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If you’re out shopping for fuel efficient cars, you might be feeling just a little bit squeezed right about now. Too many auto dealers are doing what too many dealers do … charging what the market may bear by adding thousands of dollars to the sticker price of the most economical models. It might not be fair, but it’s a reality. Fuel efficient cars are flying off the lots and until the factories catch up with the change, price gouging can be expected.

The good news is that we have three decades of used fuel efficient vehicles to fall back on.

When looking back at the list of the most economical vehicles of the last 25 years, you’ll see three marquees show up with the greatest consistency: Honda, Toyota, and Volkswagen. While General Motors put in a fair showing in the past, it’s been more than five years since the demise of the Saturn SL and SC dropped GM out of the top ranks of cars rated at 40 miles per gallon (MPG) or higher.
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There were just creeping changes to the 1995 Top Ten High MPG list, as the Honda Civic Del Sol snuck into the ranks, along with the Nissan Sentra – 200SX.

All-in-all, Honda continued to hold half the list, while GM/Suzuki’s grip slipped a bit.

A bevy of Saturn models knocked on the door with 40 mile per gallon highway ratings. The Dodge and Plymouth Neon began their run, replacing the Mitsubushi-sourced Colts.

Top Ten High MPG Cars – 1995 Model Year:

• Honda Civic HB VX 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 47 city / 56 highway
• Honda Civic HB VX 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 44 city / 51 highway
• Geo Metro 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 44 city / 49 highway
• Suzuki Swift 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 44 city / 49 highway
• Honda Civic 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 42 city / 46 highway
• Honda Civic 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 40 city / 45 highway
• Geo Metro 4-cyl., 1.3 liter – MPG: 39 city / 43 highway
• Ford Aspire 4-cyl., 1.3 liter – MPG: 36 city / 42 highway
• Honda Civic Del Sol 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 35 city / 41 highway
• Nissan Sentra/200SX 4-cyl., 1.6 liter – MPG: 30 city / 40 highway

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The names remained the same among the ranks of high MPG cars in 1994, with a notable exception.

The Ford Aspire was the only car to break Suzuki/GM and Honda’s firm grip on the Top Ten High-MPG list for the 1994 model year. The Aspire, a result of a collaboration between Kia and Mazda, replaced the Festiva in Ford subcompact lineup and remained a fixture through the 1997 model year.

Top Ten High MPG Cars – 1994 Model Year:

• Geo Metro – XFi 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 53 city / 58 highway
• Honda Civic – HB VX 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 47 city / 56 highway
• Honda Civic – HB VX 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 44 city / 51 highway
• Pontiac Firefly – 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 46 city / 50 highway
• Chevrolet Sprint – 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 46 city / 50 highway
• Geo Metro – 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 46 city / 49 highway
• Honda Civic – 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 42 city / 46 highway
• Honda Civic – 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 40 city / 45 highway
• Suzuki Swift – 4-cyl., 1.3 liter – MPG: 37 city / 44 highway
• Ford Aspire – 4-cyl., 1.3 liter – MPG: 36 city / 43 highway

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The 1993 model year was “deja vu all over again,” with Honda and Suzuki-built cars edging out every other manufacturer in the Top Ten High MPG list. A good sampling of cars delivered over 35 miles per gallon highway in 1993, with vehicles from all the usual suspects. While GM’s Saturn division didn’t crack the top ten, it put in a solid showing with nine models eclipsing the 35 miles per gallon highway mark. With the departure of the Jetta diesel, Volkswagen fell out of the high-MPG club until the oil-burner’s return in 1997.

Top Ten High MPG Cars – 1993 Model Year:

• Geo Metro XFi 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 53 city / 58 highway
• Honda Civic HB VX 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 48 city / 55 highway
• Honda Civic HB VX 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 44 city / 51 highway
• Geo Metro LSi 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 46 city / 50 highway
• Suzuki Swift 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 46 city / 50 highway
• Geo Metro 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 46 city / 50 highway
• Honda Civic 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 42 city / 46 highway
• Honda Civic 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 40 city / 46 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

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The 1992 model year offers a good range of choices for the high MPG used car shopper. The ranks of 1992 cars (as opposed to rank cars) that score over 35 miles per gallon on the highway includes: the Chevy Sprint and Cavelier, Daihatsu Charade, Dodge Colt, Eagle Summit, Ford Escort and Festiva, Geo Metro and Storm, Honda Civic, Hyundai Precis and Excel, Isuzu Stylus, Lincoln-Mercury Tracer, Mazda MX-3 and 323, Mitsubushi Mirage, Missan NX and Sentra, Oldsmobile Achieva, Plymouth Colt, Pontiac Sunbird and Lemans, Saturn SL, Suburu Justy, Toyota Tercel, and the Volkswagen Jetta. The Jetta remained as the only diesel offering in the group.

1992’s Top Ten High MPG list looks quite a bit like the 1991 list, with Suzuki-built cars grabbing six of the top ten spots. The Honda Civic VX Hatchback took the place of the CRX HF as Honda’s highest MPG offering. All of the entries are equipped with five-speed manual gearboxes.

Top Ten High MPG Cars – 1992 Model Year:

• Geo Metro XFi – 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 53 city / 58 highway
• Honda Civic HB VX – 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 48 city / 55 highway
• Honda Civic HB VX – 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 44 city / 51 highway
• Chevrolet Sprint – 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 46 city / 50 highway
• Geo Metro – 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 46 city / 50 highway
• Pontiac Firefly – 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 46 city / 50 highway
• Geo Metro LSi – 3 -cyl., 1.0 – MPG: 46 city / 50 highway
• Suzuki Swift – 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 46 city / 50 highway
• Honda Civic – 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 42 city / 48 highway
• Honda Civic – 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 40 city / 47 highway

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