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Green On The Outside? Five Small Cars With Poor Gas Mileage Page 2

 
4,512 views Jun 6, 2012
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2012 Volkswagen Golf R

2012 Volkswagen Golf R

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2012 Volkswagen Golf R

2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, six-speed manual
19/27 mpg, 22 mpg combined

Volkswagen has been known for many years for its green-minded diesel VW Golf variants. But with a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, the 2012 Volkswagen Golf R is as far from eco-driving as the Golf brand gets. 

With all-wheel drive, this particular Golf is built with performance firmly put before anything else. That’s reflected with a 5.9-second 0-60 mph time, tightened handling and sportier wheels. Inside, it looks, and feels, like a regular Golf, giving it a real everyday appeal. 


Though it has all of the usual features you’d expect of a Golf, its performance-oriented engine is shockingly thirsty, which can dampen some of the enthusiasm.


Nissan Sentra SE-R Goes R/C Drifting For Canadian commercial

Nissan Sentra SE-R Goes R/C Drifting For Canadian commercial

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2012 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V

2.5-liter four-cylinder, six-speed manual
21/28 mpg, 24 mpg combined

Just like some of the other cars we’ve listed, the sporty 2012 Nissan Sentra SE-R-Spec V might give you quick acceleration times, but those come at the expense of gas mileage.

In its 2.0-liter form, the humble Nissan Sentra can manage 30 mpg combined. Add a larger, 2.5-liter engine, give it some sporty tuning, and it struggles to reach 24 mpg combined. 

We can’t think of anything else to say about the Sentra SE-R Spec V, only to note with amusement that while it has 60 more horsepower than the base-level 2012 Sentra, its 180 pound-feet of torque is no match for the 207 pound-feet produced by Nissan’s cleanest car, the 2012 Nissan Leaf.


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Comments (15)

  1. fb_1001015277 avatar John Briggs Posted: 6/6/2012 7:41am PDT

    These are some shockingly inefficient vehicles that serve no one's interest.
     
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  2. fb_535830066 avatar Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Posted: 6/6/2012 8:17am PDT

    I'd disagree. There are some buyers -- even though they probably don't read this site -- that would love to own any of the five listed.

    Remember, diversity is a good thing ;)
     
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  3. fb_82100996 avatar Richard Shanks Posted: 6/6/2012 8:50am PDT

    These are all sport models. What a dumb article. Grab the clue phone, Nikki, it’s ringing for you.
     
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  4. MartinKB avatar Martin Brown Posted: 6/6/2012 11:26am PDT

    Rich is right, this article is pure drivel. These are sports cars. Duh!
     
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  5. fb_1355610045 avatar Michael Cristoferi Posted: 6/6/2012 11:28am PDT

    as an owner or a 2011 WRX I cansay that while fuel economy sucks it's 100% due to me. if I stay out of boost and drive the car much less aggresively I can easily get 25-28 MPG. But I bought a performance car so I can track it on the weekend and still manage my day to day activities and have a good winter vehicle.
     
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  6. fb_185008699 avatar Mark Limbach Posted: 6/6/2012 4:22pm PDT

    The information on the Impreza is almost completely incorrect. There is no 2.4L Subaru engine. The 2012 Impreza is only available with a 2.0L engine that gets 36 with the CVT and 34 with the 6pd. Manual. The WRX & STi variants have a 2.5L turbocharged engine that is NOT available with the CVT and are on a completely different platform, with a completely different body. Somebody should fire this writer.
     
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  7. fb_185008699 avatar Mark Limbach Posted: 6/7/2012 6:55am PDT

    Perhaps I was a bit hot with the firing comment. Thank you for correcting the article.
     
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  8. Keith C avatar Keith Crimen Posted: 6/7/2012 7:36am PDT

    It appears many people are missing the entire point of the article. These are all small cars with 4 cylinder engines that one would assume would get good gas mileage, but don't, plain and simple. To say these appeal to no one is extremely narrow minded, not everyone want 100 horsepower to get from point A to point B, some people enjoy DRIVING. It's also extremely incorrect to classify all of thes as spotscars, only the Lancer & Subaru because of their rally car pedigree car close to this distinction, but a Nissan Sentra, a Volkswagon Golf? Some people need to get out more often if this is your idea of a sportscar.
     
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  9. fb_100002441833924 avatar George Parrott Posted: 6/7/2012 7:38am PDT

    Nikki, John B.,

    Small does not HAVE to mean economical to drive. As was noted, these ARE performance cars, and IF they are driven carefully some will even see 30+ MPG, but when these drivers want to get up to freeway speed....WOW!

    Perhaps a more honest headline might have been something like "Quickest Compacts" or "Adrenaline Thrills Under $40K.". We used to call these cars "pocket rockets," and though they are not environmentally that sensitive, they are cheap thrills to the endorphine junkie.
     
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  10. fb_599454693 avatar Jan Durzynski Posted: 6/7/2012 7:52am PDT

    Cheap for a loaded professor maybe :-) The EVO costs technically more than the LEAF.
     
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  11. fb_100002441833924 avatar George Parrott Posted: 6/7/2012 11:00am PDT

    "Cheap" compared to other alternatives to do 0 to 60 in the 4 second range and turn the quarter mile in the 13s with cornering grip above .9 g. There are few options to this level of overall performance at less than $40,000.

    But as a "rich professor" the Nissan GTR would be my thrill ride. 8- )
     
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  12. fb_599454693 avatar Jan Durzynski Posted: 6/7/2012 7:49am PDT

    I wouldn't trade my LEAF for an EVO right now but I'd love to own it someday (followed by Subaru WRX) no matter the mileage. I know changes are coming but a diesel hybrid in the US??? I have to look into that but I honestly doubt it...
     
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  13. fb_7008652 avatar Skip Carleton Posted: 6/7/2012 10:40am PDT

    Subaru impreza isnt offered with a 6 speed. Only 5 speed. This is what i own

    2012 2.0I 5 speed MPG hover around the 28-31 area
     
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  14. fb_1269742240 avatar Cal Marsh Posted: 6/7/2012 1:35pm PDT

    Im glad you made corrections to this article. And can you please change that picture of the impreza that is NOT a wrx i wanna throw up. And Mr. Briggs the Evo and the WRX do serve a purpose they are awd rally cars. These are all performance cars and not marketed as "gas savers" no grandma is driving a evo unless she was just clueless and paid 40k for a car she has no clue about. 4 cylinder Turbo AWD FTW! The Mazda and the VW are fail mobiles so feel free to slander.
     
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  15. jeffhre avatar Jeff Hre Posted: 6/8/2012 11:16am PDT

    Title of the article could have been. Low cost alternatives to supercars like the McLaren MP4-12C that could save tons of gas.
     
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