Strategies for Smart Car Buyers
Fuel Economy
August 19, 2008
Life is a series of trade-offs, and lately more and more drivers have been
trading the size, comfort and safety of large SUVs for the fuel economy of smaller vehicles. But for many accustomed to the high perch and higher sense of security afforded by an SUV, downsizing to a smaller car can leave them feeling vulnerable.
But you can have the best of both worlds, according to
Forbes Autos' "Safest Vehicles for Downsizing" list, and safety technology can make the difference even though it may add a few pounds and cost a few mpg. While the Forbes Autos list includes such not-so-small vehicles as the BMW X3 and Honda Element, along with sedans such as the BMW 3 Series and Volvo's S40 and compacts like the Volkswagen Jetta/Rabbit and Subaru Impreza, the one thing the 10 vehicles have in common is a curb weight of under 4,000 pounds (except for the X3, which is a hair over at 4,012).
Overall weight has steadily increased for passenger vehicles over the last decade. According to Forbes Autos,
the average weight of "light-duty" vehicles rose from 3,221 pounds in 1997 to 4,144 pounds in 2007. Ironically, part of that weight gain comes from safety equipment that has been added over the past 10 years, some of which was federally mandated. But in balancing weight, fuel economy and safety, certain technology is crucial, the article contends.
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- Doug Newcomb August 19, 2008, 12:00 PM
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- Driving, Fuel Economy
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I'm up in Canada this week, and while driving through Toronto I happened to notice a new Mercedes-Benz C230. In the States, we only get the C300, C350 and C63, but Canada gets those plus the C230, featuring a 201-horsepower 2.5-liter V6 that gets a tiny bit better gas mileage than the 228-hp C300 (20.45 mpg versus 20.10 in Canadian testing). Of course, given that cars cost more in Canada, it's highly likely that Canadians are just more inclined to pay less for a less powerful Mercedes-Benz. But given the economy, wouldn't an increasing number of Americans be willing to do so now?
In addition to the C230, there's the 228-hp E300 4Matic (all non-AMG E-Class are all-wheel drive in Canada), the 335-hp S450 4Matic, and the B200 and B200 Turbo. I'd say the last two are the most intriguing, as the B-Class is a funky-looking hatch that gets 25 mpg city in its 134-hp four-cylinder form. For those looking for a premium, fuel efficient car, the B-Class could find some takers -- although it's certainly expensive. I've seen a couple around Toronto, but not enough to lead me to believe it would be a hit in the United States.
What do you think? Are smaller, slightly more fuel efficient engines installed in subsequently cheaper cars a smart move for premium car makers like Mercedes-Benz? And does the B-Class have a shot?
James Riswick, Automotive Editor
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- JRiz August 19, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Buying New Cars, Fuel Economy, Question of the Week
August 18, 2008
In a sign of how bad things have become in the light truck market, Honda recently put a $2000 dealer incentive on their all-new just released Pilot. Even though gas prices have retreated, the 4WD Pilot's 16 city and 22 highway fuel economy is certainly not a selling point. This is especially true when Honda likes to tout the fuel economy of the rest of the vehicles it sells.
If Honda, who is generally reticent to put cash incentives on their vehicles, is using cash incentives, you can be sure that most other manufacturers will continue to pile on the incentives on their less-than-fuel efficient models. Stay abreast of all the latest incentives here.
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- Lee Scott August 18, 2008, 12:00 PM
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- Buying New Cars, Fuel Economy
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- Fuel Economy, Honda, Incentives
August 16, 2008
Flashback to 1974 when the National Maximum Speed Law restricted travel on interstate highways to 55 miles per hour to save gas.
Did you hate it?
Well, get ready for a similar initiative... unless we set a "Citizen's Speed Limit." What's this?
As you'll recall, the 55 mph limit created by President Jimmy Carter was resisted and widely disregarded by motorists. In fact, it's symbolic of a painful era for our country. It was the first time we were being pushed around by the oil companies and foreign countries. And proud Americans didn't like it.
Now, flash forward to 2008. We are MUCH more dependent on foreign oil and much more vulnerable to energy disruption than in the 70s. Most automotive innovations have gone not toward fuel efficiency but toward power. Our cars and trucks are maxed out on horsepower like steroids-popping weightlifters.
My father called me this morning and said that cars should be driven at their peak efficiency not at an arbitrary speed set by the government after an expensive research boondoggle. He recommended that Edmunds.com lead the charge by finding the ultimate "sweet spot" for fuel economy. We should then give our findings to the government instead of waiting to have the feds slap a new speed limit on us.
The efficiency of a car increases as its speed goes up. At first, aerodynamics have little effect on the efficiency. But as the speed builds the aerodynamic effect becomes greater. But at what point is that?
It would be fairly simple to take a test car on a flat road and drive it for 10 miles at 60 mph, another 10 miles at 65 mph, 10 miles at 70 mph and so on. The problem is that each car is different because of engine size, aerodynamics, rolling resistance of the tires and a variety of other factors. But while cars differ, they probably don't vary that much.
When gas prices were very high, I saw people setting their own "Citizen's Speed Limit." Furthermore, I know that a lot of truckers, whose livelihoods depend on economical use of fuel, have slowed down to about 67 mph. But now that gas prices have dropped the yahoos are out again. While most people are content to go 70 mph, others want to go 85 mph and so they endlessly cut in and out.
So what's your vote for a Citizen's Speed Limit? What could you live with? Or will you wait for Uncle Sam to tell you how to drive?
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- Philip Reed August 16, 2008, 3:10 AM
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- Driving, Fuel Economy
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- 55 mph, fuel efficiency, highways, Speed limit
August 12, 2008
You're looking at a graph that shows how many people searched for information on hybrid cars as gas prices rose in the spring and then began to fall in the summer.
When gas prices shoot up people panic and begin thinking about dumping their SUV for a hybrid. But when gas prices begin to level off and then drop (now the national average is $3.88 a gallon) people lose interest in smaller cars and again search for information about larger vehicles, trucks and SUVs.
This development is highlighted in a new story on Auto Observer along with more data to support this new
"It's human nature," said Jeremy Anwyl, CEO of Edmunds.com. "There's been a rush to small cars, but that doesn't mean it's permanent. And in fact, our data shows that the recent sensitivity consumers have toward gas prices still goes both ways."
This is an interesting snapshot of consumer behavior. But I'm left wondering how far back we will swing toward larger trucks and SUV? Or are we headed toward becoming a nation of small, fuel efficient car drivers like in Europe and Asia?
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- Philip Reed August 12, 2008, 8:00 AM
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- Buying New Cars, Fuel Economy
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- buying trends, gas prices, Hybrids, SUVs
August 7, 2008
On vacation here in New England, I've had the use of a Suzuki SX4 sedan for the past week. I have to say, for 15 grand (with the manual 5-speed gearbox) , this is a nice little car. For the short money of a Fit or Yaris, you get a roomy cabin, a peppy 143-hp engine, 17-inch alloys, power everything, a CD player, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, a trip computer and even automatic climate control. It also sports a 15 cubic foot trunk, cavernous for this class, though it lacks a fold-down rear seat.
But it's not just a healthy standard features list that makes the SX4 likeable.
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- johnnyturbo August 7, 2008, 3:00 PM
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Back in May, we instituted a company-wide experiment to see how much gas we could save if we properly inflated our tires. On average, our employees' tires were 7-percent under inflated, which is much better than the government's estimation of 26-percent under inflation for the average American. However, if the nearly 250 million registered passenger vehicles in the United States (according to a 2005 Department of Transportation study) were only 7 percent under inflated, and brought their tires up to the specified level, together they would save about $23 billion per year. Think about how much we could save if that 26-percent number was used.
Who would've thunk it possible that we here at Edmunds would be ahead of the political curve? When a woman at a town hall meeting asked Sen. Barack Obama about what sorts of steps normal Americans can take to lower their energy costs, he suggested making sure their tires are properly inflated. Within hours, the McCain campaign starting arguing that Obama's new energy plan amounted to nothing more than keeping your tires inflated and Sen. McCain himself mocked it as a ridiculous notion. The McCain campaign is even selling tire pressure gauges with "Obama's Energy Plan" written on them. Could they possibly get more snarky?
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- JRiz August 7, 2008, 11:31 AM
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- Fuel Economy, Maintenance, Tip of the Day
Even with recently retreating oil and gas prices, fuel economy will remain a high priority for most drivers. Fuel economy labels tend to garner the most attention from car buyers, but what most people don't pay attention to is their driving habits.
Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. According to the EPA, it can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. So while it may feel good to put the pedal to the metal, driving with that lead foot can be expensive.
In an effort to assist drivers improve their fuel efficiency through better driving habits, Nissan has unveiled the ECO Pedal. When the eco-pedal system is on, each time the driver steps on the accelerator, a counter push-back control mechanism is activated if the system detects excess pressure, helping to inform the driver that they could be using more fuel than required. An eco-driving indicator integrated into the instrument panel feeds the driver with real-time fuel consumption levels to help improve his/her driving behavior. The ECO Pedal system can be turned on or off according to the driver's preference.
Personally, I have noticed in my own driving that when I make a conscious effort to drive in a more relaxed manner that my fuel economy goes up 2-3 mpg. Having an active device that forces relaxed driving could make driving more efficiently something that you can do without thinking about it. Just remember to turn it off before you try to make that left turn across four lanes of oncoming traffic!
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- Lee Scott August 7, 2008, 3:00 AM
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- Driving, Fuel Economy
August 6, 2008
When I recently got my 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid, whose EPA MPG estimate is 35/33, I thought it would be no sweat to achieve the fuel economy estimates on the sticker. After all, the 2008 EPA estimates were revised to reflect real-world driving, right?
Apparently, I'm not part of the real world, because my second tank of gas yielded me only 27 mpg. After doing a little research, it appears that to my poor fuel efficiency was caused by 1) the car not being broken in, 2) the Altima, unlike the Prius, prefers longer trips rather than short city hops, and 3) my driving habits.
Now, I always knew I was a rather aggressive driver, but never thought much of it. When you work around a bunch of enthusiasts, many of whom race for a hobby, my minor-league bobbing and weaving on the busy freeway pale by comparison. Yet I was beginning to wonder if paying the extra money for the hybrid was a bad decision.
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- Joanne Helperin August 6, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Driving, Fuel Economy, Hybrid Cars and Better Gas Mileage
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August 5, 2008
(The 2008 Buick Enclave gets surprisingly good fuel economy. But jump on the gas and it doesn't want to downshift.)
As the old saying goes, "There's no replacement for displacement."
Or is there? Can you have both good fuel efficiency and good performance.
Carmakers will tell you that yes, you can have it all. But as the Enclave demonstrates, there's usually a trade-off of some kind, somewhere in the performance. With the Enclave, it didn't want to downshift. Then, when it did, it went from sixth to fourth.
In our article we take a look at what Ford and GM are doing to keep drivers high on the emotion meter which dialing in good fuel economy in "Where's My MPG?"
Here's a brief excerpt to get you reading...
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- Philip Reed August 5, 2008, 3:00 PM
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- Buying New Cars, Driving, Fuel Economy
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- Buick, Detroit, Fuel economy, GM
August 1, 2008
As noted in my teaser post, automakers currently find themselves in an awkward transitional period. Consumers suddenly want maximal fuel-efficiency, yet most manufacturers are saddled with gas-guzzling fleets that offer only a few efficient alternatives. So what are they doing about it? Calling Madison Avenue, of course. This week we'll highlight three ways in which marketing mavens are trying to pull the wool over your eyes with misleading MPG claims.
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- SadButTrue August 1, 2008, 11:00 AM
- Categories:
- Buying New Cars, Buying Used Cars, Certified Used Cars, Fuel Economy, Leasing
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- Weekly Top 3
With the sudden increase in gas prices, automakers are scrambling for ways to pitch old products with timely new claims about fuel-efficiency. Are they being honest about it? Are you kidding?! They're doing what companies do -- trying to make their wares look as attractive as possible for the buying public, reality notwithstanding. Tune in later today for our Weekly Top 3, in which we'll highlight three sneaky tactics designed to impress consumers with MPGs while keeping some uncomfortable facts under wraps.
Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com
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- SadButTrue August 1, 2008, 5:30 AM
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- Buying New Cars, Buying Used Cars, Certified Used Cars, Fuel Economy, Leasing
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July 31, 2008
The IRS recently announced that 2009 VW Jetta Sedan and Sportwagen models equipped with TDI engines would be eligible for an Advanced Lean Burn Technology Motor Vehicle income tax credit in the amount of $1300.
This tax credit is similar to what buyers of hybrid vehicles receive, and it speaks volumes as to the relative "greenness" of the new clean diesel technology.
Critics have expressed disappointment with the official EPA 31/41 MPG fuel economy rating, especially after VW hyped the potential for 50 MPG highway economy. As a result of this, VW commissioned a third-party certifier, AMCI, to test the Jetta TDI. AMCI found it performed 24 percent better in real world conditions, achieving 38 MPG in the city and 44 MPG on the highway. Still not 50 MPG, but noticeably better than what the EPA results showed.
Such discrepancies are not unusual for diesels, or even hybrids. The EPA test cycle is optimized for testing conventional gas engines, which clearly have different characteristics than hybrids or diesels. As a consequence, the tests often report inaccurate results that are not indicative of what drivers can expect in the real world.
For the consumer, the $1300 tax credit helps to off-set the price premium of the TDI engine and diesel fuel, further reinforcing the shorter payback period of diesel technology over a hybrid. Not to mention the fun of having 236 lb.-ft. of torque at your beck and call and the rush of power that Prius owners can only dream of.
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- Lee Scott July 31, 2008, 3:00 AM
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- Buying New Cars, Driving, Fuel Economy
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- Clean Diesel, Diesel, Fuel Economy, Hybrid, Jetta, Tax Credit, TDI, VW
July 30, 2008
This Driving Woman is always trying to lose a little weight. But as I hula hoop my way to health on the Wii Fit, I'm also thinking, "What about those folks who have to lose 1,000 pounds... or more?"
People who have leased large trucks and SUVs in the last couple of years are pondering the scale more than ever, as soaring gas prices have made their buff rides look more like aging sumo wrestlers. A lot of folks are "trading down" from their voluptuous vehicles to more trim transportation when they buy a new car. But what if you're stuck in a lease and just can't afford the payments (or the gas) anymore?
There could be a way out that doesn't require paying thousands to the dealer: Lease trading.
Lease trading allows someone to legally take over your lease, and has gained popularity as the Internet has made such transactions easier. Sites like LeaseTrader.com and Swapalease.com, while they operate somewhat differently, will help you get out of your lease for a very reasonable fee.
Despite high gas prices, there are still good reasons your weighty wheels would be appealing to someone "shopping" for a vehicle on these lease trading sites.
- No downpayment required
- Someone who doesn't put a lot of miles on their car each year, or has the dough, may not care about gas prices
- They may really need the cargo or hauling capacity of a truck or SUV
Here's a tip: If you're hot to offload Big Bertha, you should offer a cash incentive to the person assuming the lease. This will lower their effective monthly payment, effectively sweetening the deal.
We recommend thinking hard about whether it makes financial sense to try to get out from under your current lease; the old adage "haste makes waste" is especially appropriate here. But if you decide it's worth a look, all the details are in our article, Get Out of Your Lease the Cheap and Easy Way (http://www.edmunds.com/advice/leasing/articles/47011/article.html).
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- Joanne Helperin July 30, 2008, 4:30 PM
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- Fuel Economy, Leasing
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- Fuel Economy, Gas Prices, Lease Trading
July 24, 2008
Earlier this week, Honda announced that in August it would reduce production of the Odyssey and all-new Pilot at its Lincoln, AL plant. At the same time, they are looking to increase production of the hot selling Civic.
Toyota will idle its Princeton, IN Tundra plant for three-months, starting in August. Sales of the Tundra dropped nearly 53% last month.
Today, Ford will announce that they are going to retool three plants that had been producing SUV's and trucks. Production will shift from Navigators and Expeditions to more fuel efficient smaller cars. Ford is also investigating the possibility of reinventing the Mercury brand as a channel for many of Ford's well-regarded small (and fuel efficient) European models.
Even with the recent drop in oil prices over the last week, it is clear that the cost of energy has had a fundamental impact on both consumers and the industry alike. With the notion of cheap oil likely a thing of the past, you can expect a continued shift to smaller and more fuel efficient vehicles.
It is very expensive to idle a vehicle assembly plant. It is even more expensive to re-tool one. These announced production shifts and plant closures demonstrate that manufacturers believe that the shift to fuel-efficient vehicles is a long-term reality.
Will higher fuel economy be a major influencing factor on your next vehicle purchase?
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- Lee Scott July 24, 2008, 3:00 AM
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- Buying New Cars, Fuel Economy
July 23, 2008
It's not fair, really. Californians are almost always the first to get any new automotive technology. We buy the most cars and have the most stringest emissions regulations, and that combo makes for a great testing ground. That's why Californians can rest assured they will be among the first to get their hands on one of several hundred electric MINIs.
By next summer -- quite likely before the Chevy Volt makes its debut, BMW will conduct a field trial with "real consumers" (read: not celebs). While initially BMW said California would receive the cars, it's not clear right now whether this first batch might go to other states as well. (Here's hoping.)
According to Automotive News, the cars will be built in Oxford, England without engines, gearboxes, or fuel tanks, and shipped to Munich for fitting with electric powetrains, before being sent to the U.S. The following 12-18-month period of "extensive testing" will be used to help BMW refine its technology before bringing the cars to market.
As evidenced by the well-attended 2008 Plug-In Conference, going on now, just about anyone who is anyone is talking about electric cars. Whether you're talking hybrid or hydrogen, though, infrastructure is the main obstacle to success. That's why GM is banding with 30 electric utilities to work on making sure the U.S. can make a smooth transition from petroluem to electricity as a fuel source. (Of course, there's always the question of dirty, coal-powered electricity plants, but that's been labeled an "upstream" problem by the automakers -- not something they can do much about.)
The Conference continues through Thursday, so expect more to come on this hot-button issue. And look forward to the MINI... maybe you'll be one of the fortunate few.
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- Joanne Helperin July 23, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Economy
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- Electric Cars, Emissions Regulations, MINI, Plug-In Conference
July 21, 2008
I'm wading through stop and go traffic in the car with a friend of mine. Every inch forward required a change in gears and my friend -- unable to contain his curiosity -- asks me: "Don't you get tired of driving that thing?"
He's talking about my 16 -year-old Honda Prelude . I've had the car for about 11 years, and the fact that it's a stick shift has never bothered me. I just love the feeling of driving a stick. I'm more concerned with the age of the car and its peeling paint than the nature of its transmission.
But I seem to be in the minority. As I was researching an article I'm working on, I was surprised to hear that manual transmissions make up about two percent of Toyota's total sales. The numbers don't improve much at the other manufacturers, either. My source at Honda said that fewer than ten percent of their cars sold are stick.
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- Ron Montoya July 21, 2008, 2:02 PM
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- Buying New Cars, Driving, Fuel Economy
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- Driving, Manual Transmission, Stick Shift
July 19, 2008
"Let's get right into it," said Tom Loveless, VP of Sales for Kia Motors, at the 2009 Kia Borrego introduction in Cle Elum, Washington, that I attended this week. The Kia Borrego is the company's all-new, midsized, seven-passenger SUV.
"The market is down considerably year after year. The truck-based segment is down and is creating angst in the industry. The reality is, six months into the year and our business is up. In April and May we set all kinds of records. It has been an all-time record quarter."
I'm thinking (as is everyone else in the room). "Four dollars a gallon for gas and the introduction of an oversized truck. What is going on here?"
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- Holly Reich July 19, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Buying New Cars, Driving, Fuel Economy, The Car I Drove Last Night
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- Kia, Kia Borrego, Midsize SUVs
July 18, 2008
Earlier today I argued that MPGs aren't the only thing consumers should be thinking about when they go car-shopping these days. For many people, I suggested, it might be worth paying a little more at the pump for a more enjoyable car. In the spirit of this suggestion, here are two informal top-three lists -- one consisting of fun cars that are still pretty fuel-efficient, and one featuring fuel-efficient cars that are about as much fun to drive as a Zamboni.
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- SadButTrue July 18, 2008, 2:45 PM
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- Buying New Cars, Buying Used Cars, Driving, Fuel Economy
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- Fuel Economy, Gas Prices
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
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- SadButTrue July 18, 2008, 10:22 AM
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- Buying New Cars, Buying Used Cars, Certified Used Cars, Fuel Economy, Leasing
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- Fuel Economy, Gas Prices
July 16, 2008
This morning this Driving Woman attended a Q&A session with Ed Wellburn, GM's vice president, Global Design at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California -- which has graduated many noted automotive designers. The main topic: The globalization of GM's vehicle design.
GM recently announced that a fuel-efficient compact "world car," the Chevrolet Cruze, will replace the Chevy Cobalt. It represents a huge shift for GM, which of course is struggling to survive the sea-change in popular preference for smaller cars that get great fuel economy.
"Times have changed," he said. "If [the pendulum] swings back to larger cars, it's because they're not running on gas, or they drive themselves and can't crash, requiring less front and rear overhang" [which would shave off weight and improve fuel economy.]
The Cruze, Wellburn said, was designed in Korea as a result of an intra-company competition among GM's different design centers around the world.
Admitting that domestic automakers have been focused on large cars for too long, he gave the nod overseas. "Korea, Brazil, Europe understand small cars and how to do them right," he said.
The Cruze will share far more than just a platform/architecture across regions. Practically everything will be identical. While some features may be standard in one country and optional in another, or the available trim levels and colors may differ slightly, it means that a person buying a car in China, India, Europe, and the Americas will be buying the same car. This is a serious engineering challenge, as any world car" will have to meet the highest level of both safety and emissions standards before it can be accepted globally.
For more details on GM's plans, see Michelle Kreb's blog entry about her interview with Bob Lutz.
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- Joanne Helperin July 16, 2008, 8:00 AM
- Categories:
- Buying New Cars, Car Design and Car Shows, Fuel Economy
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- Fuel Economy, Gas Mileage, General Motors, GM, Vehicle Design
July 7, 2008
"A revolutionary family car prototype that gets 63 miles to the gallon, was unveiled today at the North American International Auto Show." Can you guess what year this announcement was made? The answer after the jump.
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- Lee Scott July 7, 2008, 6:54 AM
- Categories:
- Buying New Cars, Driving, Fuel Economy
- Technorati Tags:
- fuel economy, fuel efficiency, gas mileage, oil prices
July 3, 2008
A year ago, gas was averaging about $2.97/gallon. Suppose you could go back in time and buy gas at that price and then use that gas today, by-passing the $4+ gas we are all currently paying. Well, that is what www.mygallons.com promises to do.
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- Lee Scott July 3, 2008, 3:28 AM
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- Fuel Economy
June 26, 2008
It appears that $4/gal gas has done what $3/gal gas couldn't do; change the way Americans drive and buy. The most telling example of this shift is the full-sized pickup truck segment. These perennially best selling vehicles have suddenly become permanent fixtures on many dealer lots. Demand, especially from personal use buyers, has come to a crashing halt...
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- Lee Scott June 26, 2008, 6:44 AM
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- Buying New Cars, Fuel Economy
June 13, 2008
In our recent consumer comparison test, three top economy sedans were tested by six real-world consumers. It was certainly a serendipitous choice of vehicles given sky-rocketing gasoline prices that are changing Americans' buying habits. True enough, last month, the Honda Civic usurped the Ford F-150 of its top-sales crown for the first time since 1991. In other words, trucks are losing, small cars are winning.
But what are the most fuel efficient small sedans? Which compact cars get the best gas mileage? What offers a good mix of fuel economy and power? See the chart below for answers.
The models selected were the base engines for each with an automatic transmission (excluding the Caliber, whose base engine only comes with a manual). I tried to avoid using the curb weights of stripper base models that few dealers order, I also selected the same trim levels used in the consumer comparison test. All fuel economy numbers are EPA estimates, we find that the combined mpg rating is the most accurate predictor of real-world fuel economy. For more information about the cars included, continue reading.
The Power Rank is a power-to-weight ratio achieved by dividing the curb weight of the vehicle with its horsepower. This is a fairly good predictor of acceleration ability. Note how the top and bottom cars on the fuel efficiency list switched, while the Focus moved the least on both rankings.
James Riswick, Automotive Editor
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- JRiz June 13, 2008, 4:00 AM
- Categories:
- Buying New Cars, Fuel Economy
June 6, 2008
Gas prices too high to take a road trip this summer?
When gas prices first shot up back in 2005 I looked at what it cost to take a vacation in that current year versus the previous few years. Surprisingly, the difference was about the cost of a meal in a restaurant. With the help of our awesome data department, I checked today's road trip versus the (not-so-low) prices of last summer. Now it's about the price of a night in a hotel...
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- Philip Reed June 6, 2008, 2:25 PM
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- Fuel Economy
June 5, 2008
For the first time since 1991, the Ford F-Series is not the nation’s best selling vehicle. Last month, that honor went to the Honda Civic. With gas prices at an all time high, it is not a surprise.
The entire truck and SUV segments have seen a sales crash, not unlike what we have seen in the housing market...
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- Lee Scott June 5, 2008, 6:08 AM
- Categories:
- Buying New Cars, Buying Used Cars, Fuel Economy, Selling cars
May 15, 2008
On
Tuesday I talked about how various factors can influence your monthly vehicle cost and to think about this when you are choosing a vehicle. Often times, however, the vehicle we like the best isn't the least expensive choice. Have you ever thought about how much of a monthly price difference would make you look past your number one pick and go to a different vehicle? Could such differences make you consider some vehicles and cross others off your list? Can there really be that big of a difference in the monthly cost of comparable vehicles?
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- Lee Scott May 15, 2008, 5:12 AM
- Categories:
- Buying New Cars, Financing, Fuel Economy, Leasing
May 13, 2008
When shopping for a vehicle, most people tend to buy the most vehicle that they can afford, w
