In the market for a used vehicle? Excellent. You probably want something familiar, a nice ICE setup—an internal combustion engine that you can rely on to get you from point A to point B and all the way to point Z and back again? Maybe you want something you can work on in your spare time to save some couch coins here and there? Most importantly, you probably want a used vehicle that’s fuel-efficient? Why? Because saving time and money at the pump is one of your big priorities in your car shopping quest. Well, if you fit the profile of someone in the market looking for a traditional gasoline-powered vehicle that’s affordable, used, and dependable, we have 12 fuel-efficient used cars you should absolutely check out the next time you visit a used car dealer.
12. 2019 Chevy Malibu – 29/36 MPG City/Hwy
The 2019 Chevy Malibu makes for a great affordable, fuel-efficient midsize sedan. It’s roomy enough for a small family, elegant enough to be an executive car, and nimble enough for joy rides, thanks to spirited handling. If you go with a used 2019 model, you get the all-new refreshed front fascia and new 8-inch infotainment suite. Powered by the 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, the Malibu nets you up to 29 MPG (miles per gallon) in the city and up to 36 MPG on the highway. It’s a good all-around, affordable midsize sedan worth checking out for a wide range of different car shoppers.
11. 2018 Honda Accord – 30/38 MPG City/Hwy
Another sensibly sized midsize sedan. Honda’s popular marque was completely redesigned for 2018. The Accord is littered with lots of awesome new features for this particular model year outing, including a high-strength steel frame, an all-new body structure with safety in mind, better exterior aerodynamics, and lighter by 42 lbs. The 2018 Honda Accord is paired with three different powertrain options, but if you find a used one with the 1.5-liter turbocharged inline 4-cylinder that produces 192 hp at 192 lb-ft of torque paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), you’ll be able to achieve an impressive 30 MPG in the city and up to 38 MPG on the highway.
10. 2021 Volkswagen Golf – 29/39 MPG City/Hwy
A subcompact with a lot of heart and plenty of gusto, the 2021 Volkswagen Golf doesn’t offer a whole lot of new features for the model year, but it does give you a lot of travel distance for your money. Smaller than the aforementioned midsize sedans above, the Golf does manage to include a lot of basic safety and infotainment features right out of the gate, perfect for those who want a capable compact that also offers great handling and fuel economy. Speaking of fuel economy, the 2021 Golf is worth checking out at a used car dealer more so for its savings at the pump than anything else because the little 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that delivers 148 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque when paired with the 6-speed manual transmission will net you 29 MPG in the city and up to 39 MPG on the highway.
9. 2018 Toyota Camry – 29/41 MPG City/Hwy
There was no way a list of fuel-efficient cars could be made without one of the most popular, economical, affordable vehicles on the road today making it into one of the spots. The 2018 Toyota Camry is on the list for a few reasons. The 2018 model introduced a more aggressive, sporty look with an aerodynamic profile, improved Toyota Safety Sense-P, and improved fuel economy. The Dynamic Force Engine for the 2018 model year was leveraged as part of Toyota’s new Global Architecture; running a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder with variable valve timing and direct injection resulted in a peak output of 206 hp and 186 lb-ft of torque. Great power gains were achieved with the 2018 Toyota Camry and even better fuel economy at 29 MPG in the city and up to 41 MPG on the highway.
8. 2021 Volkswagen Jetta 30/41 MPG City/Hwy
New interior comfort features and exterior styling make the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta a modest pick from a used car dealer, meaning it shouldn’t run through your budget like some other vehicles with more robust overhauls and thus may carry a higher price tag on the used market. Even still, this doesn’t detract from the 2021 Jetta’s great performance and comfort qualities. With the 1.4-liter turbocharged direct-injection 4-cylinder, the Jetta has an output of 147 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque, and when paired with the manual transmission, you achieve up to 30 MPG in the city and up to 41 MPG on the highway.
7. 2021 Toyota Corolla – 31/40 MPG City/Hwy
Lots of interesting updates were made for the 2021 Toyota Corolla, which may be difficult to parse for shoppers browsing through used car listings due to the fact that most of the new 2021 features were contained to limited editions, special editions, and unique appearance modifications. Of course, if you can find any of these unique iterations of the 2021 Toyota Corolla at a used car dealer, then all the more power to you. Nevertheless, the 2021 Toyota Corolla combines style, passenger comfort, and performance in one package with great fuel gains right out of the gate. The 2.0-liter Dynamic Force Engine produces 169 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque and manages up to 31 MPG in the city and 40 MPG on the highway with the Dynamic Shift CVT.
6. 2020 Toyota Yaris – 32/40 MPG City/Hwy
Toyota has discontinued the Yaris, but it had one last big outing during the 2020 model year. Finding a used one may or may not be a challenge in itself, but if you can get your hands on one, it’s a very affordable, very nimble subcompact that works as a great starter vehicle. It comes with all of the standard safety and infotainment features you would expect from any modern vehicle. This fun little hatchback features a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine that delivers 106 hp and 103 lb-ft of torque. While it may be light on power, it’s big on fuel savings, as it manages 32 MPG in the city and up to 40 MPG on the highway.
5. 2016 Ford Focus – 30/42 MPG City/Hwy
Another vehicle no longer being produced, the Ford Focus has always been a popular little subcompact by Ford. The 2016 Ford Focus, in particular, was a travel-rich outing packed with fun features and great fuel economy. The 2016 model year upped the SYNC 3 features and infotainment qualities, including the availability of an 8-inch touchscreen, along with new colors and wheel choices. On the travel side, the 1.0-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder engine only produced 123 hp and 125 lb-ft of torque, but the little hatch-that-could managed to achieve 30 MPG in the city and up to 42 MPG on the highway.
4. 2020 Hyundai Accent – 33/41 MPG City/Hwy
You may not hear as much about the Hyundai Accent as some of the other subcompacts on the market, but that doesn’t mean it’s not competitive because it absolutely is. If you search around a used car dealer lot for a 2020 Hyundai Accent, you’ll be chiefly rewarded with a stylish, comfortable little sedan with great fuel gains. In fact, the 2020 model year’s switch over to a CVT and combined with the tweaked 1.6-liter 4-cylinder is what allowed it to achieve up to 33 MPG in the city and up to 41 MPG on the highway, making it a very fuel-efficient sedan within its segment.
3. 2019 Honda Civic – 32/42 MPG City/Hwy
We’re moving into the top three here, and this is where things get nice and spicy. We have the 2019 Honda Civic up next, which received a redesign for the model year outing. New styling changes and standard safety equipment mean you’re getting more while paying less for a used model. The 1.5-liter 4-cylinder manages 174 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque but nets you some of the best fuel economy ratings in its segment—a cool 32 MPG in the city and up to 42 MPG on the highway. It’s the perfect mix of style, performance, and efficiency.
2. 2021 Hyundai Elantra – 33/43 MPG City/Hwy
Hyundai may get overlooked often with some of its offerings, but if you want a vehicle that exudes futurism as you partake in your daily commutes, you cannot go wrong with the completely redesigned 2021 Hyundai Elantra. This sedan features hard angles and indentations as part of Hyundai’s parametric dynamic design philosophy that may or may not be to everyone’s liking. However, if you like the very aggressive, stealth-fighter approach to your compact sedans, then the 2021 Hyundai Elantra is your car. The 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine only manages 147 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque, but you get 33 MPG in the city and a very impressive 43 MPG on the highway.
1. 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage – 37/43 MPG City/Hwy
There is such a thing as the law of diminishing returns. You can only push so far until you hit a peak, but it seems like some auto manufacturers have been able to reach and exceed that peak. In the case of the 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage, the subcompact hatch, it’s definitely economical and certainly affordable, but you are going to be making some serious sacrifices if you can get your hands on this little vehicle from a used car dealer. The tiny little 1.2-liter 3-cylinder engine manages only 78 hp and 74 lb-ft of torque, but paired with the 5-speed manual transmission, you’re actually looking to benefit from the diminutive stature with an amazing 37 MPG in the city and up to 43 MPG on the highway. Of course, if you’re willing to give up interior volume, comfort features, and some of the latest infotainment tech, you could go very far for very little with a 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage.
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