2017 Hyundai Ioniq

Offered as a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid or a pure EV, the compact 2017 Hyundai Ioniq hatchback is a shot across Toyota's bow, serving notice to the long-dominant Prius that there's a new green contender in town.

Opt for the regular Ioniq Hybrid and you'll enjoy 55 mpg in mixed driving per EPA estimates, beating the standard 2017 Prius by a full 3 mpg. But the headline-grabber is the efficiency-optimized Ioniq Hybrid Blue with its EPA rating of 58 mpg combined, edging out the similarly conceived 2017 Prius Eco (56 mpg) and setting a new record for a hybrid vehicle that lacks plug-in capability. Interestingly, the Blue model is also the cheapest in the Ioniq Hybrid range, so it may well end up being the most popular.