EPA Has Released the 2006 Fuel Economy Guide

According to the new Fuel Economy Guide 2006, Honda Insight hybrid has the best fuel economy with 60 miles per gallon in the city and 66 mpg on the highway.

The second most fuel efficient car was also a hybrid car, Toyota Prius hybrid, with 60 mpg in the city and 51 on the highway.

As to how Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ratings are achieved, the fuel economy with the ratings are measured under controlled conditions in a laboratory using a standardized test procedure specified by federal law.

In fact, manufacturers test their own vehicles — usually pre-production prototypes — and report the results to EPA.

Then, EPA reviews the results and confirms about 10-15 percent of them through their own tests at the National Vehicles and Fuel Emissions Laboratory.

EPA miles-per-gallon (MPG) estimates are based on these lab tests and adjusted downward by about 15% to better reflect realworld driving conditions for an average U.S. motorist, according to the Fuel Economy Guide 2006.

You can check the latest fuel economy ratings online, at fueleconomy.gov. Also, you can download the full guide online.

Here's a link to download the EPA Fuel Economy Guide 2006 in PDF format (the link opens up a new window).


From Fuel Economy Guide 2006 page to Hybrid Cars Guide index