2006's Most Fuel Efficient Cars

CNN/Money reports: Most fuel-efficient cars for 2006.

Yes, as gas prices continue to hover over the wallet-crunching $3 per gallon mark, hybrid vehicles are all in the rage – with hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight selling like hotcakes, and automakers all scrambling to develop hybrids of their own (and coming up with interesting alliances like GM-DaimlerChrysler-BMW and Porsche-VW-Audi, to name two) to catch up with the ever rising demand for conservation-minded modes of transportation.

With no apparent sign that gas prices will go down anytime soon, the trend with fuel-efficient vehicles is likely to continue well over the future. The latest EPA Fuel Economy Guide as released by CNN/Money reveals that hybrids and diesels like the Honda Insight, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid, VW Beetle and Golf diesel, Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid, and the Mazda Tribute are all top of the heap choices for the most fuel-efficient cars in 2006.

Here’s the ranking:
(City/Highway)
1. Honda Insight (hybrid) -- 60/66
2. Toyota Prius (hybrid) -- 60/51
3. Volkswagen New Beetle and Golf (diesel, manual) -- 37/44
4. Volkswagen Jetta (diesel) -- 36/41
5. Ford Escape Hybrid FWD -- 36/31
6. Volkswagen New Beetle and Jetta(diesel, automatic) -- 35/42
7. Volkswagen Golf (diesel, automatic) -- 33/44
8. Ford Escape Hybrid 4WD (Also Mazda Tribute and Mercury Mariner 4WD hybrids) -- 33/29
9. Lexus RX 400h 2WD and Toyota Highlander Hybrid 2WD -- 33/28
10. Toyota Corolla (manual) -- 32/41

Note however, that your car does not have to be new or a hybrid to achieve fuel-efficiency. Even if your car has been with you for the past five years or so, if it is well-maintained and if you use it sensibly you can save yourself from wasting too much gas money. Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test for instance, can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4 percent, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done. Make sure that you get only the best for your car. When in need of replacement auto parts like radiators, exhaust manifold, wheels, or catalytic converters, look for trusted auto parts stores like Auto Parts Corner which offer premium quality yet affordable Volvo parts, Honda parts, BMW parts, Nissan parts or Ford parts.