By the editors of Popular Mechanics and MSN Auto.

Not in any particular order:

Chevrolet Cruze Eco
Price as Tested: $19,745
PM-Tested Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 28/42


Cruze Eco features aerodynamic slats behind the grille that automatically open at low speeds to keep the engine cool, but then close when cruising to reduce drag. And, of course, it has low-rolling-resistance tires. The star here is a 138-hp, 1.4-liter turbo motor that performs like a much larger engine. To enable the Cruze's 42-mpg highway rating, the Eco's engine is lashed to a six-speed manual transmission, with overdrive ratios for the top three gears.

Ford Focus SFE
Price as Tested: $20,780
PM-Tested Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 28/40


With its sculpted flanks and radical windshield slope, the Focus looks like a 21st-century small car. The SFE model is tricked out for fuel economy. The 2.0-liter engine features direct fuel injection — good for a 10 percent efficiency gain, Ford says — and is coupled to an automated twin-clutch six-speed gearbox that drives low-rolling-resistance tires.

Hyundai Elantra
Price as Tested: $17,760
PM-Tested Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 29/40


Hyundai's Elantra features aerodynamically slick "fluidic sculpture" styling with solid hardware — a new 148-hp engine, an optional six-speed automatic that delivers the same fuel-economy ratings as the manual, six airbags, plenty of standard features and a USB port for plumbing into the sound system.

Volkswagen Jetta TDI
Price as Tested: $24,965
PM-Tested Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 30/42


Volkswagen's turbodiesels remain boutique items here in America. With the new Jetta, however, that boutique is looking like a Walmart. The Americanized Jetta is bigger and roomier than the previous model, and a simpler beam axle has replaced the independent rear suspension.

Audi A3 TDI
Price as Tested: $33,000 (est)
PM-Tested Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 35.7/42


Few vehicles combine sporty handling, luxurious amenities and exemplary fuel efficiency in one package, but the A3 TDI does just that — and does so with a satisfying rush of torque. The U.S.-spec A3 TDI uses the same 140-hp, 2.0-liter diesel that has made the VW Jetta TDI such a blockbuster hit for Volkswagen. The motor is paired to Audi's brilliant six-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG), which performs brisk shifts.

Honda Insight
Price as Tested: $23,810
PM-Tested Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 45.3/43.3


One reason is Honda's much simpler hybrid system: A 13-hp electric motor is sandwiched between the 1.3-liter engine and the CVT. Unlike the Toyota or Ford hybrid systems, however, the Honda does not allow prolonged electric-only operation, because the little electric motor just doesn't have enough juice. The Insight switches to electric-only power when cruising at low speeds.

Ford Fusion Hybrid
Price as Tested: $31,940
PM-Tested Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 38.4/38


As much as we appreciate the high-mileage chops of traditional dedicated hybrids, the Fusion proves that fuel efficiency doesn't necessarily require unconventional wrapping. In fact, the Fusion looks and drives more like a regular midsize sedan than a hybrid. The Ford rides smoothly, absorbing big potholes like a luxury sedan. It's quiet, too, and in the city achieved with 38.4 mpg — excellent for a sedan weighing nearly 2 tons.

Smart Fortwo Passion
Price as Tested: $15,205
PM-Tested Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 39/36.3


Smart has quite a few shortcomings. The doors and hatch are light and tinny. The minuscule, rear-mounted, 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine drives the rear wheels and produces an odd squatting of the suspension as you floor the throttle. It's paired to a lethargic automated manual that requires long pauses to perform shifts. Freeway driving isn't the Fortwo's forte. At speed, the wake of an 18-wheeler easily jostles the tall and narrow body. And it requires constant correction to keep on course.

Chevrolet Volt
Price as Tested: $33,500 (after $7500 federal EV subsidy)
PM-Tested Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 37.5/38.2


It's an EV early adopter's worst nightmare: running out of juice, miles from the nearest charging station. With the Volt, Chevrolet is intent on squelching those fears. When its 16-kilowatt-hour battery pack becomes depleted, the car automatically switches to a gas engine — a transition that is remarkably smooth (it's nearly impossible to discern on the road).

Nissan LeafPrice as Tested: $25,280 (after $7500 federal EV subsidy)
PM-tested EV range: 82 miles


It's not the first pure EV, but the Leaf is hitting the mainstream like none of its predecessors. At $32,780 ($25,280 after the federal rebate), the Leaf costs the same as an average car and offers a 100-mile range — enough to cover the needs of the vast majority of commuters and errand runners. The car is eerily quiet to drive. "The vehicle is equipped with a sound generator just so people can hear it coming," says Paul Hawson, product planner for the Leaf.

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