Fuel Efficiency
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The Mitsubishi Mirage is the underdog of small cars: slow, loud, and archaic, but scrappy. And it's been a much bigger sales success than Mitsubishi expected, given the small numbers of minicars and subcompacts sold in the U.S. these days. For 2017, Mitsubishi added a four-door sedan model dubbed G4 to the existing five-door hatchback, and gave both of them a slew of upgrades. DON'T MISS: 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage - full review After spending four days and almost 300 miles with a 2017 Mirage G4 SE model, we conclude that the Mirage is still one of the lowest-ranked cars among subcompacts...
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Fuel-economy rules not the cause of rising auto prices: analysisAutomakers are wrongfully blaming fuel-economy rules for increased prices, analysts argue.
Stephen Edelstein -
Flurry of green-car rules as Obama administration departs
Obama administration officials are working to expedite new automotive regulations.
Stephen Edelstein -
EU fuel-economy ratings move further from reality; Mercedes tops offender list
Some Mercedes-Benz models return 50-percent lower fuel economy than EU ratings, according to a new study.
Stephen Edelstein -
NHTSA delays penalty rise for carmakers who miss CAFE levels
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will delay implementation of higher penalties for automakers that don't meet fuel-economy standards.
Stephen Edelstein -
Diesel cars can save you money, but only a few diesel trucks do: analysis
A new study finds certain diesel vehicles can save consumers money, but not all of them.
Stephen Edelstein -
The 2017 Toyota Prius Prime turned out to be a better plug-in hybrid than we had expected when we drove it around sunny Ojai, California, on the press launch in October. It's a viable competitor to the second-generation Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid, though the Volt has an EPA-rated 53 miles of electric range to the Prime's 25 miles. Now we've had a chance to test the Prius Prime in real-world use and less temperate climes, and its virtues largely held up. DON'T MISS: 2017 Toyota Prius Prime: first drive of new plug-in hybrid We covered 279 miles on our usual test route, consisting of about...
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Best deals on hybrid, electric, fuel-efficient cars for December 2016
These are the best deals on green cars for December 2016.
Stephen Edelstein -
Chevrolet Cruze Diesel prices released, from $24,670 up (update)
The 2017 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel sedan will start at $24,670 when it goes on sale next year.
Stephen Edelstein -
Automaker lobbyists fail to overturn EPA emission rules
A week ago, the EPA recommended that U.S. vehicle emission standards stay put for the years 2022 through 2025. According to the Technical Assessment Report the agency issued in July, automakers have so far quite successfully met standards in place since 2012 to cut emissions of the climate-change...
John Voelcker -
GM debuts 9-speed automatic, offering 2-percent efficiency improvement
General Motors will debut a new 9-speed automatic transmission in Chevrolet models.
Stephen Edelstein -
Ford will ask Trump to cut fuel-economy rules, CEO says; 'no demand' for hybrid, electric cars
Ford will ask President-elect Donald Trump to lower fuel-economy standards, CEO Mark Fields said in a recent interview.
Stephen Edelstein -
Automakers want less-strict CAFE standards, but the regularly beat the current ones.
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EPA keeps car-emission rules to 2025; what happens under Trump?
Two days ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a ruling that existing limits on tailpipe emissions of carbon dioxide for 2022 through 2025 should remain in place. The EPA's carbon limits correspond exactly to NHTSA standards for corporate average fuel economy, and the EPA decision...
John Voelcker -
2018 Ford Fiesta minicar unveiled in Europe; U.S. plans unclear
The next-generation Ford Fiesta was unveiled in Europe earlier this week.
Stephen Edelstein -
EPA decides to maintain vehicle emission limits through 2025
The EPA plans to maintain current fuel-economy standards through 2025.
Stephen Edelstein -
Smart ForTwo minicar: 15 years later, has it made a difference?
Minimal cars are often an appealing idea: why should one person drive a two-ton vehicle with five or more seats on local journeys of 10 miles or fewer? Then there's the crushingly difficult parking in major European, Asian, and North American cities. Add to that, perhaps, a desire for minimal use...
John Voelcker -
Hatchback renaissance: are they seen as utility vehicles now?
Honda predicts steady growth in the compact hatchback segment.
Stephen Edelstein -
Fiat will reportedly slash prices on certain 500 models.
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Hyundai Ioniq Electric beats Prius Prime, BMW i3 on energy efficiency
The Hyundai Ioniq Electric is now the most energy-efficient car available in the U.S.
Stephen Edelstein -
Start-stop systems to soar in number over next decade
Start-stop systems will continue to proliferate over the next decade, analysts say.
Stephen Edelstein -
EPA gas-mileage labels accurate, helpful, unlike 2005: Consumer Reports
Car buyers remain aware that the real-world fuel economy of new vehicles may not match the ratings on their window stickers. The year-old Volkswagen diesel scandal has also shown the vulnerability of laboratory emissions tests to deliberate cheating by manufacturers. But the news isn't entirely...
Stephen Edelstein -
Best deals on hybrid, electric, fuel-efficient cars for November 2016
These are the best deals on green cars for November 2016.
Stephen Edelstein -
Are you driving a car, a crossover, an SUV, or a truck? Do you care?
Automakers are taking advantage of the fact that the EPA has no clear definition for crossover utility vehicles.
Stephen Edelstein
