Against MPG-Mania, Part I: Why There's Still More To A Car Than Gas Mileage
Car shoppers are understandably freaking out about skyrocketing gas prices. Suddenly those big black EPA estimates are among the most important numbers on the window sticker. But in some cases you may be sacrificing a lot in order to get a few extra MPGs. We'd recommend trying to strike a balance between fuel economy and enjoyment, particularly if you spend a lot of time in your car.
Of course, there are some cars that offer both class-leading fuel efficiency and driving pleasure. But the ones to watch out for are the one-trick ponies -- you know, the cars that boast "A Best-In-Class 36 MPG!" but drive like glorified golf carts, or give you all the accoutrements of a farm tractor.
Consider two hypothetical cars -- one that gets a combined 30 mpg, and one that gets a combined 25 mpg. Suppose you drive 12,000 miles a year, and gas costs $5 a gallon. The premium you'll pay for the 25 mpg car over the course of a year is $400. That's not exactly chump change, but we suspect most people would be willing to pay an extra 33 bucks a month for a car they'd actually look forward to driving.
Be sure to check back later today for Against MPG-Mania: Part II, in which we'll move from the hypothetical to the actual and tell you which models we'd avoid despite their high MPG numbers -- and which marginally thirstier models are worth the extra gas money.
Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com
- Posted by
- S.B. True July 18, 2008, 10:22 AM
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- Categories:
- Auto Leasing, Car Buying, Fuel Economy, Used Cars
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- Fuel Economy, Gas Prices
The car advertising 36mpg is advertising highway mpg, not overall. As the numbers get smaller, the percentages increase somewhat, and the actual dollar amount increases much more so.
From a conceptual concept, I agree with Josh, but I think more realistic math should be applied.
If we swing the pendulum the other way (for fun): Let's say a LandCruiser at 15mpg overall vs a Escape Hybrid at 32mpg overall. At 12Kmiles, that comes to $4000/yr for the Toyota or $1875 for the Ford at $5/gal. Now, it's an extra $177 per month. Drive 15K per year and think gas will be $8? You'd be looking at an extra $354/month ($4250/yr) to drive the Toyota.
The numbers can change quickly, depending on how you play the game. Gotta make sure you understand your driving needs and have a crystal ball to predict the future.
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!!!
It's pretty simple. Figure out what kind of car you need, not one that merely satisfies your ego. Pick one with the combination of attributes that are most important to you (price, safety, mileage, reliability, handling, acceleration, appearance, features, etc.). For me personally, all the competing interests ended up in the vicinity of a Honda Civic for my daily driver, and a Toyota Sienna for the family.
The biggest gains to be made in fuel efficiency, in both a percentage and cost basis, are actually in getting people out of the worst mileage vehicles into moderate mileage vehicles (15 mpg to 22 mpg is a 47% improvement) instead of pushing further into the region of diminishing returns (30 mpg to 37 mpg is a 23% improvement).
Good points, both brn and norcal. But I think Josh's point is also very good. Once you've decided what class of car you want, whether compact, midsize, truck/SUV, or hybrid, minor differences in fuel economy withint that class are overblown in importance, even at $5/gallon.