Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi Motors, the car division owned by the multi-national Japanese conglomerate known as the Mitsubishi Companies, has a few efficient cars in the U.S., including some of the leaders in their segment. The automaker has struggled in the U.S. sales-wise, but its 40-mpg-combined Mirage with CVT transmission was the most efficient U.S. non-hybrid of 2014, and its i-MiEV launched 2009 is the original mainstream EV of the present generation. The i-MiEV soldiers on with weak sales, but kudos to Mitsubishi for offering it in all 50 states when “compliance car” makers with more-recently developed cars sit back and sell or lease in only a few states. For what it does, Mitsubishi has brought Japanese quality to its cars, and next up is a plug-in hybrid Outlander SUV which won’t make it to the States until 2015. The company is capable, if presently out-gunned, but we’ll see what the tiny arm of an international giant does next.