Top 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Luxury Cars

10 Most Fuel-Efficient Luxury Cars

 

1. Tesla Model S

MPG: 88/90 (electric equivalent); Annual Fuel Cost: $700. New-for-2012, the all-electric Tesla Model S is the Silicon Valley-based automaker’s first sedan, and it’s both stylish and luxurious, with seating for as many as five adult passengers and two children via optional jump seats. Starting at $57,400 and ranging in price all the way up to $105,400, it’s powered by a truly quick a 435-horsepower electric powertrain. The car offers a choice of three different battery packs, each delivering progressively greater range and power, with a maximum driving distance on a charge claimed to be excess of 300 miles.

2. Fisker Karma

MPG: 52 city/highway (electric equivalent on battery power), 20 mpg on gas. Annual Fuel Cost: NA. The seductively styled Fisker Karma “extended range” electric car is similar in execution to the Chevrolet Volt in that a small gasoline engine kicks in to power a generator that supplies juice to the electric motor once the battery is depleted. It’s rated to run solely on electricity for around 32 miles on a charge. As the fuel economy numbers would suggest, the Karma’s real-world fuel economy can vary wildly depending on the length of one’s daily commute.

3. Lexus CT 200h

MPG: 43/40; Annual Fuel Cost: $1,250. This small and reasonably playful hybrid-powered hatchback teams a 1.8-liter gasoline engine and an electric motor-generator to deliver the equivalent of 134 horsepower. Selectable driving modes can maximize fuel economy or sporty driving characteristics as desired. Myriad safety equipment and luxury features are standard, with options including an F-Sport package that affords enhanced cornering abilities. With a base price of $29,120 it’s both Lexus’ most-affordable and fuel-efficient model.

4. Lincoln MKZ Hybrid

MPG: 41/36; Annual Fuel Cost: $1,300. A more formal-looking and luxurious rendition of Ford’s Fusion Hybrid, the MKZ boasts both impressive performance and fuel economy. A 2.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine and an electric motor generate a V6-like 191 horsepower, and the car can run at speeds up to 47 mph solely on battery power. It remains the only hybrid model to be priced equivalently with its gas-only counterpart, at around $35,000. A redesigned version with sleeker styling and assorted improvements debuts by year’s end.

5. Lexus HS 250h

MPG: 35/34; Annual Fuel Cost: $1,450. This is the final model year for the short-lived HS 250h hybrid, which will be supplanted in the automaker’s 2013 lineup by the new ES Hybrid. The 250h is essentially a more handsomely styled sedan version of the Toyota Prius, but without that model’s stellar 50 mpg fuel economy rating. Still, it’s posher and more comfortable – not to mention considerably more expensive – than its utilitarian relation.

6. Lexus GS 450h

MPG: 29/34; Annual Fuel Cost: $1,800. Redesigned as an early-2013 model, the hybrid version of Lexus’ midsize GS sport sedan is both sleekly cast and entertaining to drive. A 3.5-liter gasoline engine is augmented by an electric motor/generator to deliver a V8-like 338 combined horsepower. It’s roomy and comfortable with a nicely styled interior, though it’s pricey at around $59,000.

 

7. Infiniti M35h

MPG: 27/32; Annual Fuel Cost: $1,900. New-for-2012, Infiniti’s first hybrid vehicle is based on its flagship sedan and boasts an impressive 360 horsepower, which makes it quicker than the conventionally powered M37, and with far better fuel economy. Rather than a gearless CVT transmission as is used in most hybrids, the M35h utilizes a conventional seven-speed automatic for a more “normal” feel. The interior remains sufficiently comfortable for five adult passengers, though trunk space is scarce.

8. Audi A6

MPG: 25/33; Annual Fuel Cost: $2,000. Redesigned for 2012, sales of Audi’s midsize luxury sedan are booming and it’s easy to see why. The standard 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine produces 211 horsepower and, paired with a sophisticated eight-speed automatic transmission, makes it the most fuel-efficient conventionally powered midsize luxury car on the market. It’s comfortable and fun to drive, with a wealth of high-tech features available, including in-car Wi-Fi and a navigation system that can be programmed via fingertip handwriting recognition.

 

9. BMW 328i

MPG: 23/34; Annual Fuel Cost: $2,050. Recast for 2012, the BMW 3 Series remains the model to beat among small sports sedans. Here, a peppy 240-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine can be mated to either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission. Meanwhile, the 335i’s turbocharged six-cylinder engine generates a stronger 300 horses and gets only one fewer mpg at 23/33. Either way the car is nicely styled inside and out and its tenacious handling abilities are first rate.

10. BMW 528i

MPG: 23/34; Annual Fuel Cost: $2,050. Powered by the same turbo-four engine as in the base 3 Series sedan, the midsize 528i is only slightly slower and less efficient, given its added size and weight. As with its smaller sibling, its cornering abilities are hard to beat. The 535i with its more-willing 300-horsepower turbo-six is likewise among the most fuel-efficient luxury-cars on the market at 21/31 mpg. The twin-turbo V8-powered 550i – at 15/23 mpg – is not, however.

 

 

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