Honda Civic Hybrid: 45.7 CG mpg

Honda Civic Hybrid
2008 Honda Civic Hybrid

Honda Civic is a long-time Consumer Guide darling, picking up countless Best Buy honors over the years.

Introduced for 2006, the latest Civic is the best yet, balancing fun and frugality as few cars can.

Still, there's a market for cars that return better than the roughly 30 mpg we've seen with "regular" Civics, that's why there's a Hybrid model.

Civic Hybrid gives up little compared with its conventional stablemates. It's a little noisier and a little less sure-footed, both thanks to low-rolling-resistance tires. You also give up the folding second-row seat, a concession to the placement of the hybrid battery.

The upside? An awesome 45.7 mpg in Consumer Guide testing. Drivability issues are few. Like many other continuously variable transmissions (CVT), Civic's allows the engine to race in even routine driving, elevating noise levels.