All vehicles listed are the newest 2009 or 2008 model – whichever is currently available (June 2008).

#1

Toyota Prius
Price: $21,100
Gas Mileage: 48 mpg city / 45 mpg highway
Link: Toyota.com

Notes: The new Toyota Prius may be very difficult to come by if you are not on one of the Toyota dealership’s waiting lists. Some of the current lists are upwards of 6 months long.

#2

Honda Civic Hybrid
Price: $22,600
Gas Mileage: 40 mpg city / 45 mpg highway
Link: Honda.com

#3

Smart for Two
Price: $11,590
Gas Mileage: 31 mpg city / 41 mpg highway
Link: Smart.com

Notes: This may be the smallest vehicle you can currently buy so it may not appeal to everyone especially guys over 6ft tall.

#4

Volkswagen Jetta TDI
Price: $20,000
Gas Mileage: 29 mpg city / 40 mpg highway
Link: VW.com

Note: The VW Jetta TDI runs on diesel fuel.

#5

Nissan Altima Hybrid
Price: $25,170
Gas Mileage: 35 mpg city / 33 mpg highway
Link: Nissanusa.com

#6

Toyota Camry Hybrid
Price: $25,350
Gas Mileage: 33 mpg city / 34 mpg highway
Link: Toyota.com

#7

Ford Escape Hybrid / Mazda Tribute Hybrid / Mercury Mariner Hybrid
Price: $26,640 / $25,310 / $26,955
Gas Mileage: 34 mpg city / 30 mpg highway
Link: Ford.com / Mazdausa.com / Ford.com

Note: The Ford Escape Hybrid, Mazda Tribute Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid all share the same basic components and are produced in the same factory.

#8

Toyota Yaris
Price: $11,350
Gas Mileage: 29 mpg city / 35 mpg highway
Link: Toyota.com

#9

Mini Cooper
Price: $18,700
Gas Mileage: 29 mpg city / 37 mpg highway
Link: Miniusa.com

#10

Toyota Corolla
Price: $15,250
Gas Mileage: 28 mpg city / 37 mpg highway
Link: Toyota.com

Runners up:

#11

Honda Fit
Price: $13,950
Gas Mileage: 28 mpg city / 34 mpg highway
Link: Honda.com

#12

Nissan Versa
Price: $12,710
Gas Mileage: 26 mpg city / 31 mpg highway – manual transmission
Link: Nissanusa.com

#13

Honda Accord LX
Price: $20,360
Gas Mileage: 21 mpg city / 31 mpg highway
Link: Honda.com

#14

Mazda Miata
Price: $21,220
Gas Mileage: 22 mpg city / 27 mpg highway – manual transmission
Link: Mazdausa.com

Smart has been scrutinized and questioned about it’s over-all safety when you consider the small size of the Smart Fortwo vehicle. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has released the official data on the Smart Fortwo vehicle crash tests results. The tests have actually raised some eyebrows in a good way if that is possible. The little car scored a rating of “good” in both frontal and side impact tests conducted by the IIHS. In the rear impact tests the Smart Fortwo scored an “acceptable”.

After the tests it seems apparent that the developers at Smart are actually “Smart” when it comes to making a safe Smart car. This car may be safer than some of those several ton SUV’s on the road today. Although you would not want the Smart car to “meet” a 4 ton SUV at any speed, that would not be so pretty and “Smart”.

Smart Fortwo Crash Test Video: