Top 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Hatchbacks and Wagons of 2010

Versatile and often quite affordably priced, the trusty hatchback is frequently the car of choice for shoppers on a budget. Typically, these compact haulers also offer great fuel economy, making them smart picks all around for those who place a premium on frugality.

These 10 hatchbacks and wagons are the most fuel-efficient choices currently on the market. Our rankings were based on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) miles-per-gallon ratings for city and highway travel. Specifically, we tapped the EPA's combined fuel economy formula: 55 percent of city mpg rating plus 45 percent of highway mpg rating. Each pick's fuel-efficiency rating is expressed in mpg as a city/highway ratio.

You'll notice that the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight also appeared on our "Top 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Sedans" list. With each offering both four doors and a hatchback, these cars go both ways — meaning they're typically shopped against both sedans and hatchbacks. As a result, they were included for consideration on both lists.

1. 

   1. 2010 Toyota Prius

51 city/48 highway and 50 combined

40 city/43 highway and 41 combined

33 city/41 highway and 36 combined

30 city/42 highway and 34 combined (tie)

30 city/ 42 highway and 34 combined (tie)

30 city/42 highway and 34 combined (tie)

28 city/37 highway and 32 combined (tie)

29 city/36 highway and 32 combined (tie)

27 city/36 highway and 31 combined (tie)

28 city/36 highway and 31 combined (tie)