The Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) is the Blue-Oval’s winner when it comes to fuel efficiency—but several other Fords are hot on its heels.
From tough trucks to powerful ponies, Ford has created some of the auto world's most recognizable icons. Luckily, even as car-buyers shift their focus from pure performance to fuel-efficiency, Ford fans still have several models to choose from under the Blue Oval.
Whether you’re curious about the best Ford gas mileage, or you’d prefer a non-hybrid fuel-sipper, Jerry
, the comparison app created to help you save money on car insurance
, has created this guide for you. Plus, once you choose the fuel-efficient Ford that fits your fancy, we’ll show you how to find the lowest Ford insurance costs
. Which Fords have the best gas mileage?
If you really want to get technical, the two Fords with the best gas mileage are the Ford F-150 Lightning
and the Ford Mustang Mach-E
—being fully electric, they require no gas at all. But rather than split hairs, we’ll give you what you’re really looking for: the top three Fords with the best gas mileage: 2022 Ford Escape: up to 41 mpg combined or 105 MPGe
2022 Ford Maverick: up to 37 mpg combined
2022 Ford Explorer: up to 27 mpg combined
These three fuel-efficient Fords give you a pretty nice range when it comes to vehicle type, but let’s break things down a bit further, shall we?
The most fuel-efficient Ford cars
Again, if you’re truly looking for flat-out fuel efficiency, you can’t get more fuel-efficient than the all-electric F-150 Lightning or Mustang Mach-E. But when it comes to actual gas-powered fuel efficiency, your winner is the Ford Escape PHEV.
Under the hood, you’ll find a naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder paired with an electric motor good for a combined output of 221 horses. The EPA estimates these ponies only need 40 mpg combined to run, but in hybrid mode, you get up to 105 MPGe.
For those really looking to pinch pennies, the Escape PHEV also adds up to 37 miles of all-electric driving range. Considering the average American only drives about 35 miles a day, that means a lot of us could go gas-less most of the time. Plus, with a starting MSRP of $36,930, the Escape PHEV is surprisingly affordable when compared to other SUVs in its segment.
Taking second place is the same model, but with a different powertrain—the Ford Escape hybrid. All carry the same 2.5-liter four as the PHEV—capable of up to 41 mpg combined on front-wheel drive models and 40 mpg on all-wheel drives—but without the battery pack. The Escape hybrid may not have the all-electric range of the PHEV, but it does offer a lower starting MSRP of just $31,660.
Finally, we come to the all-new for 2022 Ford Maverick. The base powertrain in this model is a hybrid 2.5-liter four-cylinder assisted by an electric motor for a combined 191 horsepower. This combo is capable of 37 mpg combined, plus, with an impressive payload capacity, standard front-wheel drive, and a $22,470 starting MSRP, you don’t have to sacrifice utility for fuel efficiency.
The Ford Escape PHEV may have the Blue Oval’s highest gas-mileage, but how does it compare to the competition? When it comes to hands-down fuel efficiency, you can’t beat the Toyota Prius Prime’s
133 MPGe and 54 mpg combined. But what about comparable body styles? In the compact SUV segment, the Kia Niro
PHEV ties with the Escape on MPGe, but beats it by 5 mpg on gas-powered performance. But when it comes to pickups, the new Maverick is the truck with the best gas mileage for 2022. Most fuel-efficient Ford SUVs
Given that Ford has all but halted vehicle production for anything but SUVs and trucks for the U.S. market, asking what the Blue Oval’s most fuel-efficient SUVs are is essentially the same as asking what its most fuel efficient vehicles are. We’ve already covered the number one and two spots on this list with the Escape PHEV and hybrid. But, now let’s look a little further down the lineup to see what other Ford SUVs offer competitive gas mileage.
Given the availability of the bite-sized Ford EcoSport
, it’s a bit surprising that the award for most fuel-efficient non-hybrid Ford SUV still goes to the Ford Escape. Where the EcoSport averages a combined 25 mpg, the non-hybrid Escape averages up to 30 mpg combined. Still looking for more options? Heading back to hybrid territory, we have the Ford Explorer
hybrid coming in with 27 combined mpg. This is a great option for those looking for both passenger space and fuel efficiency, but its starting MSRP of over $50,000 may be prohibitive to a lot of buyers. Rounding out Ford’s SUV segment are the already-mentioned EcoSport and the Ford Bronco Sport
. Like the Maverick, the Bronco Sport burst onto the field to instant success both in terms of fuel-efficiency and popularity. The EcoSport is cheaper, starting at $23,335, but the base, three-cylinder Bronco Sport, starting at $30,410, is the clear winner with 26 mpg combined and stellar customer-satisfaction and safety ratings. We already mentioned the Kia Niro as one of Ford’s biggest competitors when it comes to SUV fuel-efficiency, but let’s take a closer look at this little beast. Like the Escape, the Niro is available in hybrid and PHEV configurations, but unlike Ford’s non-hybrid, gas-powered option, Kia makes its non-hybrid Niro all-electric. Plus, the Niro pummels the Escape in terms of price with the base hybrid starting at just $24,690, while the PHEV starts at $30,885, and leveling up to the Niro EV brings the bottom line up to $40,385.
2022 Kia Niro Hybrid: 51/46/49 mpg (city/hwy/combined)
2022 Kia Niro PHEV: 46 mpg (combined city/hwy), 105 MPGe (combined city/hwy)
2022 Kia Niro Electric: 123/102/112 MPGe (city/hwy/combined)
MORE:Should you buy a Ford crossover?
Most fuel-efficient non-hybrid Fords
Not everyone is ready to join the electrified, or even the hybrid trend. This is just one reason Ford offers a non-hybrid version of every vehicle model they manufacture in the U.S.—except the Mustang Mach-E
. One could argue that the standard Mustang is the non-hybrid variant there, but—just no. The Mustang is, always has been, and always will be its own beast. The non-hybrid Escape and the base three-cylinder Ford Bronco Sport are the brand’s two most fuel-efficient non-hybrid models with up to 30 and 26 mpg ratings respectively. Even opting for the most powerful engine only drops the Escape to 26 mpg and the Bronco Sport to 23 mpg.
But what if you’re just not in the market for a ute? If you’re looking for a car from Ford, your only option in the U.S. is the classic Ford Mustang
. While it’s tough to be mad at that, asking for fuel-efficiency in one of America’s most iconic sports cars is asking a bit much. The smallest ‘Stang in the stable still sports a powerful 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost engine that gets 25 mpg combined thanks to the 310 thirsty horses under the hood. Respectable when it comes to fuel economy, but not impressive. But if you really just want a car, and you’re sold on Ford, this is both your most fuel-efficient and your most affordable choice, starting at $29,165.
And this is where Ford truly lags behind the competition. They may be slaying with their all-electric offerings, but you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who’s happy about the automaker axing all their sedans. Especially when recent fuel-price hikes and rising eco-consciousness are causing many buyers to look for not only fuel-efficient but also smaller vehicle options. With no literally no competition from Ford when it comes to hybrid cars, those looking to “buy American,” have to head to brands under the GM or Stellantis umbrella.
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Start earning nowFord fuel economy by model
Check out the table below to compare fuel economy for some of Ford’s most popular models.
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2022 Ford Escape Titanium | | | | |
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2022 Ford Explorer Platinum Hybrid | | | | |
2022 Ford Explorer Base/XLT/ST-Line/Limited (2.3L) RWD | | | | |
2022 Ford Explorer ST/King Ranch/Platinum (3.0L) RWD | | | | |
2022 Ford Explorer Timberline | | | | |
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2022 Ford Bronco Black Diamond | | | | |
2022 Ford Bronco Badlands and Sasquatch | | | | |
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2022 Ford Expedition Platinum/Timberline | | | | |
Ford F-150
Ford’s and America’s most popular truck, the Ford F-150
, deserves its own table for examining fuel-efficiency since each of the model’s six primary trims is available with the buyer’s choice of five different powertrains, each with their own unique figures for fuel economy. The F-150 Raptor
also offers its own uniquely-tuned engine. To simplify things, we’ll look at the six powertains and their mpg ranges based on four-wheel drive vs two-wheel drive, rather than by model:
| 2WD city / hwy / comb mpg | 4WD city / hwy / comb mpg |
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Turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 | | |
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Turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 | | |
Raptor-specific turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 | | |
3.5-liter V6 PowerBoost hybrid | | |
How to save on Ford insurance costs
These days, it seems like everything is costing more than usual. That’s why so many of us are on the lookout for daily drivers that can save us money on fuel. But why stop there, when you can save money on another of car-ownership’s biggest expenses—car insurance.
Even if you follow expert advice and shop for new car insurance every six months
, you could still find yourself overpaying all too easily. That’s why you should shop with Jerry
—not only will you get the best price available now, but we’ll also reshop your policy every time it comes up for renewal to ensure you always have the lowest Ford insurance costs
. Better yet, Jerry is a licensed insurance broker
, which means we’ll help you set up your new policy and give you a hand canceling your old one—all without ever leaving Jerry’s free app. All this and potential savings of over $800 a year on insurance premiums are just a few of the reasons we’re the top-rated insurance comparison app on the App Store. FAQs