 33 | 8.3 |
Hyundai Elantra SE | 33 | 9.9 |
Kia Forte LX | 33 | 10.1 |
Mazda3 i Grand Touring hatchback | 32 | 8.2 |
Honda Civic LX | 32 | 8.7 |
Volkswagen Jetta SE (1.4T) | 32 | 9.1 |
Toyota Corolla LE Plus | 32 | 9.9 |
Honda Civic EX-T | 31 | 7.1 |
Mini Cooper (3-cyl.) | 31 | 8.3 |
Scion iM | 31 | 10.0 |
Toyota Corolla iM | 31 | 10.0 |
Nissan Sentra SV | 31 | 10.4 |
Chevrolet Cruze LT | 30 | 8.5 |
Ford Focus SE (2.0) | 29 | 9.8 |
Mazda MX-5 Miata Club | 34 | 6.7 |
Mini Cooper S | 30 | 7.0 |
Toyota 86 | 30 | 7.2 |
Subaru BR-Z Premium | 30 | 7.2 |
Volkswagen GTI Autobahn | 29 | 6.6 |
Ford Fiesta ST | 29 | 7.3 |
BMW Z4 sDrive28i | 28 | 6.1 |
Volkswagen GLI Autobahn | 27 | 7.2 |
Porsche 718 Boxster (base) | 26 | 4.4 |
Subaru Impreza WRX Premium | 26 | 6.0 |
Audi TT 2.0T (auto) | 26 | 6.3 |
Ford Mustang Premium (2.3L EcoBoost, auto) | 25 | 6.4 |
Ford Focus ST | 25 | 6.6 |
BMW M235i | 25 | 5.2 |
Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid | 41 | 8.0 |
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid SE | 39 | 8.2 |
Ford Fusion SE Hybrid | 39 | 8.3 |
Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE | 38 | 7.6 |
Mazda6 Sport | 32 | 7.5 |
Honda Accord LX (4-cyl.) | 30 | 7.7 |
Chrysler 200 Limited (4-cyl.) | 30 | 9.8 |
Chevrolet Malibu LT (1.5T) | 29 | 8.4 |
Nissan Altima 2.5 SV | 29 | 8.4 |
Kia Optima | 28 | 8.0 |
Toyota Camry LE (4-cyl.) | 28 | 8.6 |
Volkswagen Passat SE (1.8T) | 28 | 8.6 |
Hyundai Sonata SE (4-cyl.) | 28 | 9.2 |
Honda Accord EX-L (V6) | 26 | 6.3 |
Toyota Camry XLE (V6) | 26 | 6.4 |
Chrysler 200 C (V6) | 25 | 6.9 |
Nissan Altima 3.5 SL (V6) | 24 | 6.3 |
Ford Fusion SE (1.5T) | 24 | 9.2 |
Tesla Model S P85D | 87* | 3.5 |
Lexus ES 300h | 36 | 8.2 |
BMW 328d xDrive | 35 | 8.5 |
Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 | 28 | 6.6 |
Acura ILX Premium | 28 | 7.5 |
Audi A4 Premium Plus | 27 | 6.3 |
Acura TLX 2.4L | 27 | 7.4 |
Audi A3 Premium | 27 | 8.3 |
Mercedes-Benz C300 (AWD) | 26 | 6.8 |
BMW 330i xDrive | 26 | 6.9 |
Volkswagen CC Sport | 26 | 7.5 |
Infiniti Q70 (V6) | 25 | 5.6 |
Acura TLX SH-AWD | 25 | 6.5 |
Nissan Maxima Platinum | 25 | 6.5 |
Lexus ES 350 | 25 | 6.7 |
Buick LaCrosse Essence | 24 | 6.3 |
Toyota Avalon Limited | 24 | 6.6 |
Mercedes-Benz E300 (AWD) | 24 | 7.1 |
Volvo S60 T5 Drive-E | 25 | 7.9 |
Toyota Avalon Limited | 24 | 7.0 |
Buick Regal Premium I (turbo) | 24 | 7.4 |
Buick Verano Leather | 24 | 8.5 |
BMW 535i | 23 | 6.1 |
Acura RLX Tech | 23 | 6.5 |
Cadillac ATS Luxury | 23 | 6.5 |
Volvo S90 T6 Momentum (AWD) | 23 | 7.2 |
Lincoln MKZ 2.0 Eco Boost | 23 | 7.4 |
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid XLE | 31 | 8.7 |
Honda HR-V LX | 29 | 10.5 |
Mazda CX-3 Touring | 28 | 9.6 |
Mercedes-Benz GLA250 | 26 | 6.9 |
BMW X1 xDrive28i | 26 | 7.9 |
Mini Cooper Countryman S | 26 | 8.3 |
Hyundai Tucson Sport (1.6T) | 26 | 8.4 |
Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium | 26 | 8.7 |
Subaru Crosstrek Premium | 26 | 9.7 |
Infiniti QX30 Premium | 25 | 7.1 |
Mazda CX-5 Touring (2.5L) | 25 | 8.0 |
Chevrolet Trax LT | 25 | 10.8 |
Toyota RAV4 XLE | 24 | 9.4 |
Nissan Rogue SV | 24 | 9.5 |
Jeep Renegade Latitude | 24 | 9.9 |
Mitsubishi Outlander SEL (4-cyl.) | 24 | 10.0 |
Hyundai Tucson SE (2.0L) | 24 | 11.0 |
Honda CR-V EX | 24 | 9.0 |
BMW X3 xDrive 28i | 23 | 7.3 |
Kia Sportage LX | 23 | 9.6 |
Fiat 500X Easy | 23 | 9.8 |
Ford Escape SE (1.5T) | 23 | 10.1 |
Buick Encore Leather | 23 | 11.0 |
Acura RDX | 22 | 6.6 |
Mercedes-Benz GLC300 | 22 | 6.8 |
Jeep Compass Latitude | 22 | 10.3 |
Jeep Cherokee Latitude (4-cyl.) | 22 | 10.9 |
Jeep Cherokee Limited (V6) | 21 | 7.7 |
Audi Q5 Premium Plus | 21 | 7.9 |
Volkswagen Tiguan SEL | 21 | 8.5 |
Land Rover Discovery Sport HSE | 21 | 8.6 |
Jeep Patriot Latitude | 21 | 10.3 |
Tesla Model X 90D | 92* | 4.9 |
Lexus RX 450h | 29 | 7.5 |
Toyota Highlander Hybrid Ltd. | 25 | 8.3 |
Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited (diesel) | 24 | 8.6 |
Lexus RX 350 | 22 | 7.5 |
Mazda CX-9 Touring | 22 | 7.9 |
Acura MDX Tech | 21 | 6.8 |
BMW X5 xDrive 35i | 21 | 7.4 |
Kia Sorento EX (V6) | 21 | 7.4 |
Nissan Murano SL | 21 | 7.7 |
Ford Edge SEL | 21 | 8.8 |
Jaguar F-Pace Prestige | 20 | 6.0 |
Audi Q7 Premium Plus | 20 | 6.7 |
Cadillac XT5 Premium | 20 | 7.1 |
Honda Pilot EX-L | 20 | 7.5 |
Toyota Highlander XLE | 20 | 7.5 |
Hyundai Santa Fe SE (V6) | 20 | 7.6 |
Volvo XC90 T6 Momentum | 20 | 7.7 |
GMC Acadia Denali | 19 | 6.8 |
Porsche Cayenne (base) | 19 | 7.8 |
Infiniti QX60 (3.5L) | 19 | 8.3 |
Land Rover Range Rover Sport HSE | 18 | 6.5 |
Mercedes-Benz GLE350 | 18 | 6.8 |
Infiniti QX70 | 18 | 6.8 |
Chevrolet Equinox LTZ (V6) | 18 | 7.1 |
Lincoln MKX 2.7L | 18 | 7.2 |
Nissan Pathfinder SL | 18 | 7.7 |
Toyota 4Runner SR5 (V6) | 18 | 7.7 |
Ford Explorer XLT | 18 | 7.9 |
Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited (V6) | 18 | 8.0 |
Mercedes-Benz GLS350d | 20 | 8.2 |
Dodge Durango Limited (V6) | 18 | 9.4 |
Ford Flex SEL | 18 | 8.5 |
Cadillac Escalade Premium | 16 | 6.1 |
Chevrolet Tahoe LT | 16 | 7.7 |
Chevrolet Suburban LTZ | 16 | 7.9 |
Chevrolet Traverse LT | 16 | 8.8 |
Infiniti QX80 | 15 | 6.9 |
Lincoln Navigator Base | 15 | 7.0 |
Toyota Sequoia Limited | 15 | 7.1 |
Buick Enclave CXL | 15 | 7.9 |
Chrysler Pacifica Touring-L | 21 | 8.0 |
Honda Odyssey EX-L | 21 | 8.4 |
Toyota Sienna XLE (FWD) | 20 | 8.8 |
Kia Sedona EX | 20 | 8.0 |
Nissan Quest SL | 19 | 8.4 |
Toyota Sienna XLE (AWD) | 19 | 8.5 |
Honda Ridgeline RTL | 20 | 7.3 |
Ram 1500 Big Horn (diesel) | 20 | 9.5 |
Toyota Tacoma SR5 (V6) | 19 | 8.2 |
Chevrolet Colorado LT (V6) | 18 | 7.5 |
Ford F-150 XLT (2.7 EcoBoost) | 17 | 7.0 |
Ford F-150 XLT (3.5L EcoBoost) | 16 | 7.2 |
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT | 16 | 7.5 |
Toyota Prius V Three | 41 | 10.7 |
Ford C-MAX Hybrid SE | 37 | 8.4 |
Mini Clubman Base (3-cyl.) | 28 | 10.5 |
Fiat 500L Easy | 27 | 9.5 |
Kia Soul Plus | 26 | 8.8 |
Volkswagen Golf Alltrack SE | 25 | 8.5 |
Subaru Outback 2.5i | 24 | 10.5 |
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