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The 7 Most Affordable Fuel Efficient Cars of 2010

There are only 7 cars that both get better than 30 mpg and cost less than $20,000. Here they are.
See the most fuel-efficient cars of the year and watch TDG discuss fuel-efficient cars on ABC News Now.

By Dan Shapley
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2010 Kia Rio

2010 kia rio, most fuel efficient cars 2010, most affordable fuel efficient cars 2010 2010 kia rio most fuel efficient cars

Price: $11,495
The manual Kia Rio gets 31 mpg without the benefit of a hybrid engine, keeping its cost low. (The automatic drive comes in at a combined 30 mpg, but does better on the highway.)

Stats
28 mpg city (27 automatic)
34 mpg highway (36 automatic)
$2.15 to drive 25 miles
$1,294 annual fuel cost
5.9 tons of CO2 annually

2010 Smart ForTwo

2010 smart fortwo, most fuel efficient cars 2010, most affordable fuel efficient cars 2010 2010 smart fortwo

Price: $11,990
Whether you pick up the classic coupe or the convertible (no, it's not a golf cart), the Smart ForTwo's 36 mpg make it the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid car on the market. And at $11,990 it's also the most affordable. It was rated one of Greenopia's greenest cars of the year.

Stats
33 mpg city
41 mpg highway
$1.85 to drive 25 miles
$1,113 annual fuel cost
5.1 tons of CO2 annually

2010 Toyota Yaris

2010 toyota yaris, most fuel efficient cars 2010, most affordable fuel efficient cars 2010 2010 toyota yaris most fuel efficient cars 2010

Price: $12,355
Whether the little Yaris you get is the 3-door hatch, the 5-door hatch (add $300) or the 5-door sedan (add $750), the little Yaris gets 32 mpg.

Stats
29 mpg city
36 mpg highway (35 for manual)
$2.09 to drive 25 miles
$1,254 annual fuel cost
5.7 tons of CO2 annually

2010 Hyundai Accent Blue

2010 hyundai accent blue, most fuel efficient cars 2010, most affordable fuel efficient cars 2010 2010 hyundai accent blue most fuel efficient cars 2010

Price: $13,645
At 31 mpg, this new baseline version of the Accent (which otherwise gets 30 mpg) is among the more affordable fuel efficient 2010 cars.

Stats
27 mpg city
36 mpg highway
$2.15 to drive 25 miles
$1,294 annual fuel cost
5.9 tons of CO2 annually

2010 Honda Fit

2010 honda fit, most fuel efficient cars 2010, most affordable fuel efficient cars 2010 2010 honda fit most fuel efficient cars 2010

Price: $14,900
If you're buying a new Fit, the automatic 5-speed gets the best mileage, with 31 mpg. It is rated one of the greenest cars of 2010 by Kelly Blue Book.

Stats
28 mpg city
35 mpg highway
$2.15 to drive 25 miles
$1,294 annual fuel cost
5.9 tons of CO2 annually

2010 Mini Cooper

2010 mini cooper, most fuel efficient cars 2010, most affordable fuel efficient cars 2010 2010 mini cooper

Price: $19,500
The classic Mini Cooper gets 32 mpg and is rated one of 2010's greenest cars by Kelly Blue Book.

Stats
28 mpg city
37 mpg highway (36 for the convertible)
$2.27 to drive 25 miles
$1,366 annual fuel cost
5.7 tons of CO2 annually

2010 Honda Insight

2010 honda insight, hybrid, most fuel efficient cars 2010, most affordable fuel efficient cars 2010 2010 honda insight most fuel efficient cars 2010

Price: $19,800
The second-best small car, also a Honda, is the newly redesigned Insight, a hybrid with a fuel economy of 41 mpg. And it costs a few thousand dollars less than the leaders in this category. It ranks on both Greenopia and Kelly Blue Book's greenest lists.

Stats
40 mpg City
43 mpg Highway
41 mpg Combined
$1.63 to drive 25 miles
$977 annual fuel cost
4.5 tons of CO2 annually

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