Similar to the act of a certain late-night comedic talk show host, TrueCar.com has unveiled a pair of Top 10 lists this week. The first list included the site’s Top Winning Cars for 2011 while the other highlighted its Top 10 fuel-efficient vehicles.

Looking first at the list of Winning Cars, TrueCar.com described this compilation as its opinion of the best new models coming out this year.

“These vehicles have really helped push the envelope with technology or design and bring shoppers into the showroom,” explained Jesse Toprak, vice president of industry trends and insights at TrueCar.com.

“This list also shows how far the domestic automakers have come in such a short period of time,” Torprak added.

Half of TrueCar.com’s lists actually are domestic models. Here is the Top 10 with comments from site analysts.

—1) 2011 Ford Explorer: “Attractive new design gives this old favorite, which was named the North American International Truck of the Year and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick, a good chance at being a best-selling crossover. Starting at $28,995, it’s an everyman’s SUV with modern styling and improved fuel economy.”

—2) 2011 Chevrolet Volt: “General Motors’ extended-range electric vehicle and North American Car of the Year is the first mass-produced electric vehicle to be introduced to the American public. The four-seat Volt can run in electric-only mode up to 35 miles before the gasoline engine kicks in for up to an additional 340 miles. The Volt promises 35 mpg city/40 mpg hwy and is designed to travel at up to 100 mph in EV mode.”

—3) 2012 Fiat 500: “An oldie, but a goodie. The iconic Italian subcompact makes its way to the shores of the United States after a 27-year absence. Starting at $15,000 and with 500,000 different combinations of options to customize, the Fiat 500 offers cool styling, while being compact and fuel-efficient. Watch out Mini.”

—4) 2011 Chrysler 300: “A billion-dollar investment went into revamping the Chrysler 300. Featuring sleek and sporty design, the 2011 300 is an attractive choice for car buyers entering the luxury market, who want something other than a BMW, Mercedes-Benz, or Lexus, but still want all the features and a lower price point.”

—5) 2012 Ford Focus: “This small car features a low price point with big car charm and lots of tech features. Vastly improved from previous versions, the 2012 Focus promises to be well-styled and fun to drive.  It comes with an EPA estimated 33 mpg combined, fuel-efficient four-cylinder engine, and is pimped out with some luxury technology, including: a rearview camera, Ford’s Automated Parking Assist, Ford’s hand-free Sync, and MyFord Touch system.”

—6) 2011 Nissan Leaf: “Nissan’s first pure plug-in electric vehicle in the United States offers affordable pricing starting at $33,630, but slightly above $26,000 after a $7,500 federal tax credit (certain states may offer additional credits). The Leaf has an electric range of up to 100 miles when fully charged.”

—7) 2012 Toyota Corolla: “The best-selling car of all time gets a refresh for 2012. It’s hard to argue with 33 million units sold over 35 years — and model-year 2012 should continue the strong sales tradition.”

— 8) 2011 Chevrolet Cruze: “The 2011 Cruze is a small sedan with sporty and secure handling, top safety ratings, and good fuel efficiency. The most fuel-efficient model — the Cruze Eco — promises 28 mpg city/42 mpg hwy with manual transmission, 26/37 with the automatic.”

— 9) 2011 Lexus CT 200h: “This reasonably priced luxury hybrid starts at $29,995, making it the least expensive Lexus available, as well as the most fuel-efficient in the premium compact segment. A nice alternative to the Toyota Prius.”

— 10) 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG: “Sexy, exotic design featuring flashy gullwing doors and powerful 6.2-liter/563-horsepower V-8 engine. Starting at $185,750, this car has winner written all over it.”

TrueCar.com Examines Fuel Efficiency

Site analysts compiled a list of what it believes to be the Top 10 most fuel-efficient units currently being sold, based on fuel economy and cost of gas, per 15,000 miles driven annually.

Of the Top 10, nine vehicles were hybrids with the 2011 Toyota Prius being the most fuel-efficient vehicle and the 2011 Hyundai Elantra making the list as the only non-hybrid.

TrueCar.com pointed out pure-electric vehicles were excluded from the list because there is no cost associated with filling up a tank.

When looking at the models, based on annual fuel costs and price, analysts computed the average price paid for a base model 2011 Toyota Prius is $22,235. They found it costs $1,064 annually based on the current price of $3.52 per gallon of unleaded fuel and 15,000 miles driven annually.

TrueCar.com found a base model 2011 Hyundai Elantra is 32 percent cheaper than the 2011 Toyota Prius at $15,052, based on average price paid, yet costs only $531 more to fill up annually.

“When purchasing a fuel-efficient vehicle, consumers should consider two factors — price and annual cost of fuel,” Toprak suggested.

“If you’re looking for the most fuel-efficient car, the Toyota Prius wins. If you’re looking for the most cost-effective and fuel-efficient car, the Hyundai Elantra is the clear winner,” Toprak insisted. 

* Number of gallons used per 15,000 miles driven
** Cost of fuel per 15,000 miles driven