9 of Top 10 Most Fuel Efficient Cars Are Hybrids

The latest fuel economy ratings for 2010 models have been published, and nine of the top 10 are hybrid electric cars.

No. 1 is the Toyota Prius (51 MPG city; 48 highway).

"This list proves that hybrids have gone mainstream," said Bo Saulsbury, who heads up the ratings project from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Environmental Sciences Division. "There's now a hybrid for everyone. The 32 hybrid models available in 2010 offer car buyers the choice of an SUV, passenger car, economy or luxury model, from almost every major automobile maker."

Among SUVs, the Ford Escape Hybrid challenges the notion of this class being all gas guzzlers. It's rated at 34/31. The teensy SmartForTwo, on the other hand, doesn't do much better at 33/41.

The full list, broken down by class, is at fueleconomy.gov or go straight to Page 4 of this PDF.

The site now includes Spanish-language pages. There are tips for saving fuel and a page to help you find cheap gas. There's also a site designed for reading on mobile devices at fueleconomy.gov/m.

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Live Science Staff
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