With Gas Prices Skyrocketing, Cars.com Identifies Cars that Deliver Best Bang for Your Buck
CHICAGO, May 22, 2007 -- As the price of gas continues to reach record highs, more car shoppers are making fuel efficiency a top priority. While gas mileage typically takes center stage, combining the sticker price of a car with its predicted lifetime fuel cost can offer consumers a guide to their overall savings during the lifetime of a car.
"Hybrid cars get a lot of attention when gas prices start to rise. They certainly can save money at the pump and are typically better for the environment," said Patrick Olsen, Cars.com managing editor. "However, not everyone can afford to own a hybrid, and some consumers have needs that are not met by hybrids. If your primary goal is to save money, there may be better options."
Cars.com (http://www.cars.com/) looks at the top 10 cars in various vehicle segments that deliver the best bang for the buck based on vehicle price and average lifetime fuel costs. The Toyota Yaris tops the list with a base price slightly more than $11,000 for a two-door hatchback and average fuel economy of 34 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway.
The list was compiled by combining the base sticker price with a fuel cost estimate based on the car's estimated gas mileage. Fuel cost estimates assume the car will be driven 15,000 miles per year, with 45 percent of those miles on the highway and 55 percent on city streets. The cost of regular unleaded gasoline in the estimate is $3.13 per gallon, and it assumes the car is owned for eight years. Premium fuel costs are estimated at $3.44 per gallon.
Top Compact Cars City/Hwy Base Lifetime Sticker &
mpg Sticker Fuel Cost Lifetime Fuel
1. Toyota Yaris 34/40 $11,150 $10,301 $21,451
2. Hyundai Accent 32/35 $10,415 $11,285 $21,700
3. Kia Rio 32/35 $10,770 $11,285 $22,055
4. Chevrolet Aveo5 27/37 $9,995 $12,219 $22,214
5. Chevrolet Aveo 27/37 $12,010 $12,219 $24,229
6. Nissan Versa 30/34 $12,550 $11,857 $24,407
7. Honda Fit 33/38 $13,850 $10,708 $24,558
8. Toyota Corolla 32/41 $14,305 $10,578 $24,883
9. Saturn Ion 26/35 $12,300 $12,775 $25,075
10. Kia Spectra 27/33 $12,895 $12,773 $25,668
Top Midsize Cars City/Hwy Base Lifetime Sticker &
mpg Sticker Fuel Cost Lifetime Fuel
1. Hyundai Elantra 28/36 $13,395 $12,073 $25,468
2. Dodge Caliber 28/32 $13,725 $12,660 $26,385
3. Toyota Matrix 30/36 $15,410 $11,581 $26,991
4. Suzuki Aerio 25/31 $14,299 $13,715 $28,014
5. Pontiac Vibe 30/36 $16,760 $11,581 $28,341
6. Toyota Prius 60/51 $22,175 $6,757 $28,932
7. Kia Optima 24/34 $16,355 $13,579 $29,934
8. Nissan Altima 26/35 $17,950 $12,775 $30,725
9. Chevrolet Malibu 24/34 $17,215 $13,579 $30,794
10. Hyundai Sonata 24/34 $17,345 $13,579 $30,924
Top Full-Size Cars City/Hwy Base Lifetime Sticker &
mpg Sticker Fuel Cost Lifetime Fuel
1. Chevrolet Impala 21/31 $21,015 $15,289 $36,304
2. Dodge Charger 21/28 $22,100 $15,874 $37,974
3. Ford Five Hundred 21/29 $23,035 $15,665 $38,700
4. Dodge Magnum 21/28 $23,245 $15,874 $39,119
5. Mercury Montego 21/29 $23,835 $15,665 $39,500
6. Toyota Avalon 22/31 $24,320 $15,874 $40,194
7. Buick Lucerne 19/28 $26,875 $14,842 $41,717
8. Kia Amanti 19//26 $25,745 $16,909 $42,654
9. Chrysler 300 21/28 $25,495 $17,373 $42,868
10. Ford Crown Victoria 17/25 $24,620 $18,913 $43,533
Top Luxury Cars City/Hwy Base Lifetime Sticker &
mpg Sticker Fuel Cost Lifetime Fuel
1. Volvo S40* 22/29 $24,240 $16,726 $40,966
2. Hyundai Azera 19/28 $24,235 $16,909 $41,144
3. Chrysler Pacifica 18/25 $24,460 $18,237 $42,697
4. Volvo V50* 22/29 $26,690 $16,726 $43,416
5. Lexus IS 250* 24/32 $30,255 $15,265 $45,520
7. Lincoln MKZ 19/27 $29,305 $17,133 $46,438
6. Volvo V70* 22/29 $30,045 $16,726 $46,771
8. Cadillac CTS 18/27 $29,925 $17,737 $47,662
9. Volvo S60* 21/30 $30,885 $17,003 $47,888
10. Mercedes-Benz C230* 19/25 $29,650 $19,380 $49,030
* Premium fuel is recommended by the manufacturer for these cars. Premium
fuel costs of $3.44 a gallon were used in these calculations.
Top Minivans City/Hwy Base Lifetime Sticker &
mpg Sticker Fuel Cost Lifetime Fuel
1. Mazda5 22/27 $17,735 $15,650 $33,385
2. Dodge Caravan 20/26 $19,055 $16,830 $35,885
3. Chevrolet Uplander 18/25 $20,205 $18,237 $38,442
4. Kia Sedona 18/25 $20,695 $18,237 $38,932
5. Chrysler Town & Country19/26 $21,695 $17,373 $39,068
6. Saturn Relay 18/25 $21,570 $18,237 $39,807
7. Toyota Sienna 19/26 $24,155 $17,373 $41,528
8. Hyundai Entourage 18/25 $23,895 $18,237 $42,132
9. Ford Freestar 17/23 $23,705 $19,500 $43,205
10. Honda Odyssey 18/25 $25,645 $18,237 $43,882
Top SUVs City/Hwy Base Lifetime Sticker &
mpg Sticker Fuel Cost Lifetime Fuel
1. Jeep Patriot 26/30 $14,425 $13,579 $28,004
2. Jeep Compass 26/30 $15,425 $13,579 $29,004
3. Kia Sportage 23/28 $15,900 $15,018 $30,918
4. Hyundai Tucson 23/28 $16,995 $15,018 $32,013
5. Saturn Vue 23/29 $17,475 $14,810 $32,285
6. Ford Escape 24/29 $19,320 $14,436 $33,756
7. Toyota RAV4 24/30 $20,950 $14,242 $35,192
8. Honda CR-V 23/30 $20,600 $14,616 $35,216
9. Honda Element 21/25 $18,900 $16,598 $35,498
10. Saturn Vue Hybrid 27/32 $22,870 $12,933 $35,803
Top Pickup Trucks City/Hwy Base Lifetime Sticker &
mpg Sticker Fuel Cost Lifetime Fuel
1. Ford Ranger 24/29 $13,860 $14,436 $28,296
2. Toyota Tacoma 23/28 $14,180 $15,018 $29,198
3. Mazda B2300 24/29 $15,535 $14,436 $29,971
4. Chevrolet Colorado 20/26 $14,085 $16,830 $30,915
5. GMC Canyon 20/26 $14,235 $16,830 $31,065
6. Nissan Frontier 22/25 $16,050 $16,151 $32,201
7. Isuzu i-290 20/26 $16,989 $16,830 $33,819
8. Chevrolet Silverado Classic17/21 $15,840 $20,260 $36,100
9. GMC Sierra Classic 17/21 $15,840 $20,260 $36,100
10. Mazda B3000 18/23 $19,040 $18,825 $37,865
For a more complete guide to fuel economy, including cars that get the best gas mileage, information on alternative fuel technology and fuel-savings tips, visit Cars.com.
About Cars.com
Partnered with more than 200 leading metro newspapers, television stations and their websites, Cars.com (www.cars.com) is the most comprehensive destination for those looking to buy or sell a new or used car. The site lists more than 2 million vehicles from 13,000 dealer customers, classified advertisers and private parties to offer consumers the best selection of new and used cars online, as well as the content, tools and advice to support their shopping experience. Recently selected by Forbes.com as a Best of the Web site for car shopping, Cars.com combines powerful inventory search tools and new-car configuration with pricing information, photo galleries, buying guides, side-by-side comparison tools, original editorial content and reviews to help millions of car shoppers connect with sellers each month.
Launched in June 1998, Cars.com is a division of Classified Ventures, LLC, which is owned by leading media companies, including Belo , Gannett Co., Inc. , The McClatchy Company , Tribune Company and The Washington Post Company .
