30 MPG Cars

by

Thirty miles per gallon (MPG) on the highway isn’t too much to ask. As the chart below shows, the 30 MPG car isn’t a rarity in America these days. Alas, it’s not nearly as common as it was 25 years ago. Looking back at the lists of high MPG cars built in the early 1980s might be a surprise to some, for the lists were long and the fuel efficiency ratings were high. The 30 MPG car was not an oddity back then … it was more part of our nation’s mindset.

There’s no denying that there were some real clunkers in those big lists. But there’s one thing for sure. While the list of today’s 30 MPG cars might be shorter, the improvement in overall quality cannot be denied.

Passing a federal law to raise the automakers’ overall fuel efficiency to 35 MPG by 2020 is just goofy when you get right down to it. With the natural shift that is currently underway, that goal may well be met in half the time purely through market forces.

As the public more fully understands the choices that are currently available – and are soon to come to market – the shift will accelerate. The 2009 model year may very well prove to be the tipping point, as 1985 was in the opposite direction.

A 30 MPG car might be considered by some (many?) Europeans to be a gas guzzler. The cars sold abroad are not all that different. Yes, there are differences in environmental and safety systems, but the facts remain. A great many of the cars that our very own American automakers sell in Europe far exceed their domestic models when it comes to fuel-efficiency.

30 MPG Cars – 2008

 


  • 2008 Cars – 30 MPG Highway

    Year Manuf. Model Engine Disp. Fuel Trans. City Hwy
    2008 Audi A4 4 cylinder 2.0 liter P (AV) Auto 21 30
    2008 Audi A4 4 cylinder 2.0 liter P (M6) Manual 20 31
    2008 Audi A4 Cabriolet 4 cylinder 2.0 liter P (AV) Auto 21 30
    2008 Audi TT Coupe 4 cylinder 2.0 liter P (S6) Auto 23 31
    2008 Chevrolet Aveo 4 cylinder 1.6 liter R (M5) Manual 24 34
    2008 Chevrolet Aveo 4 cylinder 1.6 liter R (A4) Auto 23 32
    2008 Chevrolet Aveo 5 4 cylinder 1.6 liter R (M5) Manual 24 34
    2008 Chevrolet Aveo 5 4 cylinder 1.6 liter R (A4) Auto 23 32
    2008 Chevrolet Classic 4 cylinder 2.2 liter R (L4) Auto 21 31
    2008 Chevrolet Cobalt 4 cylinder 2.2 liter R (L4) Auto 22 31
    2008 Chevrolet Cobalt 4 cylinder 2.4 liter P (M5) Manual 22 32
    2008 Chevrolet Cobalt 4 cylinder 2.4 liter P (L4) Auto 22 31
    2008 Chevrolet Cobalt 4 cylinder 2.2 liter R (M5) Manual 24 33
    2008 Chevrolet HHR FWD 4 cylinder 2.2 liter R (L4) Auto 22 30
    2008 Chevrolet HHR FWD 4 cylinder 2.2 liter R (M5) Manual 21 30
    2008 Chevrolet HHR Panel FWD 4 cylinder 2.2 liter R (L4) Auto 22 30
    2008 Chevrolet HHR Panel FWD 4 cylinder 2.2 liter R (M5) Manual 20 30
    2008 Chevrolet Malibu 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (L4) Auto 22 30
    2008 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (L4) Auto 24 32
    2008 Chrysler Sebring 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (L4) Auto 21 30
    2008 Dodge Avenger 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (L4) Auto 21 30
    2008 Ford Escape Hybrid FWD 4 cylinder 2.3 liter R (AV) Auto 34 30
    2008 Ford Focus FWD 4 cylinder 2.0 liter R (M5) Manual 24 35
    2008 Ford Focus FWD 4 cylinder 2.0 liter R (L4) Auto 24 33
    2008 Honda Accord 2DR Coupe 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (M5) Manual 22 31
    2008 Honda Accord 2DR Coupe 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (L5) Auto 21 30
    2008 Honda Accord 4DR Sedan 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (L5) Auto 21 31
    2008 Honda Accord 4DR Sedan 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (M5) Manual 22 31
    2008 Honda Civic 4 cylinder 1.8 liter C (L5) Auto 24 36
    2008 Honda Civic 4 cylinder 1.8 liter R (L5) Auto 25 36
    2008 Honda Civic 4 cylinder 1.8 liter R (M5) Manual 26 34
    2008 Honda Civic Hybrid 4 cylinder 1.3 liter R (AV) Auto 40 45
    2008 Honda Fit 4 cylinder 1.5 liter R (M5) Manual 28 34
    2008 Honda Fit 4 cylinder 1.5 liter R (S5) Auto 27 33
    2008 Honda Fit 4 cylinder 1.5 liter R (L5) Auto 27 34
    2008 Hyundai Accent 4 cylinder 1.6 liter R (M5) Manual 27 32
    2008 Hyundai Accent 4 cylinder 1.6 liter R (L4) Auto 24 33
    2008 Hyundai Elantra 4 cylinder 2.0 liter R (M5) Manual 24 33
    2008 Hyundai Elantra 4 cylinder 2.0 liter R (L4) Auto 25 33
    2008 Hyundai Sonata 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (L4) Auto 21 30
    2008 Hyundai Sonata 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (M5) Manual 21 31
    2008 Kia Optima 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (M5) Manual 21 31
    2008 Kia Optima 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (L5) Auto 21 31
    2008 Kia Rio 4 cylinder 1.6 liter R (L4) Auto 25 35
    2008 Kia Rio 4 cylinder 1.6 liter R (M5) Manual 27 32
    2008 Kia Spectra 4 cylinder 2.0 liter R (M5) Manual 23 30
    2008 Kia Spectra 4 cylinder 2.0 liter R (L4) Auto 24 32
    2008 Mazda Mazda3 4 cylinder 2.0 liter R (M5) Manual 24 32
    2008 Mazda Mazda3 4 cylinder 2.0 liter R (S4) Auto 23 31
    2008 Mazda Tribute Hybrid 2WD 4 cylinder 2.3 liter R (AV) Auto 34 30
    2008 Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec 6 cylinder 3.0 liter D (L7) Auto 23 32
    2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid FWD 4 cylinder 2.3 liter R (AV) Auto 34 30
    2008 Mini Mini Cooper Convertible 4 cylinder 1.6 liter P (AV) Auto 22 30
    2008 Mini Mini Cooper Convertible 4 cylinder 1.6 liter P (M5) Manual 23 32
    2008 Nissan Altima 4 cylinder 2.5 liter R (AV) Auto 23 31
    2008 Nissan Altima 4 cylinder 2.5 liter R (M6) Manual 23 32
    2008 Nissan Altima Coupe 4 cylinder 2.5 liter R (AV) Auto 23 31
    2008 Nissan Altima Coupe 4 cylinder 2.5 liter R (M6) Manual 23 32
    2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid 4 cylinder 2.5 liter R (AV) Auto 35 33
    2008 Nissan Sentra 4 cylinder 2.5 liter R (AV) Auto 24 30
    2008 Nissan Sentra 4 cylinder 2.0 liter R (AV) Auto 25 33
    2008 Nissan Sentra 4 cylinder 2.0 liter R (M6) Manual 24 31
    2008 Nissan Versa 4 cylinder 1.8 liter R (AV) Auto 27 33
    2008 Nissan Versa 4 cylinder 1.8 liter R (L4) Auto 24 32
    2008 Nissan Versa 4 cylinder 1.8 liter R (M6) Manual 26 31
    2008 Pontiac G5/Pursuit 4 cylinder 2.2 liter R (M5) Manual 24 33
    2008 Pontiac G5/Pursuit 4 cylinder 2.4 liter P (M5) Manual 22 32
    2008 Pontiac G5/Pursuit 4 cylinder 2.2 liter R (L4) Auto 22 31
    2008 Pontiac G5/Pursuit 4 cylinder 2.4 liter P (L4) Auto 22 31
    2008 Pontiac G6 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (L4) Auto 22 30
    2008 Pontiac Vibe 4 cylinder 1.8 liter R (M5) Manual 26 33
    2008 Pontiac Vibe 4 cylinder 1.8 liter R (L4) Auto 25 31
    2008 Saturn Aura 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (L4) Auto 22 30
    2008 Saturn Aura Hybrid 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (L4) Auto 24 32
    2008 Suzuki SX4 4 cylinder 2.0 liter R (M5) Manual 22 30
    2008 Suzuki SX4 4 cylinder 2.0 liter R (L4) Auto 22 30
    2008 Suzuki SX4 Sedan 4 cylinder 2.0 liter R (L4) Auto 23 31
    2008 Suzuki SX4 Sedan 4 cylinder 2.0 liter R (M5) Manual 22 30
    2008 Toyota Camry 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (L5) Auto 21 31
    2008 Toyota Camry 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (M5) Manual 21 31
    2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (AV) Auto 33 34
    2008 Toyota Camry Solara 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (S5) Auto 22 31
    2008 Toyota Camry Solara 4 cylinder 2.4 liter R (M5) Manual 21 31
    2008 Toyota Corolla 4 cylinder 1.8 liter R (L4) Auto 26 35
    2008 Toyota Corolla 4 cylinder 1.8 liter R (M5) Manual 28 37
    2008 Toyota Corolla Matrix 4 cylinder 1.8 liter R (M5) Manual 26 33
    2008 Toyota Corolla Matrix 4 cylinder 1.8 liter R (L4) Auto 25 31
    2008 Toyota Prius 4 cylinder 1.5 liter R (AV) Auto 48 45
    2008 Toyota Scion XD 4 cylinder 1.8 liter R (L4) Auto 26 32
    2008 Toyota Scion XD 4 cylinder 1.8 liter R (M5) Manual 27 33
    2008 Toyota Yaris 4 cylinder 1.5 liter R (L4) Auto 29 35
    2008 Toyota Yaris 4 cylinder 1.5 liter R (M5) Manual 29 36
    2008 Volkswagen EOS 4 cylinder 2.0 liter P (S6) Auto 21 30

    Note: the EPA tweaked their testing procedure, starting with the 2008 model year, with the end result being that the 2008 MPG estimates are now lower than previous years. As always, YMMV.

    – by

    1 thought on “30 MPG Cars”

    1. Pingback: Better Gas Mileage

    Leave a Comment