The Top 10 Ford Models Ranked by Fuel Efficiency

There are many different features that different drivers look for in a vehicle: for some, it’s all about horsepower and acceleration; for others, it’s a matter of practicality and functionality. For many of us, even if it’s not at the top of the list of what we’re looking for, fuel efficiency is still quite important and something that, as a car dealership, people ask us about all the time. With that in mind, we thought it would be interesting to look at different models in the Ford lineup to see how they compare and what comes out on top as king of fuel economy. To keep things fair, we’ll only look at 2023 models, so they’re all from the same year, and we’re leaving out battery electric models and plug-in hybrids that would skew things—though we’ll mention some standard hybrid models. Now, let’s see what the Ford lineup has to offer.

#1 – The Ford Maverick

At first glance, it might seem strange that a truck is on top of this list, but this impressive pickup has a couple of notable things going for it. To start with, this is a compact truck, so it’s quite a bit smaller than something like the Ford F-150 or even the Ranger. Second, perhaps most importantly, the Maverick has a standard hybrid engine that gets an estimated 40 MPG in the city, 33 MPG on the highway, and 37 MPG of combined fuel efficiency. The available turbocharged engine that boosts the Maverick’s performance cuts down on its efficiency, but for the standard trims, the Maverick can’t be beat.

#2 – The Ford Escape

Coming mighty close, however, is the Ford Escape, a compact crossover SUV that matches the Maverick in small size and provides fantastic fuel economy. With its standard gas engine, the Escape gets an estimated 27 MPG in the city, 34 MPG on the highway, and 30 MPG of combined fuel economy. If you go with the available hybrid engine for the Escape, the same one that’s standard in the Maverick, then you get an estimated 42 MPG in the city, 36 MPG on the highway, and 39 MPG of combined fuel efficiency; this comes out on top in the Ford lineup, but it’s available rather than standard like the Maverick, so we gave it the second spot.

#3 – The Ford Bronco Sport

Designed with a focus on adventure and leaving civilization behind, you might not expect the Bronco Sport to be highly efficient, but it earns its place in the top three thanks to its gorgeous design and impressive overall performance. If you’re not interested in a hybrid engine, the Bronco Sport is one of your best choices, with an estimated 25 MPG in the city, 28 MPG on the highway, and 26 MPG of combined fuel economy with its standard engine. The fact that it posts these numbers with standard four-wheel drive is particularly impressive and is just one more reason the Bronco Sport has become so popular since its release.

#4 – The Ford Mustang

No one expects a pony car like the Mustang to be a top contender for fuel efficiency, but it actually offers very respectable performance in this regard. Admittedly, if you choose one of the most powerful V8 engines, you’re putting power and speed over gas mileage, but the standard engine does quite well. With its standard 2.3L EcoBoost engine, the Mustang gets an estimated 22 MPG in the city, 32 MPG on the highway, and 25 MPG of combined fuel efficiency. There are more economical options from Ford, but the Mustang does surprisingly well by placing in the top five.

#5 – The Ford Explorer

Depending on your choice of engine, the Ford Explorer can actually be one of the most efficient vehicles in the Ford lineup, but it depends on what you’re looking for. With its standard engine, this three-row SUV gets a respectable 21 MPG in the city, 28 MPG on the highway, and 24 MPG of combined fuel efficiency. Where it excels is with available options like a V6 hybrid engine that puts it ahead of the Bronco Sport in terms of efficiency, but only if you choose that powertrain with rear-wheel drive.

#6 – The Ford Edge

Leading the back half of our ranking, the Ford Edge is a midsize SUV that offers a wide range of fantastic features and options, but its standard engine simply can’t keep up with the efficiency of what we’ve looked at so far. The Edge gets an estimated 21 MPG in the city, 28 MPG on the highway, and 23 MPG of combined fuel economy. One thing we should note, however, is that the Edge comes with all-wheel drive; with that in mind, it’s pretty efficient and a great choice if you want improved performance and traction while enjoying fewer stops for gas.

#7 – The Ford Ranger

Next up, we have the Ford Ranger, a midsize truck that offers impressive power and performance with efficiency that surpasses a lot of other vehicles out there. Unlike the Maverick, however, the Ranger has a standard turbocharged engine without a hybrid available, which puts it well behind in terms of fuel economy. The Ranger offers an estimated 21 MPG in the city, 26 MPG on the highway, and 23 MPG of combined fuel efficiency. You can see this comes very close to matching the sixth spot, but slightly reduced efficiency on the highway for the Ranger gives the Edge the edge.

#8 – The Ford F-150

Considering the Ford F-150 is all about incredible power and capability, it’s no surprise to find it this far down our list when it comes to fuel efficiency—you can’t have it all. That being said, we should still note that the available hybrid engine for the F-150 provides not only exceptional power but also excellent fuel economy. The F-150’s standard engine gets an estimated 19 MPG in the city, 24 MPG on the highway, and 21 MPG of combined fuel efficiency, which trails everything else we’ve looked at. But with its available hybrid engine, the F-150 can get an estimated 25 MPG of city, highway, and combined fuel economy, putting it right up there with some of the most efficient vehicles while also offering more than 12,000 lbs of max towing.

#9 – The Ford Bronco

The Ford Bronco is designed to head off-road and take you where few other vehicles can dare to go, which means fuel economy was not a top priority when it was designed. With its standard engine, the Bronco gets an estimated 20 MPG in the city, 21 MPG on the highway, and 20 MPG of combined fuel efficiency. The available engines provide more power but reduced fuel efficiency—especially if you go with a Bronco Raptor trim—but they give you the ability to conquer trails most other SUVs can’t even approach, so it’s a fair trade.

#10 – The Ford Expedition

As a full-size SUV, the Expedition is one of the largest models in the Ford lineup, so it’s no surprise to find it here at the end. With its standard engine, the Expedition gets an estimated 17 MPG in the city, 23 MPG on the highway, and 19 MPG of combined fuel efficiency. In terms of gas mileage, the biggest weakness of the Expedition is the lack of a hybrid engine, which gives both the Explorer and Escape a significant advantage.

How Important Is Fuel Economy to You?

It’s no surprise that purpose-built vehicles like the F-150 and Ford Bronco don’t get great gas mileage, along with a large and spacious SUV, but some of the other rankings are pretty unexpected. Before looking at the numbers together, we wouldn’t have expected a truck to come out on top, but the standard hybrid engine in the Maverick makes it a clear winner. With many of these vehicles, you can choose specific engines to get a boost if fuel efficiency is what matters most to you, so keep that in mind as you look for your next Ford. No matter what you’re looking for in your next ride, call or come visit us at Pearson Ford, and we’ll make sure you drive away in a car, truck, or SUV with everything you need.