No. 2: Honda Odyssey EX-L

Honda sells a version of its Odyssey minivan for as little as $26,255, but if you want the one with the best fuel economy you’ll have to dish out $33,055.

With an EPA rating of 17 mpg city/25 highway, the Odyssey EX-L is slightly more efficient than the Chrysler twins, but also gives you a lot more power to go along with it. The premium people carrier’s 3.5 liter V-6 pumping out 244 horsepower, compared to 175 horsepower from Chrysler’s 3.3-liter power plant.

It pulls off this feat by using a Variable Cylinder Management system that lets the engine run on just four or three cylinders when driving conditions don’t demand the power of all six.

To put that perspective, the standard version of this engine delivers nearly the same power, but manages just 16 city/23 highway. The technology is impressive, but will only save you $300 a year at the pump. At least the extra green you spend on the EX-L also buys you added features like three-zone climate control and leather seats.

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