Forget the buzz about hybrid and electric cars. For the budget conscious, these are your best buy new cars.
These 12 models each get 30 mpg or better, and cost less than $17,500 – including the cost of a year’s worth of fuel.
1 of 12
2011 Hyundai Accent
Cost: $9,985
Fuel economy: 30 mpg
Annual fuel cost: $1,479
Total first-year cost: $11,464
The most affordable car for the first year of ownership thanks to its under-$10,000 MSRP, the Hyundai Accent gets a respectable 30 mpg. Compared to a 20 mpg car, a 30 mpg car will save the average driver $888 a year, based on gas prices of $3.52 per gallon.
Note: Costs in this feature are based on MSRP. Fuel cost estimates are from fueleconomy.gov, a site run by the EPA and Department of Energy.
2011 Kia Rio
Cost: $12,295
Fuel economy: 31 mpg
Annual fuel cost: $1,434
Total first-year cost: $13,729
An affordable car that gets generally solid reviews, the Kia Rio won’t impress car-snob friends, but it will get you where you need to go. The manual transmission gets 30 mpg combined fuel economy, versus the automatic transmission’s 31 mpg.
2011 Smart Fortwo Coupe
Cost: $12,490
Fuel economy: 36 mpg
Annual fuel cost: $1,339
Total first-year cost: $13,829
With 41 mpg in the city, and a size that can squeeze into the most challenging parallel parking spaces, the Smart Fortwo remains a favorite among big city dwellers on a budget.
2011 Toyota Yaris
Cost: $12,855
($13,615 for the sedan)
Fuel economy: 32 mpg
Annual fuel cost: $1,390
Total first-year cost: $14,245
The subcompact hatchback or sedan doen’t perform quite as well with an automatic transmission, but still get 31 mpg combined.
2011 Ford Fiesta
Cost: $13,320
Fuel economy: 33 mpg
Annual fuel cost: $1,345
Total first-year cost: $14,655
The automatic 2011 Ford Fiesta gets 1 better mpg than its manual counterpart.
2011 Mazda 2
Cost: $14,180
Fuel economy: 32 mpg
Annual fuel cost: $1,390
Total first-year cost: $15,570
Only the manual-transmission Mazda 2 makes our list; the automatic Mazda 2 achieves only 29 mpg.
2011 Hyundai Elantra
Cost: $15,000
Fuel economy: 33 mpg
Annual fuel cost: $1,345
Total first-year cost: $16,345
“If your two most important criteria are value and fuel economy, the 2011 Hyundai Elantra represents the better choice,” our reviewer writes in his comparison of the Hyundai Elantra and the Ford Focus.
2011 Kia Forte Eco
Cost: $14,995
Fuel economy: 30 mpg
Annual fuel cost: $1,479
Total first-year cost: $16,474
The Kia Forte Eco isn’t big on flash, but it joins the growing list of solid affordable small sedans on the market.
2011 Honda Fit
Cost: $15,100
Fuel economy: 31 mpg
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,730
Total first-year cost: $16,830
Long a standout in a small field, the Honda Fit still represents a smart buy in a growing field of small affordable cars.
2011 Nissan Sentra
Cost: $15,520
Fuel economy: 30 mpg Annual fuel cost: $1,479
Total first-year cost: $16,999
With none of the buzz of the electric Nissan Leaf (our choice for greenest new car), the venerable Sentra nonetheless represents a more affordable option, though without some of the style points of other cars in its class. The automatic transmission achieves better fuel economy than the manual transmission, which gets just 24 mpg.
2012 Fiat 500
Cost: $15,500
Fuel economy: 33 mpg*
Annual fuel Cost: $1,345*
Total first-year cost: $17,123*
While the Fiat 500 has been available in Italy for years, it’s returning to the U.S. as part of Chrysler’s lineup in 2011. Check out our Fiat 500 review.
* = Approximate
2012 Ford Focus
Cost: $16,000
Fuel economy: 33 mpg*
Annual fuel cost: $1,345*
Total first-year cost: $17,345*
It doesn’t come with apps, like its electric cousin, but “for an amazing combination of fuel economy, value, customizability, and performance, the 2012 Ford Focus is the overall winner,” our reviewer writes in his comparison of the Hyundai Elantra and the Ford Focus.
* Approximate
Source: The Daily Green
With oil price skyrocketing (over $120/barrel today), the recent and imminent fuel price hikes, if you are in the market for a new car (that’s affordable), the aforementioned makes and models deserve some consideration. South Africans will recognize some of the above cars too. South Africa could possibly see petrol at R15/litre in the coming months- an incentive to drive green (see Top 10 ten ways to use less fuel) and/or purchase fuel efficient cars.
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