and won several design , engineering and technology awards . The Insight employs Honda 's Integrated Motor Assist -LRB- IMA -RRB- system , combining an extremely lightweight 1.0-liter , three-cylinder gasoline automobile engine with an ultra-thin electric motor . Early models came with a 5-speed manual transmission , but a continuously variable transmission -LRB- CVT -RRB- was offered starting in ' 01 . 2001 - 2002 Toyota Prius Overall MPG : 41 This was one of the earliest generations of the fuel-sipping Prius , and it certainly has become a green living icon since then . Drawing its power from a combination of a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor , these earlier editions generated only 70 hp , but muscle is n't the point in a hybrid car . It 's pod-like design had a certain retro-futuristic appeal , and was roomier than one might think . 2000 - 2005 Toyota Echo Overall MPG : 38 The Echo was rolled out in 2000 as a no-frills compact econo-box , for those who wanted Toyota quality but were on a budget that precluded them from snagging a Corolla . The interior is plain , but the engine is reliable
-LRB- AOL Autos -RRB- -- Consumer Reports recently announced its annual used cars ratings , and we were n't surprised to see one of the major categories was `` Best in Fuel Economy . '' With gasoline and oil prices on a seemingly endless upward spiral , that 's a key factor these days when choosing a used car -- or even a new one . The cars that made this list were , according to Consumer Reports , `` the affordable and reliable vehicles -LSB- that -RSB- returned some of the best results in our real-world fuel-economy tests . '' What follows is a list of the vehicles that magazine rated `` Best in Fuel Economy '' in the under $ 10,000 price range , with a short description of each vehicle . The mileage figures stated are the ones calculated by Consumer Reports in their own on-the-road tests . 2000 Honda Insight Overall MPG : 51 When the Insight hit showrooms in 1999 for the 2000 model year , it was hailed as one of the cleanest and most fuel-efficient vehicles in the world . It was the first gasoline-electric hybrid to be sold in the U.S. ,