Skyhobo/Getty Images The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released its 2025 Automotive Trends Report, in which Honda took the top spot as the nation’s most fuel-efficient automaker (not including all-electric brands like Tesla), with a fleet average economy of 31 mpg. Next come Hyundai and Kia, with fleet averages of 29.8 and 29.2 mpg, respectively, before we find Toyota, tied for fourth place with BMW and Nissan at 29. Ford, GM, and Stellantis are at the bottom of the barrel (in that order, at 23.4, 22.9, and 22.8 mpg), which isn’t surprising given the vast majority of vehicles they sell are gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs that undermine their EV gains.
What may surprise you in the EPA report is the recent leap in fuel economy averages posted by 13 of the 14 largest automakers (the odd one being Tesla) that sell their cars in the U.S. Although Honda saw its five-year fleet average jump from 28.9 to 31, the leader here was Toyota, with a 3.3 mpg gain between Model Year 2019 and 2024, followed by BMW, with a 2.8 mpg gain across its U.S. lineup, and a respectable 2.4 mpg across all Mercedes.
The EPA credits the improvement to manufacturers adding electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids to their lineups. However, after removing the impact of these electrified and hybridized vehicles, the only automakers that haven’t taken a massive hit to their fleet averages were Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. Without EVs and PHEVs, the average economy figures across their lineups are 30.1, 28.4, and 28.5 mpg, respectively.
Toyota is improving its EPA game for Model Year 2025; Honda isn’t
Scott Olson/Getty Images The preliminary results for Model Year ’25 were also made available by the EPA. It looks as though BMW, Toyota, and Hyundai all have Honda beat, with fleet averages of 31.1, 30.5, and 30.4 mpg, respectively. The EPA says Honda’s real-world fuel economy average has dipped to 29.6 mpg. Ford and GM have improved their mileage figures to slightly above 24 mpg. Stellantis, however, is still at the bottom, at that same 22.8 mpg.
Honda has been at the top five times since the inception of this exercise, and its Civic has consistently ranked among the most fuel-efficient gas-only cars in the U.S. From 2015 to 2024, though, it was the now-discontinued Mitsubishi Mirage that took the crown nine years out of 10. As for EVs, the EPA rates Lucid cars very highly, and a Lucid beat the Teslas as the most efficient EV sold in America. Per the EPA, Tesla’s five-year fleet average drop is largely attributed to the significant increase in Model Y and Model X SUV sales. Even then, Tesla boasts an impressive fleet average of 117.1 mpg for Model Year ’24. So technically, it’s the most energy-efficient carmaker in the United States.
These are all estimated real-world data, according to the EPA, calculated after a mix of 43% city and 57% highway driving. Realistically speaking, think of them as optimistic estimates rather than absolute guarantees. That being said, the EPA says its methodology in calculating these estimates has been adapted over time to match changes in technology and driving habits.
