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The Most Fuel-Efficient Sports Cars

If you’re shopping for a sports car, then you either know exactly which one you want or, if you don’t, then you’re probably juggling some important facts and figures. Do you want front, rear, or all-wheel drive? Do you want one with more than two seats? And, is fuel efficiency important? It probably isn’t, but …

If you’re shopping for a sports car, then you either know exactly which one you want or, if you don’t, then you’re probably juggling some important facts and figures. Do you want front, rear, or all-wheel drive? Do you want one with more than two seats? And, is fuel efficiency important? It probably isn’t, but just in case it is, we put together a small list of the more fuel-efficient sports cars according to Fueleconomy.gov.

Hyundai Veloster

The Hyundai Veloster is a quirky little hatchback that can adequate seat up to five people thanks in part to its handy three-door setup. But if you only care about the way it performs, then you’ll like that it’s base 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine produces 147 hp and can get up to 27 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway. However, if you want more power than that, then opt for the Veloster Turbo, which puts out 201 hp and can achieve up to 28 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway from its turbocharged 1.6-liter engine.

Hyundai Veloster in red
Hyundai Veloster | Hyundai

Mazda MX-5

If you want a fun sports car that only comes in rear-wheel drive, then the answer is definitely “Miata,” also known as the MX-5. Mazda’s venerable two-seat convertible comes in both hard and soft-top form and has an eager 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine under the hood. This naturally aspirated powerplant is able to produce 181 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque, but what’s even better is that it can also achieve up to 26 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway, according to the EPA.

2020 Mazda MX-5
2020 Mazda MX-5 | Mazda

Toyota Supra

The Toyota Supra made its highly anticipated return last year and it brought with a unique sense of style and a controversial BMW engine under its hood. Of course, if you can overlook which automaker was responsible for the engine, then you’ll have a solid performer on your hands, whether you choose the 3.0-liter, six-cylinder engine, or the base turbo 2.0-liter engine. Opting for the latter will result in less power, but better fuel economy to the tune of 25 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway, according to the EPA.

2021 Toyota GR Supra in blue and white parked on a track with overcast skies
2021 Toyota GR Supra | Toyota

Alfa Romeo 4C

The Alfa Romeo 4C is what you buy when you want a premium sports car that you can fling around on the road just as much as you can on a track. The 4C coupe is a lightweight two-seater that is powered by a turbo 1.8-liter engine that produces 237 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque and rocket the car to 60 mph from a standstill in just 4.1 seconds, according to the automaker. Even better, all that performance is backed up by excellent fuel economy as the 4C is able to achieve up to an EPA-estimated 25 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.

2019 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider Italia in Misano Blue
2019 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider Italia in Misano Blue | Alfa Romeo

Ford Mustang

If you’re shopping for a sports car, then you’ll definitely need to check out the Ford Mustang. It is an American classic, after all, however, if you’re looking for performance and fuel economy, then you’ll have to skip the V6 and V8 options. If you opt for the 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine instead and you’ll get 310 hp and an EPA-estimated 21 mpg in the city and 32 on the highway.

The rear view of an orange 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost High Performance
2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost High Performance rear | Ford

Chevrolet Camaro

Just like the Ford Mustang, the Chevy Camaro offers up a healthy dose of American performance that consists of a rear-drive platform and a series of potent engines. However, if you want the best fuel economy, then you’ll need to buy a Camaro with the base turbocharged, four-cylinder engine. That engine produces 275 horsepower and is able to achieve an EPA-estimated 20 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway.

2019 Chevrolet Camaro SS
2019 Chevrolet Camaro | Chevrolet

Subaru BR-Z

Whether you like the Subaru BR-Z or the Toyota 86, it doesn’t really matter because they’re basically the same car. As such, they both come with a high-revving, 205-hp Boxer engine that is packed full of high-RPM fun and can take you far between each gas station fill-up. According to the EPA, the Subaru BR-Z is able to achieve up 24 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway.

2020 Subaru BRZ | Subaru-
2020 Subaru BRZ | Subaru