Owning a car that delivers good fuel mileage used to mean sacrificing
style and performance, all in the name of increased MPGs. Things have
changed, and many of today’s best cars offer near economy-car levels of
efficiency along with horsepower levels rivaling many dedicated sports
cars. But cracking two particular figures simultaneously isn’t an easy
feat: an engine power output of 300 horsepower, or more, and a minimum
EPA-estimated highway economy average of 30 miles per gallon.
We’ve delved through the data and found five cars that met the criteria.
Believe us when we tell you, there were definitely some surprises.
Remember when opting for a manual gearbox equaled better fuel economy?
Forget it gramps, most modern automatic transmissions now have the upper
hand in the mileage wars. Some even bigger shockers, four of the six
cars listed are from American automakers, and every single vehicle has
enough room for at least four adults.
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to meet the “300 Horsepower and 30 Miles Per Gallon” club.
2013 Chrysler 300
How is this for a surprise, the broad-shouldered and Detroit-proud Chrysler 300 sedan made the cut. Now don’t get greedy and think we’re talking about the 470-bhp Hemi-powered SRT8 version. The SRT8 is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in less than 5.0 seconds, but its EPA estimated highway average of 25-mpg totally knocks it out of contention here. No, we’re talking about the rear-wheel-drive 300, powered by Chrysler’s new “Pentastar” 3.6-liter V-6 coupled to an 8-speed automatic transmission. That nets you an even 300 bhp and an estimated 31-mpg. All-wheel-drive is optional but, once again, you’ll dip below the magic 30-mpg barrier if you check that box on the options sheet.
2013 BMW 335i Sedan
BMW has been so busy hyping the availability of its new 240-bhp 4-cylinder in the recently updated 3-Series, you might accidentally overlook the silky smooth combination of a 300-bhp turbocharged inline-6 and 8-speed automatic transmission. Some diehards might insist on the 6-speed manual gearbox – this is the “ultimate driving machine,” after all. Yet the 8-speed automatic gets the 335i sedan to 60 mph quicker (5.1 versus 5.4 seconds) and offers better highway mileage (33-mpg against the manual-shifter’s 30-mpg average). On top of the better straight-line performance and mileage is that fact that, hey, this is a 3-Series sedan for crying out loud. That means a solid and composed ride, dynamic handling, and a driver-focused cabin. Just go easy on the options; you can negate those fuel savings by going crazy with BMW’s long list of extra features.
2013 Ford Mustang
There was a time when base muscle cars tried to make up for their lack of power with a seemingly endless choice of tacky options. Anyone remember when whitewall tires, plastic-wood cabin trim, and faux wire wheels were optional on a Mustang? Shake off those bad memories and check out the new base ‘Stang, which comes with a 305-bhp 3.7-liter V-6 and loads of retro-cool styling (minus any whitewalls and wire wheels). For you history buffs out there – or curmudgeons who think cars just aren’t what they used to be – the entry-level 1980 Mustang had a whopping 88-horspower inline-4! Like many of the other cars in this list, the 6-speed automatic delivers better mileage than the manual gearbox.
2013 Chevrolet Camaro
Things get a little tricky with the Camaro. That’s not because there isn’t a lot to love about this Chevy-badged muscle car – it’s arguably one of the meanest looking cars on the road today. The issue is that among the extensive Camaro lineup, there is only one trim level that delivers more than 300 bhp and a 30-mpg EPA-estimated highway figure. That would be the Camaro 2LS, one step above stock, and powered by a 323-bhp 3.6-liter V-6 (the most horsepower in this group btw.) coupled to a 6-speed automatic. Adding the 6-speed manual drops the mileage down to 28-mpg, which still isn’t too shabby. Neither is the V-6 Camaro’s performance, which scoots from 0 to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds.
2013 Hyundai Genesis sedan
Time for a little controversy or, as we like to think of it, an Honorable Mention award. Let’s get this out of the way: the Genesis sedan doesn’t quite crack the 30-mpg highway average. It’s knocking on the door – and peeking through the pet flap – with an EPA highway estimate of 29-mpg. Maybe Hyundai is catching us on a good day, but it seems a shame to completely eliminate this handsome near-luxury sedan from the competition. Powered by a 333-bhp 3.8-liter V-6, the Genesis would be the top (horsepower) dog…if only Hyundai had eked out one additional mpg. As it is, the Genesis is still highly capable and, let’s remember, any EPA mileage figure is only as good as the lead-foot doing the actual driving.
2013 BMW 3 Series Sedan
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to meet the “300 Horsepower and 30 Miles Per Gallon” club.
2013 Chrysler 300
How is this for a surprise, the broad-shouldered and Detroit-proud Chrysler 300 sedan made the cut. Now don’t get greedy and think we’re talking about the 470-bhp Hemi-powered SRT8 version. The SRT8 is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in less than 5.0 seconds, but its EPA estimated highway average of 25-mpg totally knocks it out of contention here. No, we’re talking about the rear-wheel-drive 300, powered by Chrysler’s new “Pentastar” 3.6-liter V-6 coupled to an 8-speed automatic transmission. That nets you an even 300 bhp and an estimated 31-mpg. All-wheel-drive is optional but, once again, you’ll dip below the magic 30-mpg barrier if you check that box on the options sheet.
2013 BMW 3 Series Sedan
BMW has been so busy hyping the availability of its new 240-bhp 4-cylinder in the recently updated 3-Series, you might accidentally overlook the silky smooth combination of a 300-bhp turbocharged inline-6 and 8-speed automatic transmission. Some diehards might insist on the 6-speed manual gearbox – this is the “ultimate driving machine,” after all. Yet the 8-speed automatic gets the 335i sedan to 60 mph quicker (5.1 versus 5.4 seconds) and offers better highway mileage (33-mpg against the manual-shifter’s 30-mpg average). On top of the better straight-line performance and mileage is that fact that, hey, this is a 3-Series sedan for crying out loud. That means a solid and composed ride, dynamic handling, and a driver-focused cabin. Just go easy on the options; you can negate those fuel savings by going crazy with BMW’s long list of extra features.
2013 Ford Mustang
There was a time when base muscle cars tried to make up for their lack of power with a seemingly endless choice of tacky options. Anyone remember when whitewall tires, plastic-wood cabin trim, and faux wire wheels were optional on a Mustang? Shake off those bad memories and check out the new base ‘Stang, which comes with a 305-bhp 3.7-liter V-6 and loads of retro-cool styling (minus any whitewalls and wire wheels). For you history buffs out there – or curmudgeons who think cars just aren’t what they used to be – the entry-level 1980 Mustang had a whopping 88-horspower inline-4! Like many of the other cars in this list, the 6-speed automatic delivers better mileage than the manual gearbox.
2013 Chevrolet Camaro
Things get a little tricky with the Camaro. That’s not because there isn’t a lot to love about this Chevy-badged muscle car – it’s arguably one of the meanest looking cars on the road today. The issue is that among the extensive Camaro lineup, there is only one trim level that delivers more than 300 bhp and a 30-mpg EPA-estimated highway figure. That would be the Camaro 2LS, one step above stock, and powered by a 323-bhp 3.6-liter V-6 (the most horsepower in this group btw.) coupled to a 6-speed automatic. Adding the 6-speed manual drops the mileage down to 28-mpg, which still isn’t too shabby. Neither is the V-6 Camaro’s performance, which scoots from 0 to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds.
2013 Hyundai Genesis sedan
Time for a little controversy or, as we like to think of it, an Honorable Mention award. Let’s get this out of the way: the Genesis sedan doesn’t quite crack the 30-mpg highway average. It’s knocking on the door – and peeking through the pet flap – with an EPA highway estimate of 29-mpg. Maybe Hyundai is catching us on a good day, but it seems a shame to completely eliminate this handsome near-luxury sedan from the competition. Powered by a 333-bhp 3.8-liter V-6, the Genesis would be the top (horsepower) dog…if only Hyundai had eked out one additional mpg. As it is, the Genesis is still highly capable and, let’s remember, any EPA mileage figure is only as good as the lead-foot doing the actual driving.
