The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently completed testing new 2012 model year vehicles to determine their fuel economy, and the best car in terms of efficiency is the Mitsubishi i. The all-electric vehicle gets an equivalent 99 miles per gallon on the highway and 126 mpg in the city. Not far behind, the Nissan Leaf came in second place with a fuel economy of 106 and 92 mpgs in the city and highway, respectively.
The Ford Transit Connect came in third with an average 62 mpg. The Toyota Prius and Prius V were slightly lower in the rankings at fifth and seventh place, which goes to show that automakers are really turning up their alternative energy games. However, Toyota is still the top competitor, with four vehicles in the top 10, which also includes the Camry Hybrid and the Lexus CT 200h.
Drivers who are not yet ready to get into a new hybrid or electric vehicle can always take steps to improve the fuel efficiency of their current vehicles. Making sure there is enough air pressure in the tires can reduce fuel consumption, as can checking brakes and getting regular oil changes and car maintenance.