Lewis Shaw
Owning a car is supposed to be fun. That’s why so many people go for fast, sporty cars. But these days, with gas prices as they are, many drivers must constantly consider this when burning fuel. That’s what this list is for: to provide speed lovers with fuel-efficient vehicle options. Check out some of these sporty, but money-saving, cars below.
Mini Cooper S Coupe
Probably not the first car that you expected to see on this list, the S Coupe has some serious acceleration power. It’s got a turbo-charged 1.6 liter 16-valve alloy engine pushing out 181 horsepower while still averaging about 30 mpg, partially thanks to the manual 6-speed transmission.
The manual transmission also gets you from 0 to 60 in just 6.5 seconds. The car tops out at 142 mph. You can boost these stats by pressing the Sport button in the car, increasing the speed and acceleration in the process. The one drawback: You need premium gas to use the Sport feature effectively.
Porsche 911 Carrera S
Stepping it up a notch, the 911 Carrera S can go from 0 to 60 mph in a solid 4.1 seconds. Even with this kind of acceleration, the car gets 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. It’s not the most gas efficient car around, but you have to admit that it’s pretty impressive for handling that kind of power.
When you buy a car such as the Carrera S, you’re not only saving yourself money on gas, but you’re saving the environment from extra, unnecessary emissions that other cars (such as Lamborghinis or Aston Martins) bring. Pat yourself on the back for helping rid the air of excess carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane.
Fiat 500 Turbo
This version of the Fiat 500 brings the horsepower to the table. This car remains small and fun to drive while still having the kind of power that we’re looking for. It takes you from 0 to 60 in 6.7 seconds with its 135-hp 1.4 liter four-cylinder engine and 5-speed transmission.
Mercedes-Benz CLA250
Image via Flickr by nan palmero
Not as pricey as you would expect, the CLA250 starts below $30,000. Combine that with the fuel efficiency, and who ever thought that a Mercedes-Benz could be so affordable? You get a car with good performance, great gas mileage, and incredible leg room.
This car runs on front-wheel drive and gets 26 mpg miles in the city and 38 on the highway; it averages out around 30 overall. It’s got a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 208 hp and 258 pounds-feet of torque. You put that with a 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission, and you’ve got yourself a pretty nice all-around vehicle.
BMW 328d Sports Wagon
You can get just about any style of car from the BMW 3-Series, but we’re looking for something with great gas mileage. The 328d Sports wagon has just that. And while it takes clean diesel fuel, it gets a fantastic 35 mpg average with 31 mpg in the city and 43 mpg onthe highway.
The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine produces 180 horsepower and 280 pounds-feet of torque. This gets you plenty of energy at both the low end and higher speeds. It comes with an 8- speed automatic transmission.
Discount Vehicles
Most of the cars on this list aren’t very pricey, but they still all sit about $25,000. If you’re looking for a more affordable vehicle, check out KBB fuel efficient cars. You can find several excellent vehicles for under $25,000.
One of the most notable vehicles that you’ll find there is the Ford C-Max Hybrid. You don’t usually expect hybrids to come at such a great price, with fantastic mileage and good speed and in such a sporty form. This vehicle delivers a solid 141 horsepower while looking great and getting an average of 43 mpg. You might find yourself hard-pressed to find another vehicle that does the same.
The market has never been better for buyers looking to get everything that they want out of a vehicle. Even if none of these cars tickle your fancy, you can find plenty more out there that move fast while still saving you on gas.
