Car Rentals

Though most of the cars on this list are imports,
that doesn’t mean the domestics don’t built
fuel-efficient cars — though it’s no coincidence
that the fuel-efficient Focus was largely designed
by Ford’s European division. The Focus’ fuel economy
trails a bit compared to Japanese compacts, but it’s
cheap to buy, brimming with personality and
enjoyable to drive.

Ford Focus Car Rentals

The Fit is one of several
minicars to hit
American (and Canadian) streets in recent months,
but few, if any, do such a good job of divvying up
space between front seats, back seats and cargo bay.
Thoughtful engineering gives the Fit gobs of
interior space, including room for tall drivers, and
it delivers excellent fuel economy in the real
world, not just on paper.

Honda Fit Car Rentals

When it comes to squeezing every last inch of
motion out of a drop of gasoline, no one does it
like Honda. A 40 MPG highway figure makes the Civic
the most thrifty automatic-transmission-equipped
non-hyrbid car on this list. It’s an amazing feat
considering the Civic’s acres of interior room and
full complement of safety features. And if that
isn’t enough, Honda does, indeed, offer a hybrid
version of the Civic.

Honda Civic review
Honda Civic Hybrid Car Rentals

If everyone in the US got the chance to
test-drive a Mercedes E320 BLUETEC, I bet the demand
for diesel cars would go through the roof. With its
3-liter V6 powerplant, the E320 BLUETEC offers the
passing power of a V8 with the fuel economy of a
compact sedan — pretty impressive for a car this
big and luxurious. With a price premium of only
$1,000 over the
gasoline-powered version and significantly
better fuel economy, the E320 BLUETEC just makes
sense.

Mercedes-Benz E320 BLUETEC Car Rentals

The MINI Cooper has already earned a reputation
for being fun to drive and remarkably spacious
considering its pint-sized interior. A new version
introduced in 2007 features a new 1.6 liter engine
derived by BMW, MINI’s parent company. Thanks to the
new engine, the base-model MINI Cooper is more
powerful, more fuel efficient, and produces cleaner
tailpipe emissions.

MINI Cooper Car Rentals

The four-cylinder Nissan Altima’s EPA fuel
estimates are becoming of a small car, but the
Altima is anything but small. And the four-cylinder
version is anything but gutless — it has a big 2.5
liter engine that packs a health 180 lb-ft of
torque. Best yet, it uses a continuously variable
automatic transmission, which wrings more power out
of the engine than a conventional automatic while
scoring fuel economy similar to a manual. A great
choice for those who need a mid-size car and are
looking to save money on fuel.

Nissan Altima Car Rentals

Common wisdom says that if you want the best fuel
economy you should buy a car with a manual
transmission. That’s not true anymore; many
automatics get similar or better fuel economy than
their manual counterparts (see the Honda Civic,
above). But the Nissan Sentra takes goes one step
futher with its continously-variable automatic
transmission (CVT). The CVT Sentra not only gets better fuel economy than a manual, it also feels
more powerful — plus it comes wrapped in a roomy
and handsome compact sedan that’s easy to live with.

Nissan Sentra Car Rentals

When America’s best-selling car adapts hybrid
technology, you know it’s here to stay. Unlike the
Prius, the Camry presents an altogether conventional
driving experience. Its bigger (2.4 liter) engine
and conventional tires, among other factors, yield
fuel economy that’s lower than a Prius, but a darn
sight better than regular Camrys — and it’s so
transparent you can easily forget it’s a hybrid.

Toyota Camry Hybrid Car Rentals

With all those hybrids in the Toyota family, not
to mention the hybrid version of its arch-nemesis,
the Honda Civic, it’s easy to forget that the
Corolla is a remarkably economic car in its own
right, even in automatic guise, provided you stick
with the smaller 1.8 liter engine. Completely
redesigned for 2009, the n Corolla is roomy, well
trimmed out, affordable, and unbelievably reliable
– plus it boasts fuel economy equal to or greater
than many subcompacts. Impressive!

Toyota Corolla Car Rentals

The Prius will be remembered as the car that put
hybrids on the map. But even if you put fuel economy
aside, the Prius is still a great car. The hatchback
body makes it excessively practical, and the Buck
Rogers interior is a nice change from the typical
car interior that’s both futuristic and easy to get
used to. Expect real-world fuel economy of around 45
MPG, which is pretty darn good for a car this roomy.

Toyota Prius Car Rentals