Friday, 17 September, 2021
In today’s social and political climate, we see rising fuel prices and a growing desire to lower our carbon footprint create record-high demand for economical vehicles. Manufacturers such as Hyundai have been addressing this demand by blending fuel-efficient engines that not only save money but are fun to drive. Hyundai has remained at the forefront of the wave, introducing many hybrid and electric vehicles over the last 10 years.
Among the various Hyundai models, you’ll find economical gasoline engines with a hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrain option. You’ll also find the latest in all-electric vehicle technology on full display. So if you desire to elevate your Washington, D.C., commute, and save money at the pump simultaneously, Hyundai has a vehicle to suit your needs. To that end, we’ve created this list of the most fuel-efficient 2021 Hyundai models.
How Do Manufacturers Rate Efficiency?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reviews fuel consumption data on every vehicle and produces an estimated rating. The EPA rates city driving, highway driving, and a combined rating that averages city and highway ratings.
Electric vehicles don’t use gasoline, so you can’t get a true usage rating in gallons. Therefore, the EPA uses an MPGe rating, or miles per gallon equivalent, which lets you see how electric and hybrid electric vehicles compare in terms of energy consumption.
One significant difference between gasoline and electric vehicles appears in the highway efficiency ratings. A gasoline-powered vehicle will almost always have a better rating for highway driving than for city driving. That’s because at highway speeds, the gasoline powertrain achieves an optimum output of power with less effort.
Conversely, an electric vehicle produces a steady stream of power to run the electric motor. The difference in an electric motor lies in its ability to recapture energy through technologies such as regenerative braking. Thus, driving around the city requires more braking than the highway, which returns more energy to the battery and increases your MPGe.
2021 Hyundai Ioniq Electric Hatchback
In terms of efficiency, the Ioniq Electric hatchback easily wins the top spot in Hyundai’s lineup. This all-electric vehicle expends 25 kilowatt-hours of energy every 100 miles. It has an outstanding city rating of 145 MPGe and a highway rating of 121 MPGe. Its combined rating comes in at 133 MPGe, earning it the top spot for efficiency. Also, the Ioniq Electric has a driving range of 170 miles on a full charge.
2021 Hyundai Kona Electric SUV
The Kona Electric SUV comes in second for most fuel-efficient Hyundai vehicles. It uses 27 kWh of electricity for every 100 miles resulting in ratings of 132 city, 108 highway, and 120 combined MPGe. The Kona Electric boasts a driving range of 258 miles, which beats the Ioniq Electric Hatchback by a wide margin. In addition, the Kona Electric uses a 150 kWh motor that boosts its range over the Ioniq Electric’s smaller 100 kWh motor.
2021 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid Hatchback
The combination of a 1.6-liter gasoline engine and a 32 kW electric motor give the Ioniq Hybrid a slight edge over other Hyundai hybrid vehicles using a paltry 1.7 gallons of gas for every 100 miles driven. As a result, the Ioniq Hybrid Hatchback delivers 58 mpg city, 60 mpg highway, and 59 mpg combined, making it the most efficient of Hyundai’s hybrid vehicle lineup. Also, the Ioniq Hybrid beats out every other hybrid vehicle in America.
2021 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Blue
Hyundai makes excellent use of another hybrid powertrain, combining a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and a 32 kW electric motor. This pairing results in 53 mpg city, 56 mpg highway, and 54 mpg combined ratings. In addition, the Elantra Hybrid uses only 1.9 gallons for every 100 miles driven, making it one of the most efficient midsize sedans on the market.
The Elantra comes in a base hybrid trim that delivers 49 mpg city, 52 mpg highway, and 50 mpg combined efficiency ratings. Hyundai’s 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine consumes only 2 gallons of gas every 100 miles.
2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Blue
The newly redesigned Sonata Hybrid features sleek style and the latest tech to deliver a superior midsize sedan. The Sonata takes electric power sourcing to a new level with an available solar panel roof that captures the sun’s energy and returns it to the battery. One day of sunlight produces two hours of drive time, totaling over 700 miles of free driving every year.
Hyundai uses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder and electric motor to produce 194 horsepower and efficiency ratings of 50 mpg city, 54 mpg highway, and 52 mpg combined. Altogether, this powertrain uses only 1.9 gallons of gas for every 100 miles it drives.
Like the Elantra, the Sonata also offers a base hybrid trim that impresses its efficiency ratings. Scoring a 45 mpg city, 51 mpg highway, and 47 mpg combined, the standard Sonata hybrid makes excellent use of its hybrid powertrain. Also, it burns a mere 2.1 gallons of gas every 100 miles.
2021 Hyundai Elantra
Even Hyundai’s gasoline-powered Elantra makes the list for best fuel efficiency. Elantra’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine offers ratings of 33 mpg city, 43 mpg highway, and 37 mpg combined while only using 2.7 gallons of gas for every 100 miles driven.
2021 Hyundai Accent
In the compact sedan category, Hyundai’s most efficient vehicle remains the Accent. Under the hood, you’ll find a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers efficiency ratings of 33 mpg city, 41 mpg highway, and 36 mpg combined. Plus, it has a clean, modern design and comes packed with the latest in-vehicle and safety tech to keep you connected and safe. Burning only 2.8 gallons of gas for every 100 miles driven makes it one of the most efficient cars on the road today.
Get More for Your Trade Today
If you’re ready to experience the benefits of a fuel-efficient Hyundai, we invite you to browse our inventory online or stop by our Woodbridge, Virginia, dealership today. One of our friendly, knowledgeable staff will show you our electric, hybrid electric, and efficient gas-powered models and let you take your favorite for a test drive.
Because we sell so many cars, we can pay more for your trade than other dealerships. You can quickly receive a true cash offer using our online trade evaluation tool. We’re so confident you’ll love the offer, we’ll buy your car even if you don’t purchase another vehicle from Koons Woodbridge Hyundai.
Image via Flickr by Dennis S. Hurd
Connect with us
