Gas Mileage and Gas Prices » fuel economy

Top 3 Cars With The Best Gas Mileage In 2008

Fuel Economy Advisor — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 04:33:38 +0000

With gas prices in constant flux everyone shopping for a new car is very cognizant of the gas mileage of the vehicles they are looking at. Car manufacturers themselves have also become very concerned with this and as such have begun developing cars specifically to meet this need. In 2008 three cars stood out from the rest and earned the reputation as the vehicles with the best gas mileage.

The standout car for the year was the 2008 Toyota Prius. This car posted some amazing numbers and was by far and away the leader of all vehicles in all classes. It is classified as a mid sized car which puts it above the small compacts and below the full size vehicles. Still it has enough room to sit four people comfortably and put something in the trunk. The mileage rating on this vehicle is a tremendous 48 miles per gallon city and 45 mile per gallon highway. The big draw back on this car is the price and the availability. If you can find one at sticker price though they are by far the best deal going.

The runner up for the best gas mileage is the 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid. This vehicle is significantly smaller than the Prius and has worse fuel economy, although not by much. This vehicle gets 40 miles per gallon in the city and 45 mile per gallon on the highway. While the city numbers are significantly less, the highway numbers stay right with the Prius. One selling point in favor of the Civic is the fact that the actual vehicle is based around a car that has been in production for some time. All the kinks have been worked out of the Civic line and it makes this car very accessible.

The last vehicle that can be counted as won of the winners is the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid. While the fuel economy is not anywhere near the mid size and compact cars it does offer a significant space upgrade over the other vehicles. The gas mileage on the Escape Hybrid is better than most mini compact and subcompact cars so it really is an achievement. This car comes in with gas mileage of 34 city and 30 highway, highly respectable for a vehicle with this much room.

The Philly Car Show; 2009 Philadelphia Auto Show Begins

Fuel Economy Advisor — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 18:33:51 +0000

The 2009 Philadelphia Auto Show starts today, January 31, and runs until February 8, 2009 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Besides all the cool cars and autos from around the world which will be presented at the Philly Car Show, they’ve also got some great events going on.

They’ve got a whole list of really cool Green Technology Cars they’re going to be spotlighting over the course of the next week:

Cadillac — Escalade

Chevrolet — Tahoe

Chrysler — Aspen Hybrid

Ford — 2010 Fusion Hybrid

Lexus — RX 400h

Mercury — 2010 Milan Hybrid

Toyota — Camry

Toyota — Highlander

Volkswagen — Jetta TDI Sedan

Perhaps the most surpirsing on that list is the gigantic Cadillac Escalade SUV! Who ever thought a huge SUV would be discussed in the same breath as fuel economy? But Cadillac says the new Escalade Hybrid will deliver more than a 50-percent improvement in fuel economy in city driving with its new fuel-saving 2-Mode Hybrid system. It’s still only listing at 20 MPG, but hey, that’s alot better than the miles per gallon the regular version gets! Since its pricetag is starting at over $70,000, though, you’re probably not worrying about saving a few bucks on gas if you buy it …

How Hybrid Cars Produce Better Gas Mileage

Fuel Economy Advisor — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:16:10 +0000

The computerized Hybrid vehicles detect when to alternate the power from gas to electric. Your benefits are cost effective in fuel or gas, and using a rechargeable battery. In addition, there is less emission produce in hybrid cars opposed to conventional automobiles, which is better for the environment and the economy. Depending on the economy it may produce more jobs having more hybrids in production. It seems that hybrids are here to stay being that it is low cost and easy to maintain.

Hybrid cars have better gas mileage, as it uses both the engine and motor it converts gas to energy and it automatically stores in the rechargeable battery. When you completely brake or make a full stop using the brakes the Hybrid car recreates energy into electricity storing it in the battery. Like any other car the engine and motor forces the vehicle to move forward, backward and so forth. While cruising in the hybrid car the engine shuts down and the battery does all the work saving you a whole lot of fuel.

If you purchased a Hybrid after December 31, 2005 you may qualify for a tax break up to $3,400, so ask your accountant or tax professional for more information.

Rising Gas Prices: Fuel Economy and Your Next Car Purchase?

Fuel Economy Advisor — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:31:13 +0000

The Associated Press reported that oil prices fell Tuesday as fresh signs of a deepening U.S. recession trumped tensions in the Middle East and worries over natural gas shortages in Europe. Light, sweet crude for February delivery fell 23 cents, to $48.58 a barrel, in trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

The five-month slide in gasoline prices has come to an abrupt halt, with gasoline rising by several cents in recent days amid indicators that the national average could jump to $2 a gallon or higher this spring.

So we’re facing rising gas prices — how does that impact new car purchases, specifically hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles?

Automotive analysts expect consumers, who are still wary over the shaky state of the economy, to buy between 10 million and 12.4 million new cars and trucks in 2009. That’s down substantially from the 16.7 million in annual sales the industry has averaged over the past decade. And it’s even lower than the dismal 13 million or so in sales expected for 2008.

So the question is, at what point does fuel economy and better gas mileage become an issue again? A lot of consumers have simply stopped purchasing new cars due to the poor economy. Once car sales begin to pick up, though, it will be a new market out there. Consumers will want cars which get better gas mileage and more miles to the gallon. Next years answer may come from Ford:

The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, and its twin, the 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid, are mid-to-full-size sedans that seat five in surprising comfort and offer a full-size trunk measuring around 12 cubic feet. They measure 190.6 inches and weigh a goodly 3,720 pounds. The gas-electric output is 191 horsepower and 0-60 mph acceleration is under 9 seconds.

With the cost of gas increasing to $2 in the next few months, more and more consumers will take another look at hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles.

Nationwide Gas Prices Fall; Drivers Still Drive Less

Fuel Economy Advisor — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 03:42:37 +0000

I don’t think it’s news to anyone that gas prices are continuing to fall. Even though we thought the end of the gas price decline was near, it appears prices won’t be going back up anytime soon.

What is news, however, is that Americans are driving less than they were when gas prices were high. The Business Courier reported today that the U.S. Department of Transportation found Americans drove 100 billion fewer miles between November 2007 and October 2008, even after gas prices began to fall.

100 billion fewer miles. That’s a lot of not driving, although it may shed even more light on the declining gas prices. As oil prices by the barrel continue to drop, we have to consider the fact that less people driving means less demand, which always leads to lower prices.

Some of this has to do with a change in behavior for American drivers. Perhaps they’re going Green and just don’t want to burn more fuel, maybe they’re unemployed, maybe they’re exercising more, or perhaps it simply is a fact that Americans don’t drive as much as they used to.

Whatever the reason, the result is clear: fuel prices dropping to below $1.50 in many parts of the country. Which also means less fuel tax income for state highway departments, which means less money to fix roads and infrastructure. So you may be paying for that cheap tank of gas next year when your state has to raise taxes to fix all the potholes.

Driving to Thanksgiving Dinner is Different This Year

Fuel Economy Advisor — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 14:21:50 +0000

The good news this Thanksgiving for commuters is gas prices are down. But even though gas prices are down, cut in half since the summer, fewer Americans will be on the roads driving to Thanksgiving Dinner this year.

CBS News reports: Nationally, the AAA says 41 million Americans were expected to travel more than 50 miles for the holiday, down about 1.5 percent, or 600,000 people, from Thanksgiving last year. Of those, about 4.5 million are expected to fly, down about 7 percent from last year, while around 33.2 million will drive, a decrease of about 1 percent.

It is the first decrease in holiday travel nationally since 2002, and the largest since the Thanksgiving that followed the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

The real bad news is a 7% drop isn’t really enough to notice when you’re actually on the road, especially if you’re stuck in traffic this year. That’s about a half a car every 5 not on the road from last year; and if you’re stuck in between 5 cars going 10 mph are you going to notice that half a car missing? I guess it will be worth it, since you’ll know you’re spending about $1 less per gallon on gas than you were last year!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Cars with the Best Gas Mileage Tested

Fuel Economy Advisor — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:56:55 +0000

Cars.com announced yesterday the results of it’s gas mileage car tests, and the results are interesting. The cars tested were:

2008 Ford Focus SES sedan: 2.0-liter four-cylinder, five-speed manual; 24/35 mpg city/highway (28 mpg combined)
2009 Honda Civic EX-L sedan: 1.8-liter four-cylinder, five-speed auto; 25/36 mpg city/highway (29 mpg combined)
2009 Pontiac G5 XFE coupe: 2.2-liter four-cylinder, five-speed manual; 25/37 mpg city/highway (30 mpg combined)
2009 Toyota Corolla XLE sedan: 1.8-liter four-cylinder, four-speed auto; 27/35 mpg city/highway (30 mpg combined)

They fueled all 4 cars up at the same pump, then took them on a 300 mile test drive. Here’s the gas mileage results:

2009 Toyota Corolla XLE sedan: 36.4 mpg
2009 Honda Civic EX-L sedan: 34.6 mpg
2009 Pontiac G5 XFE coupe: 33.1 mpg
2008 Ford Focus SES sedan: 31.0 mpg

I’m not too surprised that the Corolla performed well, as Toyotas are known for their gas mileage. In fact I’m not surprised that the Japanese cars ranked better overall. But I am surprised that the Ford Focus did so poorly, not even reaching its advertised highway MPG. 31 mpg is nothing to sneeze at, but considering the compromises Ford made to make the Focus (small, smaller engine, less features) it makes it a much less attractive car purchase.

Gas Prices Tumble Again; Gas is Cheap again!

Fuel Economy Advisor — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 19:55:51 +0000

Gas prices are falling all over the country. Here is just a sample of some of today’s headlines from different states:

Drivers pleasantly surprised by $1.99 gas prices from Illinois
Gas prices take another big drop from Los Angeles
Hawaii gas prices nearing a year ago’s levels – from Hawaii
Gas prices hit 2008 low in state from Colorado
Gas Prices Drop Rapidly Around Greene County from Tennessee

Gas prices are dropping everywhere across the country, and it’s all due to the dropping price on oil due to recession fears. The AP reports oil is down to $60/barrel, and they are attributing this to the decrease in demand for energy. This seems to be a predictable side effect of a slowing economy.

Unemployment is up and retail sales are down, and these factors definitely impact the price of oil. As oil prices come down, expect gas prices to continue to drop - some expect them under $2/gallon by the end of 2008.

Oil Changes, Gas Prices, AC: Better Gas Mileage Answers

Fuel Economy Advisor — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:52:27 +0000

Today I decided to run a question and answer type of blog post, since I read this one over on Mercury News which answered some great questions as to why gas stations of the same brand sell gas at different prices.

By the way, it’s because every gas station gets their gas from different suppliers or zones. Those and other factors can mean a gas station of the same brand a few miles apart can still have different gas prices.

Q. Does an Oil Change Help Fuel Economy?

A. Yes, it definitely can. You will certainly get better gas mileage with clean oil than with dirty oil. As with just about any other type of maintenance you can perform on your car, the less you service it the more work your car’s engine has to do. Running oil clean is not only healthy for your engine, it also makes it run better and more smooth, which translates to better gas mileage for you.

Also consider using synthetic oil, rather than petroleum oil. I’ve seen lab tests state that you can gain as much as a 5% to 7% increase in gas mileage with synthetic oil. It can be a bit more expensive, but may be worth it in the long run.

Now this doesn’t mean go changing your oil every thousand miles just to get better gas mileage; it’s not worth it if you spend a fortune in oil. I would suggest an oil change every 5,000 miles for petroleum oil and every 10,000 for synthetic. Modern autos can probably run fine for more miles than that without an oil change, but those are good guidelines to follow for better gas mileage.

Q. Does Removing the AC in a Vehicle Help Gas Mileage?

A. Technically, yes, but for the same reason not turning your AC on will help gas mileage. Running your car’s AC puts an increased load on your car’s engine, which in turn uses more gas. You will usually get less power and poor gas mileage out of a car with the AC running. But that doesn’t mean you have to remove the entire AC system from the car. Just don’t turn it on!

Related Blogs

Do You Really Need an Oil Change Every 3000 Miles?

Simple Maintenance Tips to Increase Fuel Economy

Fuel Economy Advisor — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:14:21 +0000

Increasing your gas mileage can be easy when you follow these tips to maintain the optimum performance in your engine, which can reduce fuel consumption and save money on gas.

Make sure the vehicle has properly inflated tires. When the tires are balanced and inflated the vehicle is able to drive efficiently. If even one of the tires is deflated it can decrease the gas mileage of the vehicle by up to five percent! As easy as it is to stop after filling up the vehicle and check the tire pressure of the vehicle most people don’t bother. This is one of the easiest ways to maintain the vehicle and increase gas mileage. Check the manual that comes with the vehicle to see what pressure the tires should be at for optimal performance.

Is your air filter clogged? If it is, than you could be increasing the fuel consumption of your vehicle by up to fifteen percent – the air filter should be checked every twelve thousand miles to ensure proper function. After this amount of time it will more than likely need to be changed, as they become clogged. Many times when you bring the vehicle in for an oil change they will check the air filter as well.

Ensuring that all spark plugs within the vehicle are in working order means increased fuel efficiency. If even one component of the vehicle is not working properly it causes the engine to have to work harder. What does it mean when the engine has to work harder? When the engine works harder it uses more fuel, which can increase consumption and decrease gas mileage.

Maintaining simple and regular oil changes will reduce friction within the engine, thereby increasing the fuel efficiency within the vehicle. As the oil ages it becomes less slippery and can increase friction within the engine. The reason oil is used within the vehicle is to maintain a smooth ride, decrease the friction and create a well-running engine.

Using these tips can increase your gas mileage through the use of simple maintenance techniques created that will extend the life of the vehicle, maintain optimal running performance and save money on gas. After all – with gas prices at the levels they are at, we can all use a break at the pumps!