Volkswagen doesn’t offer any hybrids and hasn’t since 2017. So unless you plan on going fully electric, the VW with the best gas mileage is the Jetta with 35 combined mpg.
Volkswagen’s hyperfocus on electric vehicles is undoubtedly respectable, but it does leave its traditional internal combustion models at a competitive disadvantage against automakers who offer highly-efficient hybrid vehicles.
All we can do is quote the famous line from the movie, Dodgeball: “bold strategy…we’ll see how it plays out for them!” But while we wait, let’s take a look at the most fuel-efficient Volkswagen models and how close they trail automobile makers still in the hybrid game.
And don’t worry, even if you purchase a Volkswagen and miss out on some fuel savings, the Jerry app
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The Volkswagen models with the best gas mileage are the Jetta (economical sedan) with 35 combined mpg and the Taos (compact SUV) with 31 combined mpg. Let’s take a complete look at the VW lineup and compare these models' efficiency ratings to some popular competitors.
The most fuel-efficient VW cars
These days, Volkswagen’s traditional sedan lineup is quite short. Their prioritization of crossover SUVs and electric vehicles has left us with only two options to analyze.
The first is the iconic Volkswagen Jetta
, which can achieve 35 combined mpg (31/41 mpg for city/highway driving). Although, you will need to drop all these specifications by five mpg if you choose the turbocharged GLI model. The only other option you have is the Volkswagen Arteon
, which is the larger alternative to the Jetta. This size increase brings its fuel efficiency down to 28 combined mpg (25/33 mpg for city/highway driving). These fuel efficiency ratings are respectable among other internal combustion cars with four-cylinder engines. But Volkswagen's decision not to offer a hybrid engine leaves their sedans at a considerable disadvantage.
In fact, TrueCar
mentions 16 competitors before getting to the Jetta in their 2023 list for Cars with Best Gas Mileage. Honorable mentions that precede the Jetta on the list include the Hyundai Ioniq
, Toyota Prius
, and Honda Insight
, which are all capable of achieving over 50 combined mpg with their hybrid powertrains. So when we say these are the Volkswagens with the “best” gas mileage, they’re certainly not the best across all car brands.
Most fuel-efficient VW SUVs
Volkswagen certainly offers more variety when it comes to its SUVs. But still, without hybrid options, there’s still not much to get excited about when it comes to gas mileage.
Nevertheless, the most fuel-efficient SUV in the VW lineup is the Volkswagen Taos
with 31 combined mpg (28/36 mpg for city/highway driving). Again, this is pretty decent for an internal combustion engine, but it doesn’t touch what hybrid competitors are capable of—so we are going to give you two options: 1.) If you’re still interested in a VW SUV, you can jump ahead to the Volkswagen fuel economy by model
section to see how the Golf, Tiguan, and Atlas perform. Don’t get us wrong, they are all still great vehicles! Just not the most efficient. 2.) But if you prioritize gas mileage over everything, we recommend looking into models like the Nia Niro
and Toyota RAV4
. These hybrid SUVs can achieve more than 40 combined mpg and even offer a PHEV (plug-in hybrid) option. Most fuel-efficient non-hybrid Volkswagens
If you’ve been following along, you’ll know that all Volkswagens vehicles are non-hybrid. VW decided to commit all their new research and development towards becoming fully electric by 2033 or 2035.
The brand will still be releasing new models of traditional internal combustion vehicles during the transition, but it’s decided to ditch the middleman (hybrids) altogether in hopes of getting to this goal on time or sooner. So while we are on the topic, let’s check on their progress!
The Volkswagen ID.4
is the only EV that VW offers so far, but it seems they have already hit a home run! In 2021, the ID.4 was named World Car of the Year and achieved almost 17,000 units sold in the United States. These accolades are mainly thanks to its 275 miles of all-electric range, rapid charging times (89 miles in 10 minutes), and its modernly modest looks (which is refreshing in the EV sector that usually gets a little too eccentric with their designs). Volkswagen's next release seems to be an all-new electric generation of the classic VW van! It will be known as the ID.Buzz—expect more details in 2023.
Volkswagen fuel economy by model
Check out the table below to compare fuel economy for Volkswagen’s entire lineup. These efficiency metrics reflect base trims with automatic transmissions and without VW’s 4motion all-wheel-drive. Any variation could cause slight deviations in fuel economy—just so you know!
(Bonus: click the links for tips on reducing insurance costs for each model!)
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How to save on Volkswagen insurance costs
Still have your heart set on Volkswagen? Well, you may have to stop at the gas station a little more often, but that doesn’t mean you can’t save money in other ways.
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