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2012 Models that Save You the Most Gas Money

May 24, 2012

Consumer Reports just released a survey this week showing that the most important consideration on car shopper's list is now fuel economy. With gas prices having remained stubbornly high for the past couple of years, it's easy to see why.

Based on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) miles-per-gallon ratings, Edmunds.com has released a list of the top 11 most fuel-efficient sedans for 2012. At the top of the list is the Honda Civic Hybrid, with a combined city/highway rating of 44 miles per gallon.

The list is dominated by hybrids and diesels, and you may have noticed that the Toyota Prius is not listed here. That's because the Prius is considered a Wagon, not a sedan.

Here is the list, with ratings showing city, highway, and combined mileage estimates.

Vehicle	City	Highway	Combined
Honda Civic Hybrid	44	44	44
Toyota Camry Hybrid	43	39	41
Ford Fusion Hybrid	41	36	39
Lincoln MKZ Hybrid	41	36	39
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid	35	40	37
Kia Optima Hybrid	35	40	37
Lexus HS 250h	35	34	35
Volkswagen Passat Diesel	31	43	35
Hyundai Accent	30	40	34
Kia Rio	30	40	34
Volkswagen Jetta Diesel	30	42	34

3 Steps Every Car Buyer Needs to Take to Save Maximum Money

The key to getting the best deal is to gather price or lease bids from as many local dealers as possible. Then shop that best price around until no one can beat it. Here are the steps:

Step 1 Get Prices From My Trusted Network

Select the vehicle you're interested in to see if there are local dealers in my network who will provide you with their best upfront price. You will get direct access to an internet sales manager who you can further negotiate with online (no need to visit dealership).

Select Vehicle to Get Local Pricing

Step 2 Get Prices From TrueCar / CarsDirect

TrueCar, and CarsDirect are my top 2 online price quote recommendations. These services show you pre-negotiated prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually pretty decent. But remember, you can still negotiate further.

Step 3 Complete my Checklist

Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.
- Gregg Fidan

Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...

Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
Which Cars You Should Avoid

About The Author

Gregg Fidan is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.

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