3 Cars Tie for the Most Efficient Subcompact, Not Including EVs
The age of the electric vehicle (EV) is fully upon us. With government incentives and sticker prices dropping year after year, the cost of owning an EV is becoming more and more attainable as the years go by. However, not every state in America is as EV-friendly as others. While all along the west coast, you may find a wide array of charging stations at every exit, the rural areas of the United States are often still left without the dependable infrastructure to charge these vehicles.
If you are looking to save money on fuel in a vehicle that doesn’t require any charging, look no further, the government website Fuel Economy released its list of the most fuel-efficient cars that are not EVs. Here is everything you need to know about the three most fuel-efficient, all-gasoline-powered, subcompact vehicles you can buy today.
2023 Audi A3 – 32 combined mpg
The Audi A3 is officially the cheapest Audi model you can buy today, and with that affordable price comes a ton of value and excellent fuel economy. This entry-level subcompact luxury car starts at $34,900 MSRP and comes equipped with a mild hybrid engine as standard equipment. These engine options include a 2.0L 201-hp four-cylinder, a 2.0L 306-hp four-cylinder, and a 2.5L five-cylinder, which produces around 401 horsepower. This mild hybrid system does not require any charging as it uses a belt alternator starter to enable extended stop-start usage, according to CNET.
The Audi A3 is also outfitted with a 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Audio. With this Audi A3, you get a great entry-level luxury vehicle with an EPA-estimated 28 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway, making this one of the most fuel-efficient luxury vehicles on the market today.
2023 MINI Cooper Hardtop 2-door and 4-door – 32 combined mpg
The 2023 Mini Cooper Hardtop two-door and four-door models comprise the remaining two vehicles on the U.S. Department of Energy’s list of the most fuel-efficient subcompact vehicles. These Mini Coopers come equipped with a 1.5L turbo three-cylinder engine which can reach fuel economy numbers of 29 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway with a 32 mpg combined rating, according to Fuel Economy. These great fuel economy numbers are even more impressive when considering the price of these Mini Coopers, which start at $23,400 MSRP for the two-door model and $24,400 for the four-door model.
The Mini Cooper for the 2023 model year is outfitted with a great list of standard features, including Active Driving Assistant, which monitors forward collision hazards with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection. Also new on the Mini for any 2022 model and newer is a digital instrument display, Apple CarPlay, and the Mini Connected screen, which can display video from a GoPro camera through the center screen.
Fuel efficiency is reaching its limit
In the mid-1980s, fuel economy numbers were insanely high. Cars like the Geo Metro XFi were getting around 53 mpg in the city and 58 mpg on the highway, and hot hatches like the Dodge Omni reached fuel economy numbers of 30 city mpg and 50 highway mpg. We live in a different, safer world now. These econoboxes of the 1980s got fantastic fuel economy, but that was all down to just how light these old vehicles were. New cars today are much heavier and full of safety equipment to keep you safer in crashes. With all this extra weight, hybrid technology is the only way to get those old fuel economy numbers out of a modern vehicle.
