Cheapest cars to fuel

• Base price: $39,145
• Fuel: Electricity and prem. gasoline
• Electric driving range: 38 miles
• Electric fuel economy : 98 MPGe
• Gasoline fuel economy: 37 MPG
• Annual fuel cost: $900

The Volt has a long electric driving range compared to other plug-in hybrids. Plus, other plug-in hybrids actually make more use of the gasoline engine during that initial "electric" driving period for hard work like passing and hill-climbing. The Volt hardly uses gasoline power at all during the first 38 miles or so, allowing drivers to feel more like they're driving a fully electric car.

In cases of ties between plug-in hybrids, we looked at how far the car could run on electricity alone, or on mostly electricity, before having to run on gasoline-generated power. That's why the Volt is ranked higher than the C-Max Hybrid in the next frame, despite the C-Max's higher MPG and MPGe figures.

NEXT: Ford C-Max plug-in hybrid