2002 rankings · Compact Cars
Most Fuel-Efficient 2002 Compact Cars, Ranked
We ranked all 46 EPA-rated 2002 compact cars by what they cost to fuel. The Toyota Prius leads at about $1,134 a year (41 MPG), while the Jaguar XJR is the most expensive to run at $3,703 (16 MPG). The median compact car costs $1,938 a year to fuel. The class includes 0 electric and 1 hybrid or plug-in model.
Fuel costs assume 15,000 miles a year at $3.10/gal regular, $3.95/gal premium and 18¢/kWh. Each model is shown in its most efficient configuration.
Top 15
Annual fuel cost (lower is better)All 46 models
| # | Model | Type | Combined | Range | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota Prius | Hybrid | 41 MPG | — | $1,134 |
| 2 | Honda Civic | Gas | 34 MPG | — | $1,368 |
| 3 | Volkswagen Jetta Diesel | Diesel | 39 MPG | — | $1,423 |
| 4 | Toyota Echo | Gas | 32 MPG | — | $1,453 |
| 5 | Volkswagen Golf/GTI Diesel | Diesel | 38 MPG | — | $1,461 |
| 6 | Toyota Corolla | Gas | 31 MPG | — | $1,500 |
| 7 | Chevrolet Prizm | Gas | 31 MPG | — | $1,500 |
| 8 | Honda Civic CNG | Natural gas | 28 MPGe | — | $1,554 |
| 9 | Saturn SL | Gas | 29 MPG | — | $1,603 |
| 10 | Ford Focus | Gas | 28 MPG | — | $1,661 |
| 11 | Hyundai Accent/Brio | Gas | 28 MPG | — | $1,661 |
| 12 | Nissan Sentra | Gas | 27 MPG | — | $1,722 |
| 13 | Dodge Neon | Gas | 27 MPG | — | $1,722 |
| 14 | Daewoo Lanos | Gas | 26 MPG | — | $1,788 |
| 15 | Kia Rio | Gas | 26 MPG | — | $1,788 |
| 16 | Mitsubishi Lancer | Gas | 26 MPG | — | $1,788 |
| 17 | Suzuki Aerio | Gas | 26 MPG | — | $1,788 |
| 18 | Chevrolet Cavalier | Gas | 25 MPG | — | $1,860 |
| 19 | Hyundai Elantra | Gas | 25 MPG | — | $1,860 |
| 20 | Pontiac Grand Am | Gas | 25 MPG | — | $1,860 |
| 21 | Pontiac Sunfire | Gas | 25 MPG | — | $1,860 |
| 22 | Oldsmobile Alero | Gas | 25 MPG | — | $1,860 |
| 23 | Volkswagen Golf/GTI | Gas | 24 MPG | — | $1,938 |
| 24 | Volkswagen Jetta | Gas | 24 MPG | — | $1,938 |
| 25 | Mercury Cougar | Gas | 24 MPG | — | $1,938 |
| 26 | Toyota Camry | Gas | 24 MPG | — | $1,938 |
| 27 | Infiniti G20 | Gas | 24 MPG | — | $1,938 |
| 28 | Kia Spectra | Gas | 24 MPG | — | $1,938 |
| 29 | Mazda Protege/Protege 5 | Gas | 24 MPG | — | $1,938 |
| 30 | Daewoo Nubira | Gas | 23 MPG | — | $2,022 |
| 31 | Chrysler Sebring | Gas | 22 MPG | — | $2,114 |
| 32 | Dodge Stratus | Gas | 22 MPG | — | $2,114 |
| 33 | Subaru Legacy/Outback | Gas | 21 MPG | — | $2,214 |
| 34 | Audi A4 | Gas | 23 MPG | — | $2,576 |
| 35 | BMW 5 Series | Gas | 22 MPG | — | $2,693 |
| 36 | Volvo S40 | Gas | 22 MPG | — | $2,693 |
| 37 | Mercedes-Benz C-Class | Gas | 21 MPG | — | $2,821 |
| 38 | Acura CL | Gas | 21 MPG | — | $2,821 |
| 39 | Volvo S60 | Gas | 21 MPG | — | $2,821 |
| 40 | Mazda Millenia | Gas | 20 MPG | — | $2,962 |
| 41 | Jaguar X-Type | Gas | 20 MPG | — | $2,962 |
| 42 | Lexus IS | Gas | 19 MPG | — | $3,118 |
| 43 | Audi S4 | Gas | 18 MPG | — | $3,292 |
| 44 | Jaguar XJ | Gas | 18 MPG | — | $3,292 |
| 45 | Mercedes-Benz CL-Class | Gas | 17 MPG | — | $3,485 |
| 46 | Jaguar XJR | Gas | 16 MPG | — | $3,703 |