NOT READY FOR AN EV?
Electric vehicles aren’t the only eco option. New features in gas-powered vehicles have improved sustainability.
By Matt Bubbers | Illustration by Sam Island
Electric vehicles (EVs) inevitably get most of the attention whenever the conversation turns to cleaner, greener cars. They are, after all, the new technology reshaping more than a century of automotive tradition and driver habits. Not to mention the fact they’re a cornerstone of Canada’s plan to reduce climate-change-causing pollution. But EVs are not right for every driver, in every situation — certainly not yet. For drivers who want to make a greener choice but are just not ready to make the jump to an EV, or for those simply looking to spend less at the pump every month, internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) have quietly been getting much more fuel-efficient, thanks to a plethora of new technologies. Between 2010 and 2022, overall fuel consumption (per kilometre travelled) of new vehicles in Canada decreased by 12 percent. This is simply “due to the improved technical efficiency of internal combustion engines,” according to a study conducted by the Sustainable Transportation Action Research Team at British Columbia’s Simon Fraser University. That 12-percent decrease may not sound like much, but it’s enough to save the average Canadian driver hundreds of dollars per year on gas while also lowering emissions. If you’re switching out of a thirsty 10-year-old vehicle and into the most efficient new hybrid model, your annual fuel savings could easily reach four figures.
Between 2010 and 2022, overall fuel consumption (per kilometre travelled) of new vehicles in Canada decreased by 12 percent.
FUEL-SAVING TECHNOLOGY
Whether you’re shopping for a new SUV, sedan or pickup truck, you’ll find almost all new vehicles are available with a large (and sometimes confusing) variety of fuel-saving technologies. Those include 48-volt systems, auto start-stop, cylinder deactivation, direct fuel injection, turbochargers, regenerative braking, lightweight construction, active aerodynamics, continuously variable transmissions, electric power steering and air suspension — all of which improve efficiency, and much more. These technologies are quite complex, but the bottom line is that they all help engines do more with less gasoline. Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) crunched the numbers on the benefits of most of those technologies and found, for example, that a small turbocharged gas engine can produce the same power as a larger non-turbocharged engine while lowering fuel consumption 2 to 6 percent. NRCan also found that auto stop-start systems — which turn off the engine while the vehicle is sitting at a red light and then start it automatically when it’s time to move — improve city fuel consumption 4 to 10 percent. The full list of savings from various new ICEV technologies can be found in NRCan’s Fuel Consumption Guide online, which also has official fuel economy and emissions estimates for every new car in Canada. When looking for a new fuel-efficient car, you’ll also come across several types of hybrid powertrains. They all use a combination of gasoline and electricity to power the vehicle, but the similarities end there. Plug-in hybrids have the largest batteries (hence their need to plug in to recharge) and can typically drive for 30 to 70 km on electric power alone. Full hybrids have much smaller batteries that don’t need to plug in, but their electric motors can only propel the vehicle for a short time. Mild hybrids have the smallest batteries and can’t typically drive on electric power alone. Note that while all fuel-saving technology in ICEVs does add complexity, it can also increase their dependability. Hybrid vehicles ranked as the most reliable in a recent Consumer Reports survey of 380,000 owners of vehicles from 2000 to 2026. Hybrids had 15 percent fewer problems, on average, than traditional gas-only cars, while EVs and plug-in hybrids fared worse in the owner survey. That said, reliability and repair costs vary wildly, not just by powertrain but also by make, model and year, so be sure to research vehicles individually.
Note that while all fuel-saving technology in ICEVs does add complexity, it can also increase their dependability.
IS IT BETTER TO BUY A NEW OR USED CAR IN CANADA?
Beyond the various technologies under the hood, you might be wondering if it’s more eco-friendly to keep driving your old vehicle rather than buying a new one. The answer is complicated. In general, consider that the majority of an ICEV’s lifetime emissions — from manufacturing to driving to recycling — come from the driving phase, according to a 2025 report from TD Bank economist Likeleli Seitlheko. In other words, it takes far less energy to build a new ICEV than it does to drive one for 200,000 or 300,000 km. So, fuel efficiency is the key when it comes to reducing emissions.
If you drive a modern hybrid that’s only a few years old, replacing it with a new hybrid won’t reduce your fuel consumption much, if at all, so it’s not worth it from a purely environmental perspective. On the other hand, if you’re putting lots of miles on an older car that consumes more gas, switching to a new hybrid or EV, will significantly reduce your carbon footprint over the lifespan of the new vehicle.
What you drive is a deeply personal choice. Whether it’s an EV or ICEV for the daily commute or for professional work, you’ll want to crunch the numbers on purchase price, emissions and running costs to figure out which vehicle makes the most financial and environmental sense for your particular circumstances. CAA
Charging ahead with new vehicle technology
Technology in the EV space is advancing rapidly. Here are the latest innovations that make electric mobility an increasingly viable choice:
- Wireless charging: Say goodbye to fussing with a cable and hello to parking your vehicle on a wireless charging pad. This technology is available on the new Porsche Cayenne Electric and should soon trickle down to the rest of the market.
- Heat pumps: They’ve been available on EVs for years now, but more automakers are including heat pumps as standard equipment to reduce range loss in winter.
- Quad motors: Are four motors in an EV a better option? It depends on a driver’s needs, but having one motor at each wheel enables spectacular performance and handling, both on-road and off, such as the Rivian R1S SUV.
- Battery chemistry: Solid-state batteries and sodium-ion batteries — which are not available yet but are expected to be in the market by 2030 — promise to reduce costs dramatically and improve range and charging compared to current lithium-ion technology.
What is the most fuel-efficient car?
The days when a compact car was the only hybrid option are long gone. In 2026, highly fuel-efficient engines are available in all types of vehicles, from work-ready pickup trucks to minivans, sports cars and SUVs of all sizes. On its website, NRCan offers a list of the most fuel-efficient ICEVs across dozens of categories, including:
- Standard pickup truck 2026 Chevrolet Silverado. With its 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel engine and 10-speed automatic transmission, this pickup is rated to tow over 6,000 kilograms. Combined average consumption is 9.3 l/100 km.
- Small SUV 2026 Kia Niro FE. With a 1.6-litre direct-injected four-cylinder engine paired with a dual-clutch automatic transmission, the five-seat Niro returns an impressive combined average fuel consumption of 4.4 l/100 km.
- Standard SUV 2026 Toyota Highlander Hybrid AWD. Despite the fact it can accommodate up to eight passengers, this SUV gets an impressive combined average fuel consumption of 6.7 l/100 km, thanks to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and 2.5-litre hybrid engine.
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NOT READY FOR AN EV?
Electric vehicles aren’t the only eco option. New features in gas-powered vehicles have improved sustainability.
By Matt Bubbers | Illustration by Sam Island
Electric vehicles (EVs) inevitably get most of the attention whenever the conversation turns to cleaner, greener cars. They are, after all, the new technology reshaping more than a century of automotive tradition and driver habits. Not to mention the fact they’re a cornerstone of Canada’s plan to reduce climate-change-causing pollution. But EVs are not right for every driver, in every situation — certainly not yet. For drivers who want to make a greener choice but are just not ready to make the jump to an EV, or for those simply looking to spend less at the pump every month, internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) have quietly been getting much more fuel-efficient, thanks to a plethora of new technologies. Between 2010 and 2022, overall fuel consumption (per kilometre travelled) of new vehicles in Canada decreased by 12 percent. This is simply “due to the improved technical efficiency of internal combustion engines,” according to a study conducted by the Sustainable Transportation Action Research Team at British Columbia’s Simon Fraser University. That 12-percent decrease may not sound like much, but it’s enough to save the average Canadian driver hundreds of dollars per year on gas while also lowering emissions. If you’re switching out of a thirsty 10-year-old vehicle and into the most efficient new hybrid model, your annual fuel savings could easily reach four figures.
FUEL-SAVING TECHNOLOGY
Whether you’re shopping for a new SUV, sedan or pickup truck, you’ll find almost all new vehicles are available with a large (and sometimes confusing) variety of fuel-saving technologies. Those include 48-volt systems, auto start-stop, cylinder deactivation, direct fuel injection, turbochargers, regenerative braking, lightweight construction, active aerodynamics, continuously variable transmissions, electric power steering and air suspension — all of which improve efficiency, and much more. These technologies are quite complex, but the bottom line is that they all help engines do more with less gasoline.
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) crunched the numbers on the benefits of most of those technologies and found, for example, that a small turbocharged gas engine can produce the same power as a larger non-turbocharged engine while lowering fuel consumption 2 to 6 percent.
NRCan also found that auto stop-start systems — which turn off the engine while the vehicle is sitting at a red light and then start it automatically when it’s time to move — improve city fuel consumption 4 to 10 percent. The full list of savings from various new ICEV technologies can be found in NRCan’s Fuel Consumption Guide online, which also has official fuel economy and emissions estimates for every new car in Canada.
When looking for a new fuel-efficient car, you’ll also come across several types of hybrid powertrains. They all use a combination of gasoline and electricity to power the vehicle, but the similarities end there. Plug-in hybrids have the largest batteries (hence their need to plug in to recharge) and can typically drive for 30 to 70 km on electric power alone. Full hybrids have much smaller batteries that don’t need to plug in, but their electric motors can only propel the vehicle for a short time. Mild hybrids have the smallest batteries and can’t typically drive on electric power alone.
Note that while all fuel-saving technology in ICEVs does add complexity, it can also increase their dependability. Hybrid vehicles ranked as the most reliable in a recent Consumer Reports survey of 380,000 owners of vehicles from 2000 to 2026. Hybrids had 15 percent fewer problems, on average, than traditional gas-only cars, while EVs and plug-in hybrids fared worse in the owner survey. That said, reliability and repair costs vary wildly, not just by powertrain but also by make, model and year, so be sure to research vehicles individually.
IS IT BETTER TO BUY A NEW OR USED CAR IN CANADA?
Beyond the various technologies under the hood, you might be wondering if it’s more eco-friendly to keep driving your old vehicle rather than buying a new one. The answer is complicated. In general, consider that the majority of an ICEV’s lifetime emissions — from manufacturing to driving to recycling — come from the driving phase, according to a 2025 report from TD Bank economist Likeleli Seitlheko. In other words, it takes far less energy to build a new ICEV than it does to drive one for 200,000 or 300,000 km. So, fuel efficiency is the key when it comes to reducing emissions.
If you drive a modern hybrid that’s only a few years old, replacing it with a new hybrid won’t reduce your fuel consumption much, if at all, so it’s not worth it from a purely environmental perspective. On the other hand, if you’re putting lots of miles on an older car that consumes more gas, switching to a new hybrid or EV, will significantly reduce your carbon footprint over the lifespan of the new vehicle.
What you drive is a deeply personal choice. Whether it’s an EV or ICEV for the daily commute or for professional work, you’ll want to crunch the numbers on purchase price, emissions and running costs to figure out which vehicle makes the most financial and environmental sense for your particular circumstances. CAA
Charging ahead with new vehicle technology
Technology in the EV space is advancing rapidly. Here are the latest innovations that make electric mobility an increasingly viable choice:
- Wireless charging: Say goodbye to fussing with a cable and hello to parking your vehicle on a wireless charging pad. This technology is available on the new Porsche Cayenne Electric and should soon trickle down to the rest of the market.
- Heat pumps: They’ve been available on EVs for years now, but more automakers are including heat pumps as standard equipment to reduce range loss in winter.
- Quad motors: Are four motors in an EV a better option? It depends on a driver’s needs, but having one motor at each wheel enables spectacular performance and handling, both on-road and off, such as the Rivian R1S SUV.
- Battery chemistry: Solid-state batteries and sodium-ion batteries — which are not available yet but are expected to be in the market by 2030 — promise to reduce costs dramatically and improve range and charging compared to current lithium-ion technology.
What is the most fuel-efficient car?
The days when a compact car was the only hybrid option are long gone. In 2026, highly fuel-efficient engines are available in all types of vehicles, from work-ready pickup trucks to minivans, sports cars and SUVs of all sizes. On its website, NRCan offers a list of the most fuel-efficient ICEVs across dozens of categories, including:
- Standard pickup truck 2026 Chevrolet Silverado. With its 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel engine and 10-speed automatic transmission, this pickup is rated to tow over 6,000 kilograms. Combined average consumption is 9.3 l/100 km.
- Small SUV 2026 Kia Niro FE. With a 1.6-litre direct-injected four-cylinder engine paired with a dual-clutch automatic transmission, the five-seat Niro returns an impressive combined average fuel consumption of 4.4 l/100 km.
- Standard SUV 2026 Toyota Highlander Hybrid AWD. Despite the fact it can accommodate up to eight passengers, this SUV gets an impressive combined average fuel consumption of 6.7 l/100 km, thanks to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and 2.5-litre hybrid engine.