| ces jumped right past $3 last year without warning | | | | thanks to the ability to turn off their engines. Other |
| and could do so again anytime. With so many great | | | | reasons include shrunken engines, improved |
| fuel-stingy cars out there, why take a chance? Below | | | | aerodynamic tricks, and harder tires. Don’t think |
| are the ten 2006 cars whose mileage numbers will | | | | that mileage comes for free; hybrids cost a couple |
| best protect you from a pinch. Note that this is | | | | thousand more at the outset. Diesel-powered cars |
| EPA’s estimated mileage, which comes with | | | | occupy the next three spots, though not everyone is |
| the fine print of results may vary thanks to its | | | | comfortable with the technology (mostly due to |
| archaic testing procedures. Still, the tests are consistent | | | | outdated generalizations of 1980s diesels) or having to |
| from car to car, so the finishing order of the cars can | | | | find gas stations that carry the fuel. |
| be expected to hold up in the real world, even if the | | | | For those who prefer to tread in familiar waters, |
| exact numbers don’t. | | | | let’s hack off the top six entries and redo the |
| City Freeway Average | | | | list. This time, just normal gas-powered cars: |
| 1. Honda Insight 60 66 63 | | | | City Freeway Average |
| 2. Toyota Prius automatic 60 51 55.5 | | | | 1. Toyota Corolla 32 41 36.5 |
| 3. Honda Civic Hybrid 49 51 50 | | | | 2. Honda Civic automatic 30 40 35 |
| 4. Volkswagen Beetle TDI 37 44 40.5 | | | | 3. Scion xA 32 37 34.5 |
| 5. Volkswagen Golf TDI 37 44 40.5 | | | | 4. Kia Rio / Hyundai Accent 32 35 33.5 |
| 6. Volkswagen Jetta TDI 36 41 38.5 | | | | 5. Toyota Matrix / Pontiac Vibe 30 36 33 |
| 7. Toyota Corolla 32 41 36.5 | | | | 6. Scion xB 30 34 32 |
| 8. Scion xA 32 37 34.5 | | | | 7. Mini Cooper 28 36 32 |
| 9. Honda Civic automatic 30 40 35 | | | | 8. Nissan Sentra 1.8L (tie) 28 35 31.5 |
| 10. Kia Rio / Hyundai Accent 32 35 33.5 | | | | Mazda 3 2.0L (tie) 28 35 31.5 |
| (The Rio and Accent are the same car.) Except for | | | | 10. Mitsubishi Lancer (tie) 27 34 30.5 |
| the Prius and two Civics, all figures are for cars with | | | | Hyundai Elantra (tie) 27 34 30.5 |
| manual transmissions, which by nature of their more | | | | Chevrolet Aveo (tie) 26 35 30.5 |
| efficient design tend to squeeze out 1-2 extra MPG. | | | | Acura RSX (tie) 27 34 30.5 |
| But even with an automatics-only rule, the same ten | | | | Yes, there are plenty of cars that get an [EPA |
| models still comprise the list in only a slightly altered | | | | estimated] 30 MPG on average, and it’s a |
| order — no surprise there. | | | | pleasant surprise that perennial favorites Corolla and |
| Hybrids of course take the top three spots, largely | | | | Civic lead the pack. |