Honda tops list for fuel efficiency

2010 Honda Insight hybrid
The Environmental Protection Administration says Honda has the most fuel efficient fleet in the U.S. for 2009, with a fleet-wide average of 23.6 mpg. Hyundai is in second place, with 23.4 mpg, edging out Toyota, which used to be in first place, by a slim margin, at 23.2 mpg.

The rankings are based on 2009 model vehicles sold for the first ten months of this year. The numbers include the Cash for Clunkers rebate program this summer, which gave buyers a tax rebate of up to $4,500 to buy a more fuel efficient vehicle than what they were driving. Imports topped the list then, too.

I'm pretty sure that Honda's number one fuel efficiency ranking was boosted by the re-launch earlier in 2009 of the 2010 Honda Insight hybrid, which may or may not have stolen sales from the 2009 Toyota Prius, the best-selling hybrid on the planet. But let's give some credit to Hyundai which has no hybrid for sale in the U.S. to boost overall fleet-wide fuel efficienty numbers, just a garage full of energy efficient and affordable gas-powered cars.