The Korean Hybrid Car With The Highest MPG In 2025

Japanese brands may have had a head start when it comes to making efficient hybrids, but the Koreans are also skilled in their hybrid development. Their first mass-market production hybrid came in the form of the Hyundai Elantra LPI in 2009, which combined a 1.6-liter four-cylinder that ran on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) along with a 20-horsepower electric motor. It was more of a mild hybrid, but it paved the way for what was about to come next.

Base Trim Engine

1.6L Inline-4 Hybrid

Base Trim Transmission

6-Speed Automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

Front-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

139 hp

Base Trim Torque

195 lb-ft

Fuel Economy

51/58 MPG

Make

Hyundai

Model

Elantra Hybrid

Segment

Compact Sedan

A plethora of hybrids have since come out after the Elantra LPI was sold in South Korea. However, most of them didn’t offer the same level of polish or efficiency as what the Japanese, particularly Toyota, have already been making for 10 years in advance. Fast-forward to 2025, and the Koreans are now creating hybrids that are efficient, smooth, and in most cases, offer a more linear and conventional driving experience than their Japanese counterparts. But among all the hybrids from the Korean brands, which one is the most efficient?

The 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid – This Old Dog Has Some Sharp New Tricks

Hyundai 

The most efficient Korean hybrid on sale today is a familiar nameplate that kickstarted the country’s hybrid game. The first Korean mass-market hybrid, the 2025 Hyundai Elantra, is now the most efficient Korean hybrid you can buy in 2025. Evolution has been kind to this evergreen compact sedan, nearly matching the efficiency of Toyota’s radically styled Prius.

Delivering An EPA-Estimated 54 MPG Combined

Hyundai 

The most efficient Korean Hybrid on sale today achieves a combined 54 MPG based on the EPA’s rating. While the Prius is the overall most efficient hybrid in America with a combined efficiency rating of 57 MPG, did you know that the most efficient hybrid for highway driving isn’t the Prius? That’s because the Elantra’s highway figure of 58 MPG bests the 56 MPG highway figure of the Prius LE with 17-inch wheels. Overall, however, since the Prius achieves 57 MPG in the city versus the Elantra’s 51 MPG, the Prius ends up having a higher combined fuel economy figure of 57 MPG, thus making it the most efficient hybrid in America.

Among its direct rivals on sale today, the Elantra Hybrid is also the most efficient. The Corolla Hybrid does 50 MPG at best, while the Civic Hybrid achieves 49 MPG at best as well. The Corolla has the advantage of optional all-wheel drive (AWD), while the Civic Hybrid is the most powerful of the three. The Civic Hybrid is also the sportiest to drive, while the Elantra Hybrid and its more straightforward six-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) offer the most linear and normal driving experience.

The Most Affordable Korean Hybrid

Hyundai 

Not only is the Elantra Hybrid the most efficient Korean hybrid, but it’s also the most affordable. With a base price of $25,450, the Elantra Hybrid is a little over $1,000 less expensive than Kia’s cheapest hybrid offering, the $26,990 Niro Hybrid. This bodes well with its Japanese rivals, wherein a base Corolla Hybrid LE retails for $23,825, while the cheapest Civic Hybrid Sport starts at $29,295.

2025 Hybrid Sedan Spec Comparison

What sets the Elantra Hybrid apart from its Japanese rivals is its decision to utilize a parallel hybrid system versus a series-parallel hybrid system. Hyundai Motor Group’s (HMG) parallel hybrid system uses a conventional automatic or a DCT instead of the e-CVT that Japanese brands prefer. As a result, this parallel hybrid layout offers a more linear and normal driving experience, since their multi-speed transmissions still provide a linear power delivery that is barely any different from a non-hybrid vehicle. No engine droning or rubber-band feel from Toyota’s planetary gear e-CVT, but in Honda’s case, they do a good job of offering a linear driving feel with their clutch-based e-CVT.

What The Elantra Hybrid Offers

Hyundai 

The current-generation Hyundai Elantra came out during the 2021 model year, but it received a mid-cycle facelift during the 2024 model year. Since then, the Elantra has been somewhat of a “Goldilocks” hybrid sedan, one that offers more standard kit and a slightly more engaging drive than an equivalent Corolla Hybrid, whilst comfortably being more conventional versus the very sporty Civic Hybrid.

A Very Stylish Hybrid Sedan Indeed

In typical Hyundai fashion, the Elantra Hybrid is packed with style and value. Still wearing the brand’s now-outgoing Sensuous Sportiness design language, the Elantra Hybrid’s front face is characterized by a wide grille that’s flanked by standard LED headlights with LED daytime running lights. 16-inch alloys come as standard in the base Blue, while SEL Sport and Limited get nicer 17-inch wheels. It is when you step up to the range-topping Limited that full-width LED taillights come as standard, nicely matching the bold rear fascia and sculpted side profile.

Offering A Reasonably-Kitted Interior

Hyundai 

Likewise, the interior of the Elantra Hybrid has a lot of character and features. For the base Blue, you get a dot-matrix-type digital gauge cluster with a 4.2-inch multi-information color display and an eight-inch touchscreen, while SEL Sport and Limited get the twin 10.25-inch digital gauges and main infotainment screen. The premium feel also improves as you climb the trim ladder. Lastly, premium features like a Bose sound system are unique to the Limited. Weirdly enough, while the Hyundai SmartSense suite of advanced safety features is standard on all variants, full-speed adaptive cruise control is reserved for the range-topping Limited only. Models under the Limited still feature:

• Forward collision mitigation
• Blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning
• Lane keeping assistance
• Driver attention warning

How The Elantra Hybrid Drives

TopSpeed | Michael Frank

Now, if you’ve reached this far into the article, then you’re already probably considering the Elantra Hybrid as your Korean daily driver. With that in mind, here’s how this hybrid sedan drives, based on our week-long testing of this car.

It Makes A Great Commuter Car

TopSpeed | Michael Frank

The Elantra Hybrid is a great commuter car, thanks to its excellent ride quality and well-insulated interior. Our team member would love a bit more agility and sharpness from its handling, but that’s perfectly fine, since, as a commuter car, the Elantra Hybrid is great.

A Civic Hybrid undoubtedly feels sportier, but remember, the Elantra Hybrid undercuts the Civic Hybrid by a couple of thousand. Again, use it as a commuter car, and the Elantra is an exceptionally well-rounded and value-packed vehicle.

With A Well-Developed Hybrid System Included

TopSpeed | Michael Frank

Ultimately, if efficiency is your main motivation for a hybrid sedan, the Elantra Hybrid is the most efficient when compared to the Prius. Along with the author of this Elantra Hybrid review, I’ve also driven the Tucson Hybrid and Santa Fe Hybrid. Though those are completely different animals from the Elantra Hybrid, they share a common parallel hybrid system that gives it one major strength over the series—parallel systems of Honda and Toyota—a linear driving feel with true manual control.

You see, the six-speed DCT of the Elantra Hybrid lets you cycle through the gears in Sport mode. This simply isn’t possible with the Toyota and Honda systems. Granted, it still isn’t the sportiest automatic out there, but no doubt, it feels the most linear versus the Japanese. Also, the author noted the more potent electric motor. True enough, when I was behind the wheel of the Santa Fe Hybrid and Tucson Hybrid, both SUVs were able to cruise in electric mode at a higher percentage during highway drives. It is during highway driving that the Japanese hybrids and their series-parallel systems use a higher percentage of gas-powered motivation versus the parallel hybrid of HMG. If your commutes are highway-dominant, the Elantra Hybrid is going to be more efficient, as this is even reflected in its EPA highway MPG figures.

Sources: EPA