Within the EPA’s small car class, the lone victor is the Honda Civic Hybrid, clocking in with a 42 mpg combined rating. The 110-hp 1.4-liter I-4, coupled to a 20-hp electric motor, helps the Civic return nearly 40 mpg in the city, 45 on the highway.
Moving up one rung to the family sedan category, the only winner is the ubiquitous Toyota Prius, carrying a 46 mpg combined average. The Prius, powered by infinitely-variable mixtures of its 76-hp, 1.5-liter I-4 and 67-hp electric mill, averages 48 mpg around town and 45 on the freeway.
Runners-up include hybrid versions of Nissan’s Altima and the Toyota Camry. Both score a combined rating of 34 mpg, and Ford’s trio of compact hybrid SUVs (Escape, Mazda Tribute and Mercury Mariner) which achieve the same average. With further refinement (e.g. elimination of excess mass), any could perhaps reach that magic 35 number. The same could be said for other small cars, including the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and the Mini Cooper, all of which have combined ratings between 31 and 32 mpg.
Please continue to speak directly out of your anus.