Toyota Prius, VW Jetta Top Only 15 Cars In U.S. Averaging At Least 30 mpg

Jim Henry, an automotive writer for Business Week  Online, has written a succinct, informative piece detailing top-15 cars in the United Sates via gas mileage averages. Toyota is represented on the list by four vehicles — Prius, Camry hybrids, and the Yaris and Corolla gas-engined vehicles.

Chevrolet (Cobalt, Aero) and Honda (Civic hybrid and Fit) each have two vehicles on the list.

Six of the vehicles are hybrids and the total of 15 are the only new offerings in the United States averaging more than 30 mpg in combined driving averages.

Here’s the list in deceasing order, with city, highway and combined gas mileage averages listed:

Toyota Prius (hybrid, 2008, (combined 46 miles per gallon);

Honda Civic (hybrid), 40/46, 42 mpg combined;

Smart Fortwo, 2008, 33/41, 36 mpg combined;

Volkswagen Jetta TDI, 2009, 30/41, 34 mpg combined;

Nissan Altima (hybrid), 35/33, 34 mpg combined;

Toyota Camry (hybrid), 33/34, 34 mpg combined;

Mini Cooper, 2008, 28/37 32 mpg combined;

Toyota Yaris, 2008 29/36, 32 mpg combined;

Ford Escape (hybrid), 2009, 34/31, 32 mpg combined;

Mercury Mariner (hybrid), 34/31, 32 mpg combined;

Honda Fit, 2008, 28/34, 31 mpg combined;

Toyota Corolla, 2009, 27/35, 30 mpg combined;

Chevrolet Aero, 2009, 27/34 30 mpg combined;

Chevrolet Cobalt, 27/35, 30 mpg combined;

Pontiac G5, 2009, 25/37, 30 mpg combined.