The 10 Most (and Least) Fuel-Efficient 2009 Cars

2009 Toyota Prius.

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Amid reports that the U.S. car industry is flagging, the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy have released their annual lists of the most and least fuel-efficient cars, SUVs, vans and trucks for model year 2009.

Congress has pledged $25 billion so the industry can improve fuel-efficiency and meet new fuel economy standards. Meanwhile, General Motors and other manufacturers are getting a lot of buzz for their efforts to develop electric and plug-in hybrid models that aren't quite ready for the American road. Not yet.

Check back for more details, but in the meantime, here are the lists:

Most Fuel-Efficient

Mileage is listed as mpg highway/ mpg city

1. Toyota Prius (hybrid) 48/45
   The 2009 hybrid Toyota Prius gets no better mileage than it did in 2008, but it still tops the list.

2. Honda Civic Hybrid 40/45
   And, likewise, the hybrid Honda Civic notches the second spot, with the same fuel economy stats as the 2008 model.

3. Nissan Altima Hybrid 35/33
   No. 3 again, the Nissan Altima for 2009 gets the same mileage as the 2008 model.

4. Ford Escape Hybrid FWD
   Mazda Tribute Hybrid 2WD
   Mercury Mariner Hybrid FWD 34/31
   These three SUVs, tied in the No. 4 slot again, as in 2008, get 1 mpg better in city driving in 2009 than they did in 2008.

5. Smart Fortwo Convertible
   Smart Fortwo Coupe 33/41
   The Smart Fortwo is a newcomer to the list, putting up impressive numbers, particularly in city driving.

6. Toyota Camry Hybrid 33/34
   Pushed down a notch by the Fortwo, the Toyota Camry Hybrid gets the same fuel economy as the 2008 model.

7. Volkswagon Jetta (manual, diesel)
   Volkswagon Jetta Sportwagon (manual, diesel) 30/41
   Displacing the Toyota Yaris, the VW Jetta diesel -- in its various forms -- is a newcomer to the Top 10 list.

8. Volkswagon Jetta (automatic, diesel)
   Volkswagon Jetta Sportwagon (automatic, diesel) 29/40

9. Toyota Yaris (manual) 29/36

10. Toyota Yaris (automatic) 29/35
    Bumped down a couple notches, the Toyota Yaris remains a top choice for buyers looking for a fuel-efficient model.

Least Fuel-Efficient

1. Lamborghini Murcielago (manual)
   Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster (manual) 8/13
2. Lamborghini Murcielago (automatic)
   Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster (automatic) 9/14
3. Bentley Azure
   Bentley Arnage RL 9/15
4. Ferrari 612 Scaglietti (automatic) 9/16
5. Bentley Arnage
   Bentley Brooklands 10/14
6. Ferrari 612 Scaglietti (manual) 10/15
7. Mercedes-Benz Maybach 57
   Mercedes-Benz Maybach 57S
   Mercedes-Benz Maybach 62
   Mercedes-Benz Maybach 62S 10/16
8. Bentley Continental GT
   Bentley Continental GTC
   Bentley Continental Flying Spur 10/17
9. Jeep Grand Cherokee 4WD 11/14
10. Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano
    Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG
    Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG 11/15

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