More cars get 40+ mpg than ever before

There are a growing number of cars that can reach 40 mpg on the highway, as fuel prices continue to rise. In 2010, there was only one gasoline-only powered car that reached that magic number, the ultra-compact Smart Fortwo. Now that number has grown to 12, and next year will probably bring more.

A few of the models on the list have already been out for a year or two, and can be found pre-owned with low miles for a sizeable discount at places such as Enterprise Car Sales. The cars range from inexpensive subcompacts to well-equipped midsize sedans.

Brand new for 2014 are the 44 mpg highway Mitsubishi Mirage, Nissan Sentra FE+, Nissan Versa and Toyota Corolla Eco. These vehicles are all able to achieve incredible fuel efficiency with advanced CVT transmissions, which offer a few more miles per gallon when compared to their manual transmission variants.

The Mazda3 and Mazda6 are on the list this year, offering 40 mpg highway to those who still want to have some fun on a windy back road. The 3 has the 2.0 liter SkyActiv engine standard now, and the 6’s i-Eloop system uses an innovative super capacitor to store energy from braking to improve fuel economy.

Along with the updated Corolla, Sentra and Mazda3 models, compact sedans from the country’s most popular auto makers have made the list with special eco models. Members of the 40 mpg club include the Chevrolet Cruze Eco, Dodge Dart Aero, Ford Focus SFE and Honda Civic HF.

If you are looking for something smaller, take a look at the stylish Fiat 500, the technology-packed Ford Fiesta SFE, and the fun to drive Chevrolet Sonic Turbo. These all get great mileage with the standard manual transmissions, which saves some money as well.

Sources:

http://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/meet-the-40-mpg-club.html

https://www.enterprisecarsales.com/preownedcars