epa efficiency study shows big gains for toyota losses for teslaImage: ToyotaOwning a car is expensive, and having to fuel it with gasoline at the current, ridiculous prices, only makes matters worse.Many that are contemplating a new vehicle purchase are starting to put a larger emphasis on fuel economy. The good news is, pound-for-pound, horsepower-to-horsepower, cars have never been more efficient then they are today. Technology has come a long way and the amount of power engineers can extract from internal combustion engines while using the least amount of fuel possible is impressive.AdvertisementAdvertisementBut some cars excel at sipping gasoline more than others. Regardless of size, shape, or drivetrain, there are vehicles designed to put an absolute priority on fuel economy. To highlight the best of the best, we have listed the segment leaders for 13 key car categories below. So if it's a fuel-frugal car you're after, take a look at the options below. Note – we will be making a separate list for pure electric vehicles. This article is all about fuel economy.Subcompact Car – MINI Cooper 2-Door28 mpg city / 39 mpg hwyImage: MINIImage: MINIWith the demise of fuel-sipping, low power city cars like the Mitsubishi Mirage and Nissan Versa, an unlikely fuel champion has emerged in the sub-compact class: the MINI Cooper 2-Door. Even with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine making 161 hp, the diminutive size and lightweight of the MINI Cooper 2-Door achieves 28 mpg in the city and 39 mpg on the highway.Compact Gas Car – Honda Civic32 mpg city / 41 mpg hwyImage: HondaImage: HondaAdvertisementAdvertisementCompact cars are moving more and more towards hybrid powertrains. But that doesn't mean there aren't some efficient all-gas models left. Take the Honda Civic for example. With a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, lower trim models achieve 32 mpg city and 41 mpg highway. That's pretty good considering the Civic isn't all that compact now, and comes standard with a ton of equipment.Compact Hybrid Car – Toyota Prius57 mpg city / 56 mpg hwyImage: Kyle PatrickImage: Kyle PatrickSeeing a Toyota Prius on this list isn't a big surprise. It's the compact car that really put hybrids on the map. But this isn't as decisive of a fuel economy victory as it once was. Rated at 57 mpg in the city and 56 mpg on the highway, the Prius hybrid front-wheel drive just beats out other effiecnent compact hybrids in terms of overall efficiency, notably the the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Blue.Compact Plug-in Hybrid Car – Toyota Prius Plug-In127 MPGeImage: Kyle PatrickImage: Kyle PatrickAdvertisementAdvertisementWhen it comes to compact plug-in hybrids, it's no surprise the Toyota Prius makes another appearance, this time with the Plug-In variant. In fact, it's the most efficient gasoline-powered vehicle period. With an incredible 127 MPGe, it's far ahead of the next best offerings. Best of all, the latest Prius is quite powerful, looks amazing, and is surprisingly enjoyable to drive.Mid-Size Gas Car - Honda Accord29 mpg city / 37 mpg highwaybest fuel economy cars by segmentHonda has always been really good at getting a lot of power out of an engine while using little fuel, so seeing another pure gas model appear on this list shouldn't be much of a surprise. Granted, there aren't many mid-size sedans left on the market, especially those not using some for of hybrid powertrain. But, with a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine making 192 hp, the Accord can still achieve 29 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway.Midsize Hybrid Car – Toyota Camry Hybrid / Hyundai Sonata Hybrid2026 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid: All the DetailsImage: Kyle PatrickAdvertisementAdvertisement51 mpg city / 53 mpg hwy (Toyota)47 mpg city / 56 mpg hwy (Sonata)Hybrid family sedans have taken over the mid-size segment and we have a tie for the most efficient offering. The interesting this here is the different approaches both the Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata take. With a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid drivetrain, the Camry is more efficient in the city. The Sonata counters though using a smaller 2.0-liter engine that makes less power on paper, but does achieve better highway efficiency.Midsize Plug-in Hybrid – BMW 550e xDrive68 MPGeImage: Kyle PatrickImage: Kyle PatrickThe BMW 550e xDrive is case of having it all. With a turbocharged inline-six cylinder engine paired to large electric motors, the car generates 483 horsepower and can rocket from 0 to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds. It comes standard with all-wheel drive and space for full-size adults in the back seat. Thanks to the plug-in drivetrain, it is rated for 68 MPGe, which is best in class.Full-Size Gas Car – BMW 740i25 mpg city / 31 mpg hwyImage: BMWImage: BMWAdvertisementAdvertisementBMW, a brand synonymous with making driver's cars, also makes them rather efficient for their size. No fewer than three of the 13 vehicles on this list are from BMW, including the most efficient large gas-powered car, the 740i. Okay, technically the 740i has a mild hybrid system, but it's motivated 99% of the time by that 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six cylinder engine. The fact it can achieve over 30 mpg on the highway while weighing in excess of 4,700 pounds is impressive.Full-Size Hybrid Car – Toyota Crown Hybrid42 mpg city / 41 mpg hwyImage: Kyle PatrickImage: Kyle PatrickThe Toyota Crown is an interesting vehicle. It has the size, presence and styling of a crossover, but it is in fact a car. Look at the ride height, the fact it has a trunk, and the official EPA classification.AdvertisementAdvertisementRegardless of what the vehicle may or may not really be, in hybrid form, the Crown is impressively efficient. It delivers over 40 mpg combined in a large, multi-person cruiser.Full-Size Plug-in Hybrid Car – BMW 750e xDrive70 MPGeImage: BMWImage: BMWBMW is back with another vehicle using the plug-in hybrid drivetrain found in the 550e xDrive. But, somehow in a complete defiance of physics, the larger 750e xDrive is actually more efficient, rated officially at 70 MPGe. There are many factors that actually equate to this improved fuel consumption, but the fact remains nothing the size of the 750e uses less gas.Sports Car Gas – Mazda MX-5 Miata26 mpg city / 35 mpg hwyPhoto Credits: MazdaImage: MazdaA sports car doesn't have to be a gas-guzzling monster, and the Mazda MX-5 Miata proves this. With a 181 hp four-cylinder engine under the hood, the lightweight convertible gets similar fuel economy numbers as a lot of compact crossovers. There's no way to have more fun using less gas. These fuel economy numbers are also much better than some of the MX-5's competitors, notably the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ.Sports Car Hybrid – Honda Prelude46 mpg city / 41 mpg hwyImage: Kyle PatrickImage: Kyle PatrickAdvertisementAdvertisementThis will be a controversial inclusion. Some may argue it does deserve to be on the list while others will claim it's just a compact hybrid with a sporty body. Regardless of which camp you reside on, the Honda Prelude is very efficient, with official fuel economy ratings of 46 mpg city and 41 mpg highway. It also can hold its own on twisty roads thanks to inclusion of plenty of Civic Type R hardware.Sports Car Plug-in Hybrid – Ferrari 296 GTB47 MPGebest fuel economy cars by segmentHow did a Ferrari make this list? Simply put, there aren't that many plug-in hybrid sports cars, especially ones that are this efficient. Adding all the necessary hardware associated with a plug-in hybrid is counter-intuitive for a sports car as it adds weight. But, when including a plug-in hybrid set-up similar to those used by Le Mans Hypercar racers, it suddenly has immense performance advantages. Amongst that crowd, the Ferrari 296 GTB is the most efficient.Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter here.