40 MPG Cars: 2001-2013

While fuel efficiency might seem like the latest craze, we’ve been tuned into it for years. 40 MPG cars are nothing new. Other sources may be content to simply throw up a photograph and a paragraph or two about any given economy car. We take the time to put hundreds and hundreds of miles on each and every odometer. We test for real-world fuel-efficiency with a light-footed driving style … because mileage matters.

Link to YouTube 40 MPG Car Review Playlist.

Check out our playlist of 40 MPG Car Reviews!

Through comprehensive testing, we’ve found that a number of cars are capable of exceeding their highway fuel efficiency ratings when driven conscientiously. Some cars rated in the high 30 MPG range can eclipse the 40 MPG mark. It’s all in the way you drive. Over the last few years, we’ve tested a range of 40 MPG (highway) cars, including:

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2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Review

MPG-o-Matic 2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Review Summary: SUVs are particularly well-suited to clean diesel engines, with their gobs of torque and legendary fuel efficiency. Unfortunately, American auto manufacturers have been hesitant to commit to diesel SUVs, other than a handful of short-lived exceptions. The luxurious diesel-powered 2011 VW Touareg TDI hammers home the facts, with a cruising range born for the open road.

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2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid: First Drive

VW Touareg Hybrid - Front ViewToyota Motor Sales better get in the game. Quick.

Yet another manufacturer has launched yet another hybrid that is infinitely better than anything the previous hybrid king has put out in recent years.

Exit Lexus RX 450h. Enter the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid.

As far as first drives go, I didn’t have nearly enough drive time in this all-new SUV. Only about 30 minutes behind the wheel and another 30 minutes as a passenger.

VW Touareg Hybrid - dashboardSurely not enough time to get a realistic gauge of fuel economy over a period of time. My partner and I averaged just more than 20 mpg in combined driving, which is just under the VW estimated ratings of 21 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. (At the time of publication, the EPA had not yet completed their official fuel economy values.)

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2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI: First Drive

2011 VW Jetta TDI

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.—You know that old saying about not judging a book by its cover? Well, it kind of applies to the all-new 2011 Volkswagen Jetta.

The exterior sheet metal gets a complete overhaul, and gone is the almost whimsical wide-mouthed grille in favor of a much more sedate and conservative facade. The lines are long, harsh and lean, and the new Jetta looks more like a BMW than its Audi brethren.

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2010 Volkswagen GTI Review

MPG-o-Matic 2010 Volkswagen GTI Review Summary: The 2010 Volkswagen GTI is the latest incarnation of the “Original German Hot Hatch,” and it’s a winner in every way, as the Mark VI GTI delivers thrilling performance, solid fuel economy, excellent handling, and a wonderful cabin. Choosing a GTI over the extremely thrifty Golf TDI comes down to the trade-off between fuel-efficiency and performance.

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