As the price of gas reaches record highs, more car shoppers are making fuel efficiency a top priority.
While gas mileage alone typically takes center stage in the decision-making process, combining the sticker price of a car with its predicted lifetime fuel cost can offer consumers a better picture of their overall savings during the lifetime of a car.
A new
Cars.com study looks at the most cost-effective new cars, combining both the cost of the car and the projected cost of fuel.
"Hybrid cars get a lot of hype when gas prices start to rise, but if your overall goal is to simply save money, there might be better options," Cars.com editor in chief Patrick Olsen said. "For instance, the most fuel-efficient car on the market is the Toyota Prius hybrid, but over eight years of ownership it will ultimately cost you almost $7,000 more to own than a Smart Fortwo."
Cars.com identified the top 10 gas-only cars and the top five hybrid vehicles that deliver the best bang for the buck based on base sticker price and estimated lifetime fuel costs.
The new Smart Fortwo tops the list with a base price slightly more than $11,000 for a two-door hatchback and average fuel economy of 33 mpg in the city and 41 mpg on the highway.
The list was compiled by combining each car's base sticker price as of May 9, 2008, with a fuel cost estimate based on its EPA-estimated gas mileage. Fuel costs assume that the car is driven 15,000 miles per year, 55 percent in the city and 45 percent on the highway; that the cost of regular unleaded gasoline is $3.40 a gallon; and that the car is owned for eight years.
| Best Bang For Buck |
| Gas Cars |
| Vehicle | MPG (city/highway) | Base sticker | Lifetime fuel | Sticker and Fuel |
| Smart Fortwo | 33/41 | $11,590 | $12,273 | $22,868 |
| Toyota Yaris | 29/36 | $11,350 | $12,838 | $24,188 |
| Hyundai Accent | 27/32 | $10,775 | $14,049 | $24,929 |
| Kia Rio | 27/32 | $10,890 | $14,049 | $24,939 |
| Chevrolet Aveo5 | 24/34 | $10,235 | $14,750 | $24,985 |
| Chevrolet Aveo | 24/34 | $12,170 | $14,750 | $26,920 |
| Honda Fit | 28/34 | $13,950 | $13,414 | $27,364 |
| Toyota Corolla | 28/37 | $14,405 | $12,976 | $27,381 |
| Nissan Versa | 26/31 | $12,880 | $14,553 | $27,433 |
| Scion xD | 24/32 | $14,550 | $13,875 | $28,425 |
| Hybrid Cars |
| Toyota Prius | 48/45 | $21,100 | $8,755 | $29,855 |
| Honda Civic | 40/45 | $22,600 | $9,690 | $32,290 |
| Toyota Camry | 33/34 | $25,200 | $12,200 | $37,400 |
| Nissan Altima | 35/33 | $25,480 | $11,975 | $37,455 |
| Saturn Aura Green Line | 24/32 | $23,640 | $15,088 | $38,728 |
| Source: Cars.com |
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