As more car manufacturers—including Honda, Suzuki, Tesla, and most recently Chery—release their official results from the 2025 Department of Energy (DOE) Fuel Economy Run, Filipino car buyers are now getting a clearer picture of how different vehicles truly perform when it comes to real-world efficiency.
The 2025 DOE Fuel Eco Run was a milestone event, marking the first time internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, hybrids (HEV), plug-in hybrids (PHEV), and battery electric vehicles (BEV) were tested together over the exact same route and conditions.
A True Apples-to-Apples Test
The 154.5-kilometer test route started from Petron TPLEX Northbound, turned around at the Rosario Rotunda in La Union, and concluded at Petron TPLEX Southbound. This setup allowed the DOE to observe how each vehicle technology performed under actual Philippine driving conditions rather than controlled laboratory settings.
To ensure fair comparison across different powertrains, the DOE adopted the kilometers per liter of gasoline equivalent (km/Lge) standard:
- Gasoline vehicles: 1 liter = 1 Lge
- Diesel vehicles: 1 liter = 1.077 Lge
- Electric vehicles: 1 Lge = 8.89 kWh
All ICE and hybrid vehicles ran exclusively on Petron XCS gasoline or Petron Turbo Diesel, while BEVs and PHEVs relied on Petron EV charging stations and AC Mobility’s Power on Wheels mobile chargers.
Participation and Official Results
Although close to 70 vehicles joined the Eco Run, only 50 vehicles from 15 manufacturers and distributors opted to have their results officially published. Brands such as BYD, Ford, Hyundai, Jetour, Kia, and Mazda participated but chose not to release their official rankings.
Key Takeaways from the 2025 Eco Run
One of the biggest takeaways from this year’s results is that battery electric vehicles are now the most energy-efficient option for this route, surpassing diesel-powered vehicles. In fact, eight of the Top 10 finishers were BEVs.
- Tesla dominated the rankings, securing first and third place, while Mini placed second.
- The only non-BEV entries in the Top 10 were PHEVs, with the Chery Tiggo rEV C-DM LE finishing fourth and the Lynk & Co 01 PHEV taking tenth place.
Among hybrid electric vehicles, the Honda Civic RS e:HEV emerged as the most efficient, ranking 18th overall, followed closely by the MG ZS Hybrid+. For Toyota fans, the most efficient HEVs were the Lexus LBX (21st) and Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S (22nd).
In the pure gasoline category, the Suzuki Dzire claimed the title of most fuel-efficient ICE vehicle, placing 17th overall. It is worth noting, however, that the Dzire benefits from Suzuki’s 12-volt Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki (SHVS) mild electrification system.
For vehicles with no electrification at all, the Nissan Almera stood out with an impressive 29.33 km/Lge, ranking 19th overall. Meanwhile, the Isuzu D-Max topped the diesel category, finishing in 35th place.
Supporting National Energy Goals
The DOE emphasized that the Fuel Eco Run supports the country’s long-term energy and sustainability goals, aligning with the Philippine Energy Plan, RA 11285 (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act), and RA 11697 (Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act).
“This isn’t a race. It’s a demonstration of how different vehicle technologies perform under actual driving conditions,” said Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin. “Our goal is to provide credible fuel economy data to help Filipino consumers understand that energy efficiency is both practical and attainable.”
According to the DOE, the transportation sector accounts for 34 percent of the country’s total energy consumption. The results of the Eco Run may serve as a reference for government agencies and local government units when procuring fleet vehicles under the Government Energy Management Program (GEMP). Transitioning to more efficient vehicles not only reduces fuel dependence but also helps lower emissions and improve air quality nationwide.
2025 DOE Fuel Eco Run Results
(Ranked by km/Lge; bold indicates best in class)
- 92.81 – Tesla Model 3 RWD (Most Efficient BEV)
- 91.51 – Mini Aceman SE (BEV)
- 84.63 – Tesla Model Y RWD (BEV)
- 84.28 – Chery Tiggo rEV C-DM LE (Most Efficient PHEV)
- 76.21 – Volvo EX30 Ultra (BEV)
- 75.28 – JMEV EV3 330 (BEV)
- 71.71 – Lynk & Co 02 High Trim (BEV)
- 71.03 – MG 4 Lux (BEV)
- 68.52 – JAC Ytterby Pro 505 (BEV)
- 58.06 – Lynk & Co 01 PHEV (PHEV)
- 55.66 – Lexus RZ 450e (BEV)
- 52.19 – Volvo XC60 T8 Ultra (PHEV)
- 51.16 – Hongqi E-H7 Flagship (BEV)
- 48.79 – Hongqi E-HS7 Flagship (BEV)
- 40.57 – Hongqi E-HS9 Flagship (BEV)
- 37.04 – Nissan Kicks e-Power VL (BEV)
- 36.10 – Suzuki Dzire GLX CVT (Most Efficient Gas ICE)
- 30.12 – Honda Civic RS e:HEV (HEV)
- 29.33 – Nissan Almera VL Turbo (ICE)
- 28.59 – MG ZS Hybrid+ (HEV)
- 28.51 – Lexus LBX (HEV)
- 28.13 – Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 GR-S (HEV)
- 28.11 – MG 3 Hybrid (HEV)
- 28.10 – Toyota Wigo 1.0 E CVT (ICE)
- 28.08 – Honda HR-V RS HEV (HEV)
- 27.26 – Toyota Yaris Cross 1.5 S (HEV)
- 25.96 – Toyota Raize 1.2 G (ICE)
- 24.98 – Mitsubishi Mirage G4 GLS (ICE)
- 24.69 – Suzuki Fronx SGX AT (ICE)
- 24.62 – MG G50 7-Seater (ICE)
- 22.64 – Toyota Innova Zenix Q (HEV)
- 22.00 – GAC Emkoo Hybrid GL (HEV)
- 21.60 – Honda CR-V RS e:HEV (HEV)
- 21.58 – MG ZS Luxury (ICE)
- 20.63 – Isuzu D-Max LS-A (Most Efficient Diesel ICE)
- 20.46 – BAIC B30 Dune 4x4 (HEV)
- 19.54 – BAIC X55 Verve Sport (ICE)
- 18.94 – GWM Cannon Lux (ICE)
- 18.84 – Nissan Livina VL (ICE)
- 18.61 – GAC GS3 Emzoom R-Style (ICE)
- 17.77 – GWM Cannon SLux (ICE)
- 17.54 – JAC T8 Pro 4x2 AT Advance (ICE)
- 17.50 – Chevrolet Groove RS (ICE)
- 17.11 – Isuzu mu-X LS-E (ICE)
- 16.88 – Mitsubishi Triton Athlete (ICE)
- 15.94 – JMC Grand Avenue 4x4 AT (ICE)
- 15.26 – Chery Tiggo Grand Tour (ICE)
- 14.57 – Lynk & Co 06 Hyper Halo (ICE)
- 14.48 – Foton Tunland V7 (ICE)
- 13.63 – Foton Tunland V9 (ICE)
What do you think of the result? ✨
