10 Modern Hatchbacks With Amazing Fuel Economy

Summary

• The 2023 Mazda 3 Hatchback offers a winning combination of fuel efficiency and performance with its 2.5-liter engine and shut-off cylinder technology. Gas Mileage: 30 mpg.
• The Subaru Impreza provides great practicality and permanent all-wheel drive, with its base 2.0-liter engine offering a fuel-efficient option at 30 mpg combined. Gas Mileage: 30 mpg.
• The 2024 Kia Soul may not have the best fuel economy on the list, but it still offers over 30 mpg combined and provides excellent value for money with its practicality and starting price of just over $21,000. Gas Mileage: 31 mpg.

In today’s rapidly evolving automotive landscape, fuel efficiency is more important than ever. As environmental concerns and fluctuating fuel prices continue to dominate conversations, modern hatchbacks have emerged as shining examples of innovation and eco-conscious tech.

In this article, we explore a curated selection of the latest hatchback models that offer excellent gas mileage. From cutting-edge engine technology to lightweight materials and aerodynamic advancements, these vehicles offer a winning combination of style, practicality, and outstanding fuel efficiency.

From the top-selling economical Volkswagen Golf that has been around for just about half a century to the newly revived iconic Acura Integra that offers comfort and style at an affordable price, here are 10 hatchbacks that won’t empty your wallet.

Updated 10 January 2024: The hatchback segment isn’t as popular in the U.S. as it is in Europe, but we still managed to add three gas-powered hatchbacks to this list. One of them is a very popular hybrid model.

The information mentioned in this article such as vehicle specs and fuel economy has been sourced from sites like Car and Driver and Fueleconomy.gov

13 2023 Mazda 3 Hatchback

Gas Mileage (Combined): 30 mpg

Mazda 3 also known as the Axela is a compact car that first made its debut in 2004 as a replacement for the Familia. The name Axela is a combination of “accelerate” and “excellent” and it was used for the first three generations within Japan.

Specifications

(Source: Mazda)

The 2023 Mazda 3 Hatchback is a continuation of the fourth-generation model that made its debut at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show as a 2019 model. The base variant comes equipped with a 2.5-liter inline-four engine that produces 191 horsepower and can shut off certain cylinders as it’s driving, to conserve fuel.

12 Subaru Impreza

Gas Mileage (Combined): 30 MPG

Subaru Impreza has had a long record of being a dependable choice for its buyers. While not the most refined vehicle on the list, the Impreza offers great practicality, permanent all-wheel drive, and boxer engines. Naturally, the base 2.0-liter flat-four is the most fuel-efficient at 30 MPG combined.

Specifications

(Source: Subaru)

That said, it’s not a big difference as the more powerful, 2.5-liter manages 29 MPG combined. Moreover, your early fuel expense is only $50 more than if you go for the base engine and the extra 30 horsepower is good to have, along with a hefty bump in mid-range torque. With a bigger, 16.6-gallon fuel tank (compared to the previous model’s 13.2-gallon), the 2024 Impreza can be driven, on average, 498 miles before you run out of fuel.

11 Kia Soul

Gas Mileage (Combined): 31 MPG

The Kia Soul was the subject of jokes because of the manufacturer’s choice of name. Often labeled “the most soulless” modern-day car on sale, the Kia Soul offers a surprising amount of value for money. While this shouldn’t come as a surprise, the starting price of just over $21,000 means you can get one of the most practical urban cars for relatively cheap.

Specifications

(Source: Kia)

The fuel economy may be the second-worst on the list, but the 2024 Kia Soul still gets over 30 MPG combined, and up to 35 on the highway. Considering the 14.3-gallon fuel tank capacity, the Soul’s range of 443 miles is not too shabby either. There is also an EV version of the Kia Soul, which you can’t get in the U.S.

10 2023 MINI Cooper

Gas Mileage (Combined): 32 mpg

Of all the affordable and fun-to-drive cars out there the 2023 MINI Cooper is right in the heart of it all. Packed with a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four and mated with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, this car produces 186 horsepower with 207 pound-feet of torque taking this small hatchback from 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds.

Specifications

(Source: MIni)

The Hardtop model is rated for 29 mpg in the city, 38 mpg on the highway, and a combined mileage of 32 mpg, making it quite a fuel-efficient car. It’s an automotive icon with its styling and personality. It might not be the most practical choice due to its rampant reliability issues, but it certainly is an eye-catching car.

9 2021 Volkswagen Golf

Gas Mileage (Combined): 32 mpg

After the massive success of the Beetle, Volkswagen sought to replace it with another mass-production car. The car they came up with was the Golf hatchback and this time, they went for a front-engine front-wheel drive layout to save costs as opposed to the rear-wheel rear-engine setup of the Beetle.

First released in 1974 the Golf proved to be a huge success eventually becoming Volkswagen’s best-selling car and amongst the world’s top-three best-selling models of all time. The eighth generation 2021 Golf offers a turbocharged 1.4-liter inline-4 engine that produces 147 horsepower with 184 pound-feet of torque giving it ample power and speed.

Specifications

(Source: Volkswagen)

But the Golf’s strongest aspect is its fuel economy with its eight-speed automatic transmission giving you 29 mpg in the city, 36 mpg on the highway, and a combined figure of 32 mpg. These numbers mean that the Golf is one of the most fuel-efficient cars in its class and a testament to Volkswagen for committing to produce vehicles that are both powerful and economical.

8 2023 Acura Integra

Gas Mileage (Combined): 33 mpg

In recent years Acura has relaunched the iconic Integra nameplate to join the entry-level compact sedan market. This new hatchback shares a lot of qualities with the new Civic with the same 1.5 liter turbocharged inline-four engine while offering a more upscale presence.

Specifications

(Source: Acura)

This front-wheel drive car comes fitted with heated seats and spacious rear seats which make for a comfortable ride. With a gas mileage of 29 mpg in the city, 38 mpg on the highway, and 33 mpg combined, the Acura Integra rivals the Audi A3, making your daily commute extra efficient.

7 2022 Chevrolet Spark

Gas Mileage (Combined): 34 mpg

Originally developed by Korean car manufacturer Daewoo in 1998 as the Matiz, this small hatchback took on the Spark name when the company was purchased by General Motors back in 2002.

Specifications

(Source: Chevrolet)

The fourth generation Spark internally known as the M400 made its debut at the 2015 New York International Auto Show and over the years aside from a minor facelift in 2018 it has mostly remained the same. Now discontinued, the 2022 model went up against the Kia Rio.

Under the hood, it comes equipped with a naturally aspirated 1.4-liter inline-four that produces 98 horsepower and archives a combined fuel economy of 34 mpg. Despite not having the looks and features of its competitors the Chevrolet Spark holds its own in the economic hatchback market because of its low price.

6 2020 Toyota Yaris

Gas Mileage (Combined): 35 mpg

With enjoyable handling and excellent gas mileage, the 2020 Toyota Yaris offers quite a lot more than other cars in the market. Fitted with a 1.5-liter inline-four engine this car produces 106 horsepower with 103 pound-feet of torque which will take you from 0-60 in 8 seconds. While this isn’t the quickest, it is more than acceptable for everyday driving.

Specifications

(Source: Toyota)

The fourth generation Toyota Yaris offers a six-speed automatic gearbox which is far better than the previous four-speed gearbox and has done wonders for this hatchback, giving you the mileage of 30 mpg in the city, 39 mpg on the highway and 35 mpg combined. As an entry-level car, the Toyota Yaris makes some compromises on the ride comfort but more than makes up for it by providing excellent fuel economy.

5 2023 Toyota Corolla Hatchback

Gas Mileage (Combined): 35 mpg

With over 50 million units sold worldwide since its debut in 1966, the Corolla is the highest-selling car of all time. Toyota has acquired this prestigious title by continuously providing customers with an attractively priced, incredibly reliable, and good-looking vehicle and the 12th generation model is no different.

Specifications

(Source: Toyota)

The 12th generation Corolla hatchback made its debut in 2018 at the New York International Auto Show and it featured a fresh new look with tapering headlamps, an enlarged lower fascia, and bulging fenders to help it stand out from the crowd. Under the hood, the 2021 base-level SE variant comes fitted with a 2.0-liter inline-four engine that produces 168 horsepower achieving a combined fuel economy of 35 mpg.

4 2023 Honda Civic Hatchback

Gas Mileage (Combined): 36 mpg

The Civic is a car front wheel drive that holds significant value in Honda’s history with the first generation model debuting at a time when the company was about to cease development on four-wheeled vehicles altogether. It was a small reliable, cheap, and fuel-efficient hatchback that arrived in 1972 just in time for the 1973 oil crisis. This meant that at a time when consumers were rapidly moving away from high-power gas-guzzling cars toward more fuel-efficient options Honda was in the right place at the right time with their economic Civic.

Specifications

(Source: Honda)

Since then over 51 years and eleven generations, the Civic has held its place in the market as a viable alternative to the Corolla offering its drivers sportier looks and handling than its competitor. The base 2020 model comes fitted with a 2.0-liter inline-four engine that produces 158 horsepower with 138 pound-feet of torque and a combined fuel economy of 35 mpg, but it’s the turbocharged 1.5-liter model that the more efficient powertrain. Despite putting out 180 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, it delivers 36 combined mpg.

3 2023 Kia Rio

Gas Mileage (Combined): 36 mpg

The Rio is a subcompact car first launched by Kia in 2001 as a replacement for the Pride. The first-generation model also known as the DC was sold both as a four-door sedan and a five-door station wagon and at the time it was the cheapest mass-produced car available in the United States.

Specifications

(Source: Kia)

The fourth and current generation model made its debut at the 2016 Paris Motor Show and it featured a new look crafted by Kia’s California and German design centers. Despite its Korean origins, this generation of the model was developed solely as an export model and was never sold within South Korea due to a lack of demand. Powering this stylish hatchback is a 1.6-liter inline-four engine that sends 120 horsepower to the front wheels through a CVT achieving a combined fuel economy of 36 mpg.

2 2023 Mitsubishi Mirage

Gas Mileage (Combined): 39 mpg

The 2022 Mitsubishi Mirage is one of the most affordable and fuel-efficient cars on the market. It is powered by a 1.2-liter inline-three engine that produces 76 horsepower with 74 pound-feet of torque. Now that’s not a lot of power but this car was made with only one aim, affordability and fuel economy, giving an impressive 36 mpg in the city, 43 mpg on the highway, and 39 mpg combined, making it the most fuel-efficient gas-powered model on sale today.

Specifications

(Source: Mitsubishi)

The Mirage does possess a few positive attributes as well such as its safety collision warning and automatic braking system. While this car is reasonably well-equipped with tech by hatchback standards it still lacks frills making it a bit of a barebones option. Despite it being the definition of minimalism on wheels this hatchback still meets the standards for daily commuters with basic transportation in mind.

1 Toyota Prius

Gas Mileage (Combined): 57 MPG

Few models have solidified the hybrid car’s presence as well as the Toyota Prius. Often referred to as the automotive equivalent of a nun, the fifth-generation Prius finally looks exciting compared to its predecessors, and even packs some performance to match the looks. While all-wheel drive is optional, the best fuel economy comes from the front-wheel-drive version, which relies on a 2.0-liter, Atkinson cycle engine and a single electric motor integrated into the transmission.

Specifications

(Source: Toyota)

Interestingly enough, the gasoline aspect of propulsion is entrusted to the M20 engine, which is also found in the Corolla Sport, and is essentially, a naturally-aspirated version of the GR Supra’s base engine. The front-wheel-drive Prius is even capable of hitting 60 mph in 7.2 seconds.