If you're shopping for a Honda, it can be hard to tell from the outside whether a vehicle has good fuel economy. While different Honda vehicles are known for special features like great gas mileage, they aren't all highly-rated in this category.
We've put together a great guide to help you find the right Honda vehicle for your needs. All mpg estimates are given in city/highway mixed ratings, and you can find fuel economy for nearly the entire Honda lineup below.
Keep reading to find everything you need to know about fuel efficiency as you shop for your next vehicle.
A Big Honda Vehicle
The Honda Ridgeline is the brand's first truck, a vehicle that's been manufactured since 2006. There was a brief break in production for about a year in 2015, and then the model changed.
Since the 2017 model came out in the summer of 2016, its design has changed to resemble the components in the Honda Pilot. The light truck frame remains the same, even with its few upgrades for the 2021 model year.
With newer changes, the Ridgeline can do more hauling and off-roading. It has an independent suspension, though, which makes it ride smoother like a car does.
This vehicle's average miles per gallon is about 20, depending on how much you're hauling. It's probably the least fuel-efficient Honda vehicle on the market. Perhaps Honda will consider adding a hybrid version of the Ridgeline, especially with their new CEO's outlook on electric vehicles.
Comparing Gas Mileage: SUVs
Honda makes several SUVs, from the tried-and-true Honda CR-V (manufactured since 1995) and the newest HR-V concept, created in 2015. Let's take a look at how those different SUVs stack up against each other as far as fuel consumption.
The Honda CR-V, currently on its fifth-generation design, is affordable and comes with great features like cabin cubby storage and versatility. It also comes in a hybrid model, although you trade some cargo space for the battery. The traditional CR-V earns about 32 mpg, while the hybrid gets better fuel economy at 38 mpg.
The Honda HR-V was manufactured early like the CR-V, but there was a break from 2006-2013. It's now on its third generation and costs less than the CR-V does because it's a smaller crossover vehicle. The interior design looks more like a sedan, similar to the Civic or the Accord.
The fuel economy isn't as impressive at 30 mpg average, performing worse if you use all-wheel drive versus front-wheel drive. Honda did unveil a hybrid version coming soon to the U.S., which will help improve the performance.
In the mid-size SUV realm, the Honda Passport conquers the market. It has two rows and lots of space, something Honda concentrated on when they brought the model back in 2018. Before that, the vehicle hadn't been manufactured since 2002.
This third-generation SUV has towing power and a comfortable ride, even managing agile handling along the way. It gets about 25 mpg on average, although that depends whether you have the front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive model.
The Honda Pilot is yet another Honda SUV, on the market since 2003. This family vehicle is a standard in the Honda world, and it gets decent fuel economy for a vehicle of its size. At 27 mpg average, the largest of the Honda SUVs exceeds fuel economy expectations.
Buying a Honda Van
When you need a minivan instead of an SUV, you expect to have poor gas mileage. Yet Honda's minivan, the Odyssey, a Honda staple since the mid-90s, actually gets about 30 mpg, which is better than the company's larger SUVs.
The family vehicle also has some benefits, like roomy seats and convertible cabin features to make hauling both kids and cargo easier. It also gets great crash-test ratings and got a bit of a style upgrade in its latest models.
Sedans and Hatchbacks
Perhaps the best-known Honda vehicles are its sedans, especially noted for their fuel economy. The Honda Civic gets 35 mpg and up to 50% more in a hybrid model. Although it's no longer available in a coupe, the sedan and hatchback live on and even got a bit of a design upgrade for the latest vehicles.
The Honda Accord is larger than the compact Civic, but it keeps a decent fuel economy at an average 31 mpg. Its hybrid model gets up to 48 mpg, and the vehicle is available in a sedan and coupe. They got rid of the manual transmission for the latest model year, though.
The vehicle has enough cabin room for road trips, even with adults in the back seat. If your family is growing, you can hang on to your Accord a few more years before you have to upgrade to a van or SUV.
One of Honda's smallest models is the subcompact Honda Fit, although it's adaptable inside. Its seats fold several ways, allowing for more cargo or passenger space than the outside indicates. The vehicle has been on the market since 2001, undergoing few design changes despite being on its fourth generation.
The fuel economy ratings vary based on manual and automatic transmissions, although the average is about 36 mpg combined.
The Honda Insight has been intermittently on the market since 2000. Early models were marketed as a hatchback hybrid vehicle, then production took a break from 2006 to 2009. The second generation had a backseat, allowing for more passengers, although it still had a hatchback style (production on this vehicle stopped in 2013).
Honda revived the Insight yet again, starting in 2018. It's now a sedan, another compact car about the same size as a Civic.
The Insight is still a hybrid, and it has decent acceleration despite its excellent fuel economy. It gets around 50 mpg on average, depending on whether you're driving the lightweight LX or the larger, heavier Touring model.
The Best Lineup
No matter which Honda vehicle catches your eye in the descriptions above, one thing is for sure. The company prides itself on making a vehicle for every occasion. You can find fuel economy in any style of vehicle for sporty or family purposes and everything in between.
Shop now to see all our vehicle specials and get the best Honda for your needs.