The word sedan used to conjure visions of riding to church with our parents or grandparents, big heavy steel doors, and a ride that was consistently smooth but offered little in the way of excitement. Turns out we only needed to fast-forward a few decades to find our four-door friends on the cutting edge of just about every technology. Our “Top 10 Fuel Efficient Sedans” list runs the gamut, from the surprisingly efficient BMW 335d to the redesigned Toyota Prius that'll take you a hundred miles on just two gallons.
Fuel economy estimates are courtesy of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA estimates are based on laboratory tests conducted by manufacturers according to federal regulations. EPA re-tests about 10% of vehicle models to confirm manufacturer's results. Your results may vary. Learn more at http://www.fueleconomy.gov/.
10. 2010 BMW 335d
What, you weren't expecting to see one of the world's top-performing luxury sports sedans on this list? Like we said at the outset, times have changed, and the 2010 BMW 335d (view photos) is a clean-burning, high mileage diesel that outperforms in almost every way. Now if only we can convince BMW to buy up Tesla so we can see what a diesel-electric roadster hybrid could do...
9. 2010 Ford Focus
The 2010 Ford Focus (view photos) sets the “Tempo” for a new generation. But given the exciting new technologies and models featured higher in this list, we're not convinced the Focus will be able to keep up with the times, unless the all-electric version we've been promised in 2011 makes a big splash.
8. 2010 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid
We couldn't resist including this canceled oddity of a car. We admired GM's efforts to expand hybrid powertrains to a broader cross-section of models and styles – why not give an electric boost to a big sedan, anyway? Alas, the 2009 hybrid Malibus will be the last, and we think that's a shame. Finding a used model could be well worth your time.
7. 2010 Hyundai Elantra Blue
The 2010 Hyundai Elantra's “Blue” (view photos) trim comes with improved fuel economy, a big bonus for a car that's so much bigger than so many others in its class. The Elantra comes with plenty of comfortable passenger and cargo room, but all at a price in line with its few close competitors. MSRP for this sedan starts at $14,145.
