1991’s Top Ten High MPG list is dominated by GM-badged Suzukis, wearing Geo Metro, Pontiac Firefly, and Chevy Sprint nameplates. Eight of the top ten spots are taken by variations of the Suzuki Swift in both three- and four-cylinder form. (All run on regular fuel and are equipped with five-speed manual transmissions.) The convertible Geo Metro LSI is perhaps the most interesting of all … it’s hard to argue the fun factor of a ragtop with 46 miles per gallon on open road. Honda’s CRX HF was the sole non-Suzuki entry among the most thrifty, with 1991 ending its run.
All-in-all, 1991 wasn’t a bad year for high-MPG cars, with cars from Daihatsu, Dodge, Eagle, Ford, Hyundai, Lincoln-Mercury, Mazda, Mitsubushi, Nissan, Plymouth, Subaru, Toyota, and Volkswagen joining the GM and Honda entries in breaking the 35 highway miles per gallon mark.
Top Ten High MPG Cars - 1991 Model Year:
- Geo Metro XFI - 3-cyl., 1.0 liter - MPG: 53 city / 58 highway
- Honda Civic CRX HF - 4-cyl., 1.5 liter - MPG: 49 city / 52 highway
- Pontiac Firefly - 3-cyl., 1.0 liter - MPG: 45 city / 50 highway
- Suzuki Swift - 3-cyl., 1.0 liter - MPG: 45 city / 50 highway
- Geo Metro - 3-cyl., 1.0 liter - MPG: 45 city / 50 highway
- Chevrolet Sprint - 3-cyl., 1.0 liter - MPG: 45 city / 50 highway
- Geo Metro LSI - 3-cyl., 1.0 liter - MPG: 45 city / 50 highway
- Honda Civic CRX HF - 4-cyl., 1.5 liter - MPG: 43 city / 49 highway
- Geo Metro LSI Convertible - 3-cyl., 1.0 liter - MPG: 41 city / 46 highway
- Suzuki Swift - 4-cyl., 1.3 liter - MPG: 39 city / 43 highway
1991 High MPG Gas Mileage Rankings
|
Year
|
Manufacturer
|
Model
|
Engine
|
Displace.
|
Fuel
|
Trans.
|
City
|
Hwy
|
| 1991 | Geo | Metro LSI Convertible | 3 cylinder | 1.0 liter | R | (A3) Auto | 32 | 37 |
| 1991 | Geo | Metro LSI Convertible | 3 cylinder | 1.0 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 41 | 46 |
| 1991 | Honda | Civic CRX | 4 cylinder | 1.5 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 32 | 36 |
| 1991 | Honda | Civic CRX HF | 4 cylinder | 1.5 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 49 | 52 |
| 1991 | Honda | Civic CRX HF | 4 cylinder | 1.5 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 43 | 49 |
| 1991 | Nissan | NX Coupe | 4 cylinder | 1.6 liter | R | (L4) Auto | 27 | 36 |
| 1991 | Nissan | NX Coupe | 4 cylinder | 1.6 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 28 | 38 |
| 1991 | Chevrolet | Cavalier | 4 cylinder | 2.2 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 24 | 35 |
| 1991 | Chevrolet | Sprint | 3 cylinder | 1.0 liter | R | (A3) Auto | 36 | 39 |
| 1991 | Chevrolet | Sprint | 3 cylinder | 1.0 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 45 | 50 |
| 1991 | Daihatsu | Charade | 3 cylinder | 1.0 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 38 | 42 |
| 1991 | Daihatsu | Charade | 4 cylinder | 1.3 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 35 | 38 |
| 1991 | Nissan | Sentra | 4 cylinder | 1.6 liter | R | (L4) Auto | 27 | 36 |
| 1991 | Nissan | Sentra | 4 cylinder | 1.6 liter | R | (M4) Manual | 29 | 37 |
| 1991 | Nissan | Sentra | 4 cylinder | 1.6 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 29 | 38 |
| 1991 | Dodge | Colt | 4 cylinder | 1.5 liter | R | (M4) Manual | 31 | 36 |
| 1991 | Dodge | Colt | 4 cylinder | 1.5 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 29 | 35 |
| 1991 | Ford | Festiva | 4 cylinder | 1.3 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 35 | 42 |
| 1991 | Geo | Metro | 3 cylinder | 1.0 liter | R | (A3) Auto | 36 | 39 |
| 1991 | Geo | Metro | 3 cylinder | 1.0 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 45 | 50 |
| 1991 | Geo | Metro LSI | 3 cylinder | 1.0 liter | R | (A3) Auto | 36 | 39 |
| 1991 | Geo | Metro LSI | 3 cylinder | 1.0 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 45 | 50 |
| 1991 | Geo | Metro XFI | 3 cylinder | 1.0 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 53 | 58 |
| 1991 | Geo | Storm | 4 cylinder | 1.6 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 30 | 36 |
| 1991 | Honda | Civic | 4 cylinder | 1.5 liter | R | (M4) Manual | 33 | 37 |
| 1991 | Honda | Civic | 4 cylinder | 1.5 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 31 | 35 |
| 1991 | Hyundai | Excel | 4 cylinder | 1.5 liter | R | (M4) Manual | 30 | 36 |
| 1991 | Hyundai | Excel | 4 cylinder | 1.5 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 29 | 36 |
| 1991 | Mitsubishi | Mirage | 4 cylinder | 1.5 liter | R | (M4) Manual | 31 | 36 |
| 1991 | Mitsubishi | Mirage | 4 cylinder | 1.5 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 29 | 35 |
| 1991 | Plymouth | Colt | 4 cylinder | 1.5 liter | R | (M4) Manual | 31 | 36 |
| 1991 | Plymouth | Colt | 4 cylinder | 1.5 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 29 | 35 |
| 1991 | Pontiac | Firefly | 3 cylinder | 1.0 liter | R | (A3) Auto | 36 | 39 |
| 1991 | Pontiac | Firefly | 3 cylinder | 1.0 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 45 | 50 |
| 1991 | Pontiac | Sunbird | 4 cylinder | 2.0 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 26 | 36 |
| 1991 | Subaru | Justy | 3 cylinder | 1.2 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 33 | 37 |
| 1991 | Subaru | Justy | 3 cylinder | 1.2 liter | R | AV | 33 | 35 |
| 1991 | Subaru | Justy | 3 cylinder | 1.2 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 33 | 37 |
| 1991 | Suzuki | Swift | 3 cylinder | 1.0 liter | R | (A3) Auto | 36 | 39 |
| 1991 | Suzuki | Swift | 3 cylinder | 1.0 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 45 | 50 |
| 1991 | Suzuki | Swift | 4 cylinder | 1.3 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 39 | 43 |
| 1991 | Suzuki | Swift GT | 4 cylinder | 1.3 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 28 | 35 |
| 1991 | Toyota | Tercel | 4 cylinder | 1.5 liter | R | (M4) Manual | 33 | 37 |
| 1991 | Toyota | Tercel | 4 cylinder | 1.5 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 29 | 35 |
| 1991 | Eagle | Summit | 4 cylinder | 1.5 liter | R | (M4) Manual | 31 | 36 |
| 1991 | Eagle | Summit | 4 cylinder | 1.5 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 29 | 35 |
| 1991 | Ford | Escort | 4 cylinder | 1.9 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 29 | 36 |
| 1991 | Ford | Escort FS | 4 cylinder | 1.9 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 31 | 41 |
| 1991 | Hyundai | Precis | 4 cylinder | 1.5 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 29 | 36 |
| 1991 | Isuzu | Stylus | 4 cylinder | 1.6 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 31 | 37 |
| 1991 | Lincoln-Mercury | Tracer | 4 cylinder | 1.9 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 29 | 36 |
| 1991 | Mazda | 323/323 Protege | 4 cylinder | 1.6 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 29 | 37 |
| 1991 | Mazda | 323/323 Protege | 4 cylinder | 1.8 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 28 | 36 |
| 1991 | Pontiac | Lemans | 4 cylinder | 1.6 liter | R | (M4) Manual | 29 | 38 |
| 1991 | Pontiac | Lemans | 4 cylinder | 1.6 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 31 | 40 |
| 1991 | Saturn | SL | 4 cylinder | 1.9 liter | R | (L4) Auto | 26 | 35 |
| 1991 | Saturn | SL | 4 cylinder | 1.9 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 27 | 37 |
| 1991 | Volkswagen | Jetta | 4 cylinder | 1.6 liter | D | (M5) Manual | 37 | 43 |
| 1991 | Volkswagen | Jetta | 4 cylinder | 1.6 liter | D | (M5) Manual | 37 | 40 |
| 1991 | Ford | Escort Wagon | 4 cylinder | 1.9 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 29 | 36 |
| 1991 | Honda | Civic Wagon | 4 cylinder | 1.5 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 31 | 35 |
| 1991 | Lincoln-Mercury | Tracer Wagon | 4 cylinder | 1.9 liter | R | (M5) Manual | 29 | 36 |
3 comments ↓
Does anyone know why we can’t have these kind of mpg cars today?
Hi Dave…..A Toyota Yaris just past thru Yellowstone Nat’l Park, getting 60+MPG. One fellow is AVERAGING 48MPG with his Honda Fit. On 3 day trips to e. Washington & Mt. Rainier over 1400, 3000, two 4000 & 5500 foot mountain passes from sea level, I drove a Hyundai Accent to 41.5, 42.6, & 45MPG. Today’s small cars, driven with a feather foot, will exceed EPA highway estimates by 12+MPG. Start feather footing people. Lead footing is passe & never was taking care of our planet Earth, other citizens health or our balance of payments.
Besides, I still drive my 88 Ford Festiva that will probably last another 10 years. Last week, it got 51.8MPG while warming up 3 times over 3 days, & going over the 5500 mountain pass.
Yes, good high MPG cars are still made & ‘the oldies, but goodies’ are still providing good MPG. & you don’t have to pay high Hybrid costs to save gas money either.
Almost all cars get better gas mileage at higher altitudes because the air is “thinner” … many cars today cannot deliver high gas mileage because of “safety features” the manufacturers claim the public demands and that they have to include. The old geo metros did not have side curtain airbags, cruise control, electric windows, higher impact bumpers, alloy wheels, etc., and other features that add to the weight of current models and therefore which decrease mileage and increase cost of the vehicle and the cost to insure it.
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