More car buyers eyeing gas mileage

[xcel]

With gas prices at $3.22 cents a gallon for regular unleaded in L.A., many people are thinking about buying a new car with better gas mileage. Get a closer look at what's on the market for 2008.

Dave Kunz – ABC7 LA – Dec. 28, 2007

2008 FEH at 34/30 city/highway is not only the most fuel efficient SUV available, it is reasonably priced starting at $25,075. -- Ed.

As high pump prices keep taking a toll on consumers' budgets, more people are saying they want more efficiency in their next new car purchase.

Forty-four percent of buyers have either changed their mind on the vehicle they are buying, or would consider changing their mind, based on fuel economy," said Kelley Blue Book editor Micah Muzio.

The team at Kelley Blue Book showed Eyewitness News the top miles-per-gallon vehicles in seven different categories.

For sedans, there was no surprise, as the Toyota Prius Hybrid leads the pack (48 mpg city/45 hwy.). If a wagon is in your car buying plans, the compact Toyota Matrix and its mechanical twin, the Pontiac Vibe, are both rated well (26 mpg city/33 hwy.).

"Regardless of what class of vehicle you are looking in, there's an economical choice for the consumer to consider," said Muzio.

Convertibles can be fun -- and miserly with fuel, too. The Mini Cooper Convertible (27 mpg city/35 hwy.) wins this category. But that's with the standard manual transmission. If you want an automatic, you lose one mile per gallon in the city, and two on the highway.

For SUVs, the top one is actually the top three -- the Ford Escape Hybrid, Mercury Mariner Hybrid, and new Mazda Escape Hybrid. They are all mechanically identical in two wheel drive form (34 mpg city/30 hwy.)… [Read More]

[koreberg]

Wish someone would make a 7 seater minivan with a hybrid motor. At this point cylinder deactivation is my only choice for improved FE. Maybe someone will bring back the rear facing seats for car, and put them in the FEH oor MMH.

[phoebeisis]

Koreberg,
You have probably eyeballed the Mazda 5.I think it is much like the Euro Zafira-6 passenger European type mini-minivan.Unfortunately,the 4 cyl spark Mazda engine only gets 16 mpg in CRs city loop(12mpg Odyssey) and 31 mpg hy loop vs 28 mpg.Many folks would look at these numbers and go with the Odyssey.They would give up 3 mpg to get 20 inches more cargo volume.A good TDI would boost both their hy mpg by 25%(roughly 40 mpg and 35 mpg)-a heck of a lot of fuel saved.
Honda is probably right to go Diesel.If the HH is any indication, then a 6 cyl Hybrid spark motored minivan would be a clear "miss."The Sprinter is said to get 24mpg hy despite having a very tall profile(and being heavy to very heavy).I could see an Odyssey bettering it by 50% on the highway.
The Odyssey must be pretty clean to get 28 mpg.It might be better with a TDI than a hybrid spark-unless they would use a small 4cyl-which they probably won't-for now.$8 gas-different story.We would be fine with a Mazda 5 sized minivan if it dug into our pockets that deeply.
The change to smaller vehicles is "on".Take a look at 1/2 ton sales-or lack of sales.Look at the pleading ads,"$8000 off MSRP all 2007 Tundras in stock.".They tell it all.The local dealers are offering $8000-$10,000 off Titans.These aren't BS offers with inflated prices-you can buy a V-8 Doublecab Tundra for $20,995- 3 years ago $28,000 was a great deal on the older model Tundra DC(much smaller,and cheaper vehicle-4 speed auto vs 5 speed auto etc)
Thanks,
Charlie

[Pravus Prime]

Originally Posted by abc7

Mazda Escape Hybrid

The what? I've heard of the Ford Escape Hybrid and the Mazda Tribute Hybrid... Laughably, the print and the audio are wrong, yet the label on the screen during the video is right.

Funny how Fuel Economy is rated below cup holders in importance surveys, yet there's very seldom an article about cup holders in the news.