The 10 most fuel-efficient new automobiles available in America

10 most fuel wasteful.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9549

11011011

 

The 2008 Ford Focus manual isn't too bad, 24 / 34. I test drove one and obtained 36 for a mixed test drive. I did not know about hypermiling yet. What took it off my list for a potential car was that the dealer could not find one with optional ABS for the top end model, but they did have them with the ambient lighting package that cost almost as much. Oh, the spare tire was optional too. The dealer said they just give you a can of Fix-A-Flat if you dont buy the option. Just imagining a flat on a deserted road, opening the trunk and only finding a can...

 

How did you measure the FE? Is there a built in display?

 

The Focus I drove had a text display at the top of the dash that could be reset for the trip. It also had Microsoft SYNC, a really nice feature. I am not sure if the trip FE is part of that package or standard for all versions.

 

I average over 40mpg without any hypermiling techniques...and my car is not listed in the top ten. I don't understand it.
Here is a log of this years fill ups.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/417256/thread/1210799602/40mpg+is+possible+in+a+family+car

 

I believe it is for new cars. I have an 06 TDI and I get over 40 also. so far there are no new TDI''s for 08.

 

The new Jetta TDI is 99% likely to be model-year 2009, coming either late summer or early fall. Some dealers have one on their lot now, but only for test-driving purposes. Most dealers should be in that situation by next month (June). I think the car is about a year behind schedule at this point (originally had been intended for late calendar year 2007, I think).

I'm glad I got my '06 when I did, but I'm really curious to see whether the EPA fuel economy ratings will go up or down. It'll have a 2.0-liter 140-hp engine if I recall, compared to a 1.9-liter 105-hp engine in the '06, so you'd expect fuel economy to go down. But, they're using a common-rail fuel system which allows for a lot of flexibility regarding when and how much fuel goes into the cylinder (up to five distinct injections per combustion cycle), so it could have some pretty big improvements.

Well, enough of that tangent...

 

Do you know what band width the o2 sensors operate on?Narrow or wide?

 

I hate modern cars because they have too much safety requirements and they have to make them 5 star rated tanks. Even the small cars stink when a FIT M/T can barely break 40 mpg nonhypermiled.

And Prius's are expensive! I'd like a $16,000 brand new car that can easily do 45 mpg weekly tanks nonhypermiled. Honda can do this if they downsize and improve the Civic.

 

lyekka I now owen a 2008 focus after about a month of research i bought one
the display is not avalible on the s model standerd on se and ses
sync is standard on ses optional on se, for 400 bucks it is nice but that is alot of money for it. It is really cool though.
i have been able to beat the epa ratings dispite the trips with the wife and air on full power
almost 35mpg
even with a few sprited runs in the over 75 mph it gets better than 33mpg.
it is a 5 speed 2dr and with the price of gas my wife wants to go in it instead of her new Edge which she loves but hates putting gas in wow that was some run on sentance.
The taurus at 23mpg was not good enough for me the new focus lowered my payment 55$ cut my gas use by 35% about 130$ per month talk about win win. It didn't make the top 10 but it is #1 to me.

 

I heard a local radio advertisement that compared a new Suzuki SX4 with a new Prius. They made the case that with the new SX4's initial cost of $7,000 less than the Pruis, and that taking into account their respective EPA fuel mileage ratings, that [based on annual fuel costs and on driving an average of 15,000 miles per year] it would take 17 years to make up the difference in initial cost. That was an eye opener. Can anyone here argue this claim?

Mike

 

I think the idea here is to use less fuel
or lets take your example too the extreem
by one FSP 500.00 thats less then the tax on either of your examples
25,000-500= 24500
24500/4.25 per gaolon 5764.5 gallon of gas
5700 x 12mpg =68,000 miles or about 5 years
oh lower insurance and taxes and forgot to and the preuis gas
no intrest payments
but if everyone thought this was gas would be $12 a gallon

 

I thought the Honda Fit was comparable to the Toyota Yaris in fuel economy. I also figured that the Honda Civic was comparable to the Toyota Corolla, for the same reason. What about these small unusual electric cars, aside from the Tesla that I heard about ?

 

It really is a shame that General Motors doesn't have a small car with good fuel economy. The Consumer Reports ratings for the Chevrolet Aveo, Cobalt, and the Saturn Ion were poor in comparison to this web site's top ten list of fuel efficient cars.

 

Willing to bet you lose $7k in depreciation on the Suzuki in less than 5 years.

It's all about TCO, the Prius is just about the best (for a *new* car).

The numbers tip in the Prius' favor very quickly as miles per year increases.

 

I have a couple of comments about including BMW's Mini convertable.

First, all Minis require premium gasoline. While some "premium" cars can stomach regular, I've heard that the Minis can take it perhaps every other tank. But that's heresay.

But, the premium hit was not figured in, and driving a Mini on regular is likely to get lower than EPA numbers. Surely it could not achieve the same yearly fuel cost as the Yaris?

Second, the 5 speed manual Mini convertable is only rated at 27.5 combined (on premium gas). The auto only gets 26. This makes the current annual fuel cost somewhere between $2298 and $2388 (according to fueleconomy.gov).

 

Since February of this year I am averaging 44 mpg in the Smart Fortwo. A low MPG rating of 38 and a high of 54 (with some hypermiling techniques) and I fill-up every 3 days with about 7-8 gallons of premium. But, the gas savings alone are making the car payment on the little car which I enjoy driving.