Fuel Efficiency

Electrification is becoming an increasingly important factor in improving the fuel efficiency of vehicles. Cars like the Toyota Prius hybrid made it mainstream, but there are varying degrees to which batteries can be used for saving fuel. MUST SEE: Elio 84-MPG Three-Wheel Prototype: Driven In...

Lots of people want practical vehicles to haul families and their goods around, and increasingly small and fuel-efficient diesel engines are an option--albeit often an expensive one. We've tested several diesel SUVs and crossover utility vehicles lately. But last weekend, we got a chance to test...

You read a lot about hybrids and electric cars these days, but fuel-efficient diesel engines will be coming in certain classes of cars this year and in the future. The most recent crop of diesel launches has been in the crossover utility vehicle class, of which we've now driven three different...

It's not uncommon for small cars to get 40 mpg these days, or hybrids to hit 50 mpg. But vehicles doing more than that are conspicuous by their absence. Elio Motors claims its three-wheeled car does 84 mpg on the highway, far exceeding that of any car on sale. ALSO SEE: Why Tesla's Elon Musk Must...

MINIs aren't really Mini any more, but modern safety, comfort and equipment standards mean we'll never have a car quite as small as the original Mini ever again. That, and relentless niche-filling from parent company BMW means the car must be hugely profitable--something the classic car never...

Many people approach car shopping in the U.S. looking for the largest, most luxurious vehicle they can afford, from the best brand possible. Still, at least a handful of shoppers are more focused on basic transportation--and a vehicle they know they can afford. My daughter Priscilla falls into the...

The new 2015 Subaru Legacy is a stealth car: Other drivers may not pay it much attention, but it's sneaking up on the high-volume vehicles in the ultra-competitive mid-size sedan segment. The latest Legacy, redesigned and re-equipped for 2015, is the most competitive Subaru sedan yet--and it also...

How do you make the world's cheapest new car more appealing? Make it more expensive. Sounds crazy, but that's the strategy Indian automaker Tata is using with its new Nano Twist. And there's a very good reason for that. The Nano entered India's market to much fanfare. It was billed as the "one lakh...

Aerodynamics are a vital component of automotive efficiency. The more air you have to push out of the way to reach or maintain a certain speed, the more energy you're using. And the more energy you use, the less efficient your journey will be. ALSO SEE: Solar Roadways Smashes Crowdfunding Target...

China will step up enforcement of emissions standards, removing 6 million of the worst-polluting vehicles from its roads.

Honda has long had the reputation of offering fuel-efficient, relatively green vehicles--but this year, it has lost the "Greenest Automaker" laurels that it's held since 1998 to an upstart: Hyundai-Kia. The latest award, detailed in a report that's now been issued six times by the Union of...

Bamboo is light and strong, but also renewable and more environmentally-friendly than carbon fiber.

Stop-Start systems are the low-hanging fruit of city gas mileage, but like many fruits, they can be an acquired taste. General Motors has attached such a system to its 2015 Chevrolet Impala with the base 2.5-liter Ecotec engine, and has worked hard to ensure it's actually a system drivers will want...

BMW answers criticism of its carbon-fiber commitment.

New information on updates for 2015 to the Chevrolet Impala full-size sedan range note that a start-stop system will be fitted to the four-cylinder model as standard equipment. So the 2015 Chevy Impala LS model with the base 196-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder will now switch off its engine when...

Rental firm Hertz has released figures detailing the fuel efficiency of its fleet--and it's now the most fuel-efficient in the rental industry. Along with efforts to introduce hybrid and electric vehicles to the company's rental fleet, Hertz is benefiting from general increases in new vehicle fuel...

It's not uncommon for politicians to ensure moderately bad or embarrassing news is released during major disasters, or in the wake of another major news story. This way, it's often overlooked by the media, and the impact of the moderately unpopular news is minimized. The launch of a new Smart...

Ford may dissuade buyers from choosing the base 3.7-liter V-6 engine of the new 2.3-liter turbocharged four.

Tougher fuel economy standards may make mild hybrids and small turbocharged engines more common in China.

Sales of the 1.0-liter three-cylinder version of the 2015 Ford Focus compact are likely to be dwarfed by those of the more powerful and familiar 2.0-liter 1.6-liter four. After all, in a segment that's often price-sensitive, Ford is asking buyers to pay more for a slower car--although one that's...