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Owning a fuel efficient vehicle has become of greater importance in today's world, where gas has become a documented expense, as opposed to a spur of the moment purchase. Instead of being one of the minor factors considered when buying a car, fuel economy is now one of the top aspects looked at. Currently, highly fuel efficient vehicles are more expensive than their lesser counterparts, so it may take years to see a net profit from the savings on fuel.

Some people are willing to pay the extra money because they are conscious of the environment and want to consume less fuel, as it is beneficial to the planet, and others are negatively affected psychologically by seeing such high numbers at the pump. One who is environmentally and fuel conscious has a multitude of vehicle options to choose from, as there is no shortage of efficient cars in our society.

Kia offers several fuel efficient vehicles that are not lacking in other features. The 2008 Kia Rio is safe, sporty, and comes standard at $11,540. There is plenty of room, a powerful engine, and a reputable Powertrain Warranty. Best of all, the highway fuel economy is rated at 35mpg. The base model can be upgraded to LX and SX for only a few thousand dollars more, although upgrades do not effect fuel economy.

Mazda is not known for focusing on fuel economy, although a few of their vehicles are prominent in this respect. The Mazda3 4-Door has 148HP, multi-port electronic fuel injection, and a heap of sophisticated external features. Manual transmission yields higher fuel efficiency than automatic, with 32 highway miles per gallon compared to 30, respectively. Interesting, the higher priced Mazda vehicles have much lower efficiency than the cheaper ones. For example, as the Mazda3 is continually upgraded (there are five unique models of it), the economy gets proportionally lower.

Like Mazda, Mitsubishi is more popular for its innovative designs and impressive features than efficiency. Despite this, many of Mitsubishi's newer models take in to account the general population's desire for efficient vehicles. The 2009 Lancer is a perfect case of this. Its aerodynamic design makes it move easier, and it has many features that are more likely to be found on a jet than a car.

In fact, it has many futuristic characteristics that make it a pleasure to own. A keyless entry system enables drivers to open doors and start the ignition without actually needing to insert a key, and advanced navigation and Bluetooth technology complement the other attributes seamlessly. With all this, the Lancer still manages to get 30 highway miles per gallon, and a respectable 22 in city.

The company that is most notably leading the way in fuel efficiency is Chevy. Fuel solutions are one of their top priorities, next to safety, and they are pioneering the way towards a gas-free future. The Concept Chevy Volt, which has not entered the market yet, is one of the most promising electric vehicles ever designed. Chevrolet has dedicated extensive resources to perfecting the vehicle, and it is expected to have a driving range of 640 miles before needing to be recharged.

In addition to electricity, Chevrolet sees biofuels as an ideal alternative to petroleum, specifically E85 ethanol, which is made mostly from corn. Several vehicles even have the ability to run solely on ethanol, and if that fuel is not available, regular gasoline can be used as an alternative.