With the price of gasoline at $4 a gallon, it may make sense for some people to consider a different vehicle if their daily driver is getting fewer than 15 miles per gallon and their monthly fuel budget is $600 or more.

Paying $300 a month for a small, efficient, four-cylinder car that gets 30 mpg on the daily commute may provide greater savings by using less fuel, even after insurance, tax, title and registration are paid.

Or, motorists can consider a late-model, certified-used vehicle, said automotive analyst Dan Hall, vice president of AutoPacific Inc.

"The most expensive part of owning a vehicle is depreciation," he said. "If you have a vehicle that is paid for, buying a new vehicle and giving yourself yourself a payment can be a problem."

his year, the federal government toughened fuel-efficiency calculations, and the effect was dramatic. In 2007 there were 200 cars that got more than 30 mpg. Now there are about 90. For example, the Toyota Prius, a gasoline-electric hybrid, was rated 60 mpg around town and 51 on the highway in 2007. This year, mileage ratings for the Prius are 48/45. The Ford Escape hybrid sport- utility vehicle showed a similar decline, from 36/31 in 2007 to 34/30 this year.

Here's a look at some of the most fuel-efficient cars of 2008. Most ratings are for vehicles with manual transmissions:

TOP FUEL-EFFICIENT CARS, EPA-ESTIMATED CITY/HIGHWAY MILEAGE

Toyota Prius: 48/45

Honda Civic Hybrid: 40/45 (49/51, 2007)

Nissan Altima Hybrid: 35/33

Smart ForTwo coupe/cabrio: 33/41

Toyota Camry Hybrid: 33/34 (40/38, 2007)

Toyota Yaris: 29/36

Toyota Corolla: 28/37

Mini Cooper Clubman: 28/37

Honda Fit: 28/34

Nissan Versa: 27/33 (CVT*)

Scion xD: 27/33

Kia Rio (Hyundai Accent): 27/32

Honda Civic: 26/34

Mini Cooper: 26/34 (automatic)

Chevrolet Cobalt XFE: 25/36

Hyundai Elantra: 25/33 (automatic)

Nissan Sentra: 25/33 (CVT)

Honda Civic CNG: 24/36

Ford Focus: 24/35

Mazda3: 24/32

Kia Spectra: 24/32 (automatic)

Chevrolet Cobalt: 24/33

Chevrolet Aveo: 24/34

Pontiac G5: 24/33

Hyundai Accent: 24/32 (automatic)

Chevrolet Malibu hybrid: 24/32 (automatic)

Saturn Astra: 24/32

Nissan Altima four-cylinder: 23/32

Suzuki SX4: 23/31 (automatic)

Audi TT coupe: 23/31 (automated manual)

Honda Accord four-cylinder: 22/31

Pontiac G6 four-cylinder: 22/30 (automatic)

Toyota Solara coupe: 22/31 (automatic)

Toyota Camry four-cylinder: 21/31 (automatic)

Hyundai Sonata (Kia Optima): 21/31

Audi A4: 21/30 (CVT)

Chrysler Sebring (Dodge Avenger): 21/30 (automatic)

TOP FUEL-EFFICIENT UTILITY VEHICLES

Make and model, EPA-estimated city/highway mileage

Ford Escape Hybrid: 34/30 (36/31, 2007)

Lexus RX 400h: 27/24

Toyota Highlander Hybrid: 27/25 (32/27 2007)

Pontiac Vibe: 26/33

Saturn Vue Hybrid: 25/32

Toyota Matrix: 25/31 automatic

Jeep Patriot: 23/27 2WD manual, 21/24 automatic

Jeep Compass: 23/28 manual 2WD

Ford Escape: 22/28 manual 2WD

Chevrolet HHR: 22/30 (with automatic transmission)

Ford Ranger:21/26 manual 2WD

Honda CR-V: 20/27 automatic 2WD

Toyota Tacoma: 20/25 manual 2WD

Hyundai Tucson: 20/25 manual 2WD

Saturn Vue: 19/26 2WD 4-cylinder

Kia Rondo wagon: 19/26

SOURCE: epa.gov/greenvehicles

TOP 10 HYBRIDS OF 2008

VEHICLE, MSRP, EPA-estimated city/highway mileage

1. Toyota Prius: $22,160, 48/45

2. Saturn Vue Green Line: $24,795, 25/32

3. Honda Civic hybrid: $23,235, 40/45

4. Toyota Camry hybrid: $26,010, 33/34

5. Lexus RX 400h: $42,045, 27/24

6. Toyota Highlander hybrid: $34,385, 27/25

7. Ford Escape hybrid: $27,335, 34/30

8. Chevrolet Tahoe hybrid: $50,490, 21/22

9. Saturn Aura Green Line: $22,790, 24/32

10. Lexus GS 450h: $55,665, 22/25

— Note: A second Vue Green Line with two-mode hybrid technology is coming late in 2008 as a 2009 model.

DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS NEWS SYNDICATE, INC.