Best-of list
Best Used Cars for Commuting
Ranked by EPA combined MPG across 829 model-years of federal data.
Safety and fuel-economy results are ranked from NHTSA and EPA federal data. Owner-complaint lists (raw volume, not exposure-adjusted) remain unpublished until exposure and time-at-risk normalization are available.
- 1
2021 Tesla Model 3
SedanComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
651
Crash
MPG
134
Watch for: forward collision avoidance complaints
- 2
2023 Tesla Model 3
SedanComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
412
Crash
MPG
131
Watch for: steering complaints
- 3
2022 Tesla Model 3
SedanComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
749
Crash
MPG
131
Watch for: forward collision avoidance complaints
- 4
2024 Tesla Model 3
SedanComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
201
Crash
Not rated
MPG
130
Watch for: unknown or other complaints
- 5
2025 Tesla Model 3
SedanComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
110
Crash
Not rated
MPG
129.5
Watch for: unknown or other complaints
- 6
2019 Tesla Model 3
SedanComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
593
Crash
MPG
126.5
Watch for: forward collision avoidance complaints
- 7
2017 Tesla Model 3
SedanComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
26
Crash
Not rated
MPG
126
Watch for: air bags complaints
- 8
2021 Tesla Model Y
SUVComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
1,036
Crash
Not rated
MPG
125
Watch for: forward collision avoidance complaints
- 9
2025 Tesla Model S
SedanComplaint record
Too few reports to rank
Complaints
6
Crash
Not rated
MPG
124
- 10
2022 Tesla Model Y
SUVComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
827
Crash
Not rated
MPG
122.5
Watch for: forward collision avoidance complaints
- 11
2020 Tesla Model 3
SedanComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
435
Crash
MPG
122
Watch for: forward collision avoidance complaints
- 12
2024 Tesla Model S
SedanComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
38
Crash
Not rated
MPG
122
Watch for: unknown or other complaints
- 13
2023 Tesla Model Y
SUVComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
1,096
Crash
Not rated
MPG
122
Watch for: forward collision avoidance complaints
- 14
2025 Hyundai Ioniq
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
33
Crash
Not rated
MPG
121
Watch for: electrical system complaints
- 15
2024 Hyundai Ioniq
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
37
Crash
Not rated
MPG
121
Watch for: electrical system complaints
- 16
2023 Hyundai Ioniq
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
56
Crash
Not rated
MPG
121
Watch for: electrical system complaints
- 17
2020 Tesla Model Y
SUVComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
271
Crash
MPG
121
Watch for: forward collision avoidance complaints
- 18
2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
57
Crash
Not rated
MPG
120
Watch for: steering complaints
- 19
2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
59
Crash
Not rated
MPG
120
Watch for: electrical system complaints
- 20
2023 Tesla Model S
SedanComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
108
Crash
Not rated
MPG
120
Watch for: unknown or other complaints
- 21
2022 Tesla Model S
SedanComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
136
Crash
Not rated
MPG
120
Watch for: unknown or other complaints
- 22
2018 Tesla Model 3
SedanComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
984
Crash
MPG
119.5
Watch for: electrical system complaints
- 23
2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
175
Crash
Not rated
MPG
119
Watch for: electrical system complaints
- 24
2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV
HatchbackComplaint record
Raw count · not exposure-adjusted
Complaints
73
Crash
MPG
119
Watch for: steering complaints
Related searches
Common questions
What is the most fuel-efficient used car?
By our reading of the federal data, the 2021 Tesla Model 3 tops this list. Open its verdict page for the full complaint, recall and crash record before you buy.
How is this ranking put together?
We rank the 24 matching model years by EPA combined fuel economy, using public NHTSA and EPA data. Owner-complaint lists (raw volume, not exposure-adjusted) remain unpublished until exposure and time-at-risk normalization are available.
This list is generated from NHTSA complaint, recall and crash-test data and EPA fuel-economy data; it is not sales-adjusted and updates on scheduled source refreshes.