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Best Deals on Fuel-Efficient Cars and SUVs

Here’s the latest selection from Consumer Reports on what they found to be 10 non-Hybrid and Hybrid models that are the best deals toward buying the most fuel-efficient cars based on overall fuel-economy test results, recent consumer car shopping data, and current MSRP pricing.
Recommended Hybrids and Non-Hybrid Cars that Save on Gas

Reliability, Savings, and Fuel Efficiency

This week, Consumer Reports analysts updated their tiered selection of fuel-efficient vehicles focused on cars and SUVs for economy in not only the mpg you can expect, but also to help consumers find their next car to fit their needs and wallet.

“To help CR members, we reviewed the latest transaction data reflecting what people actually paid for cars in the past month. We then filtered the list to include only CR Recommended models among the best fuel economy for their class. In short, these are good models with good fuel economy,” stated Consumer Reports.

It’s as Good as it Gets Right Now

However, don’t expect to find any deep discounts anytime soon as CR analysts recently pointed out about their most recent updated selections:

“We sorted the data to rank the vehicles by how close their average transaction price is to the MSRP on the window sticker, starting with the best deal. Given the limited car inventory and heightened interest in efficient models, all of these have sold for between 1 and 7 percent over MSRP. That’s as good as it gets right now.”

Recommended Fuel-Efficient Cars and SUVs

That said, here is a summary of their list:

1. 2023 Mazda MX-5 Miata
Price Range: $28,050 - $38,950
CR MPG: Overall 34 / City 25 / Hwy 42 mpg
Rated #1 of 8 Roadsters

Selected model: 2023 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club Manual
MSRP: $38,950
Average spent over MSRP: $424
Average transaction price: $39,374

2. 2023 Honda Ridgeline
Price Range: $38,800 - $46,230
CR MPG: Overall 20 / City 13 / Hwy 29 mpg
#3 of 10 Compact pickup trucks

Selected model: 2023 Honda Ridgeline RTL AWD
MSRP: $41,780
Average spent over MSRP: $591
Average transaction price: $42,371

3. 2023 Mazda 3
Price Range: $22,550 - $35,300
CR MPG: Overall 30 / City 20 / Hwy 44 mpg
#5 of 12 Small sedans

Selected model: 2023 Mazda 3 2.5 S Select
MSRP: $23,950
Average spent over MSRP: $510
Average transaction price: $24,460

4. 2023 Lexus ES Hybrid
Price Range: $41,020
CR MPG: Overall 42 / City 32 / Hwy 52 mpg
Rated #1 of 14 Luxury midsized cars

Selected model: 2023 Lexus ES 300h
MSRP: $42,640
Average spent over MSRP: $1,285
Average transaction price: $43,925

5. 2023 Toyota Camry Hybrid
Price Range: $26,220 - $36,645
CR MPG: Overall 47 / City 39 / Hwy 53 mpg
Rated #1 of 11 Midsized cars

Selected model: 2023 Toyota Camry Hybrid LE
MSRP: $28,355
Average spent over MSRP: $981
Average transaction price: $29,336

6. 2023 Lexus UX
Price Range: $35,340 - $44,170
CR MPG: Overall 37 / City 32 / Hwy 42 mpg
Rated #3 of 13 Luxury entry-level sport-utility vehicles

Selected model: 2023 Lexus UX 250h AWD
MSRP: $36,740
Average spent over MSRP: $1,359
Average transaction price: $38,099

7. 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Price Range: $36,420 - $52,425
CR MPG: Overall 35 / City 27 / Hwy 41 mpg
#2 of 20 Midsized sport-utility vehicles 3-row

Selected model: 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid XLE AWD
MSRP: $44,820
Average spent over MSRP: $1,910
Average transaction price: $46,730

8. 2023 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid
Price Range: $31,350 - $44,760
CR MPG: Overall 35 / City 29 / Hwy 40 mpg
#3 of 28 Compact sport-utility vehicles

Selected model: 2023 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid SEL Convenience AWD
MSRP: $34,310
Average spent over MSRP: $1,663
Average transaction price: $35,973

9. 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid
Price Range: $36,210 - $41,870
CR MPG: Overall 30 / City 23 / Hwy 37 mpg
#1 of 14 Midsized sport-utility vehicles

Selected model: 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid SEL Premium AWD
MSRP: $40,070
Average spent over MSRP: $2,291
Average transaction price: $42,361

10. 2023 Toyota Corolla Hybrid
Price Range: $21,550 - $27,175
CR MPG: Overall 48 / City 37 / Hwy 59 mpg
#1 of 12 Small sedans

Selected model: 2023 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE
MSRP: $21,550
Average spent over MSRP: $1,300
Average transaction price: $22,850

And finally…

For a more detailed breakdown of each vehicle, please visit the CR website. Note that while access to some information requires a CR membership, the potential savings make it negligible in comparison when looking for the latest information to aid your car buying research.

For additional articles related to fuel-efficient vehicles, here are a few selected ones for your consideration:

• New Hybrids That Will Save You the Most Money on Gas

• 10 Real Ways to Really Save Gas and Money

• New Hybrids to Love, to Ignore, and to Avoid Advises Consumer Reports

Timothy Boyer is Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily new and used vehicle news.

COMING UP NEXT: Simple Check for a Rough Running Ford F-150

Image source: Pixabay

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