Compact Car
1st Place: 2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDICombined EPA Fuel Economy: 38 mpg
Powertrain: 1.9 liter, 4 cyl., 6-AT
Appealing to the young, the old, and everyone in between, the Volkswagen Jetta’s upscale looks and versatile interior combine to create a just-right recipe for people looking for a comfortable, economical sedan. But this class-leading version is equipped with a turbodiesel engine, and is not sold in California or New England because it cannot pass emissions standards in those regions. That means you’ve gotta choose the next best sedan if you want to run on regular unleaded: the 2006 Toyota Corolla.
| Runners-Up | Make and Model | Combined MPG | Powertrain |
| 2nd Place | Volkswagen Golf TDI | 37 | 1.9 liter, 4 cyl., 5-AT |
| 3rd Place | Toyota Corolla | 33 | 1.8 liter, 4 cyl., 4-AT |
| 4th Place | Hyundai Accent | 32 | 1.6 liter, 4 cyl., 4-AT |
| Kia Rio | 32 | 1.6 liter, 4 cyl., 4-AT | |
| 5th Place | Nissan Sentra | 30 | 1.8 liter, 4 cyl., 4-AT |