When considering the vehicles that give you the best gas mileage for your money, there are many variables. You can’t compare the mileage you get from a compact electric vehicle against the mileage of a full-size SUV. Clearly, the electric car will give you better gas mileage, but you may need the extra spce that an SUV offers.
The waters have been muddied further by electric vehicles, hybrid cars, and alternative fuel vehicles. These vehicles often don’t use gas at all, so to compare them together we typically use eMPG, which is the equivalent miles per gallon you get for your dollar.
Then, there’s a difference between considering great gas mileage on new cars and used cars. New cars in 2021 offer some great gas mileage, but their high initial price is often out of reach for many buyers. This is why a fuel-efficient used car from a buy here pay here car lot like Auto Bank can be the right choice if you’re searching for used cars in Kansas City. Buy here pay here dealerships offer excellent vehicles at affordable prices.
Our used car experts at Auto Bank KC have put together a list of the top vehicles in each vehicle category so you can get an idea of what’s available to you, including new vehicles and top used car choices.
The latest Model 3 Standard Range from Tesla tops the charts with a 142 combined city/hwy MPGe. This electric vehicle has a range of 264 miles. With this car, it only costs you an average of $0.77 to drive 25 miles, but you need to make sure you live near electric charging stations or risk running out of juice.
A plug-in hybrid is powered mainly by an electric motor you can charge from home, but it also has a conventional engine it can fall back onto if you run out of electricity. The BMW i3 built between 2014 and 2018 offers the best annual fuel cost. The electric engine gets you 117 combined city/hwy MPGe, and switching to gas still gets you an excellent 39 MPG.
Standard hybrids can’t be plugged in, but they partly use an electric motor that’s powered by regular gasoline. Ever since 2017, the Hyundai Ioniq Blue has offered the best MPG for hybrids, so it makes a great used car purchase. The 2021 model slightly improves the MPG from 58 combined city/hwy MPG to 59 city/hwy MPG. This is slightly ahead of the more well-known Prius Eco, which gets you 56 MPG.
If you want to keep to a traditional gas engine, the Mitsubishi Mirage is your go-to choice. Ever since 2014, the Mirage has offered an outstanding 39 combined city/hwy MPG, beating out all competitors. If you don’t mind its small size, if you find a used Mitsubishi Mirage for sale on a buy here pay here dealership car lot you should snap it up.
The Chevrolet Bolt EV is an unassuming small station wagon with an electric motor. It’ll get you 131 MPGe in the city and 116 on the highway for a combined city/hwy of 121 MPGe. Again, you must consider that these outstanding figures come with the limitation of requiring an electric charging station.
The turbo-diesel Chevrolet Silverado has a 3.0-liter, 6-cylinder engine and can haul an impressive amount of cargo. Despite this, it offers excellent combined mileage of 26 city/hwy.
The latest model year sees the Ford F-150 HEV increase its gas mileage by one point to 25 combined city/hwy. The closest alternative for a regular gas truck comes from Hyundai, with its 2022 Santa Cruz (23 MPG combined).
Even if you’re looking for a used truck in Kansas City, Ford tops the list for fuel efficiency in regular gas models. The Ford Ranger is another top choice. You can go back as far as the 2004 Ford Ranger and still get an excellent 23 MPG combined. Newer versions of the Ford Ranger get you 24 MPG combined, but it's the 2021 Ford F-150 HEV that tops the charts at this time.
Here at Auto Bank KC, we have a large selection of quality used vehicles that get great gas mileage. The in-house financing experts at our buy here pay here car lots can get you in a vehicle that fits your budget and your lifestyle. Plus, you’ll save money on gas in the long run! If you’re ready to get in a quality, new-to-you vehicle, look no further than Auto Bank’s two Kansas City used car dealers. Stop by one of our dealerships and see us, or browse our inventory online.