The 5 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars Under $15,000 in 2018
The 5 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars of 2018 Under $15,000 in Canada. With gas prices rising, these affordable fuel-efficient cars are in demand.
If you’re in the market for a new car, factoring gas consumption is a large part of the decision-making process (especially if you commute a lot). Purchasing a fuel-efficient car is not only a budget-friendly decision, it’s also environmentally-friendly and is better for overall road safety.
With gas prices continuing to rise in Canada, prospective buyers can thankfully turn to multiple resources to determine which vehicle will best suit their personality, their needs and their budget. We’ve compiled a list of best-in-class cars under $15,000 to help you along your buying journey.
A note on efficiency calculation & usage
National Resources Canada (NRCan) releases a fuel efficiency guide every year. Vehicle manufacturers are required by law to list specific information pertaining to fuel efficiency and usage on a label called the EnerGuide label. You’ve probably seen them on the backs of your small and large household appliances before, but your car has to have one, too.
It’s important to note that these guides are based on standardized testing models, so actual fuel consumption can vary depending on how you drive and where you drive. That said, you can still get a general and well-informed idea before you buy. If you’d like to use NRCan’s own fuel consumption research tool, you can click here.
What does the standardized test to determine fuel consumption consist of?
The tests include five separate driving runs. There’s a standard two cycle highway and city test. Following that, there are three other tests that take into consideration high speed driving, harder braking, cold temperatures and A/C usage. Having five different tests within five different environments produces better data that is relevant to different consumer markets. Some buyers care way more about highway mileage because their commute is mostly highway. Others may care more about cold weather conditions. In the end, the tests simply offer more information that can provide a more educated purchasing experience.
The Most Fuel Efficient Cars Under $15,000
Here’s our top 5 list below. We cross referenced data from the NRCan website (what they list to be the most fuel-efficient cars) and price-matched new cars that fit the fuel economy as closely as possible. We stress that these prices are an average as prices on a single model can vary wildly depending on added features and can vary even further, depending on where you are in the country, especially when dealing with used vehicles. The prices listed below are usually for a base model.
If you’re interested to know what cars are considered most fuel efficient, regardless of price, you can check out NRCan’s comprehensive list here. Note that their chart does not include prices - just general make and model details.
Chevrolet Spark - Starting price: $10,095
(Image courtesy of Chevrolet)
There are four models of the Spark. Fuel consumption ratings for the 2018 Spark are 6.0 litres/100km for highway on the manual and just 6.2 litres/100km for highway on the automatic! This is a compact car that is nimble but lacks power and cargo space. The base model comes with air conditioning.
Mitsubishi Mirage 4 ES 5MT - Starting price: $12,448
(Image courtesy of Mitsubishi)
With an impressive 6.4km/100 city and 5.5km/100 highway, this vehicle offers both manual and automatic options and a decent 5 year / 100km warranty. The second model up from this one, the ES CVT also starts under $15,000 (just short of $14k).
Hyundai Accent - Starting price: $14,599
(Image courtesy of Hyundai)
The Accent boasts best-in-class cargo space on its base model and 8.2L/6.3L per 100km city and highway respectively. You can choose between a 4 or 5 door, too.
Nissan Versa S - Starting price: $14,698
(Image courtesy of Nissan)
The Versa S has great fuel economy, boasting 6.6L/100km for highway driving and 8.6L for city for the manual model and 6.2L and 7.6L city/highway for the automatic. The car is small but it has 60/40 fold down rear seats, making the small cargo space functional.
Kia Rio 5 - Starting price: $14,995
(Image courtesy of Kia)
There are multiple models of the 2018 Kia Rio, and while there are both manual and automatic options, the manual is only available on the base model with the LX trim. The 1.6-litre I-4 with 130 hp and 119 lb-ft of torque is the only engine available in the 2018 Rio and it can be paired to either a standard six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. The manual, however, is only available on the base LX trim. Fuel economy ratings 8.7L/100km and 6.3L/100km city and highway, respectively.
If you're interested in buying a fuel-efficient car, why not get pre-approved to see what kind of financing you're eligible for? It only takes three minutes—visit Canada Drives to get started.
