Gas Mileage
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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 Sell 6 Million Electric Cars To Make History Now, Yahoo's Daily Ticker show has driven the car--something few outside the company have so far been able to do. While there's no definitive verdict just yet, and the car tested is still a prototype--you'll note a lack of seatbelts in the video--it looks...
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2015 Hyundai Sonata Prices Released, No Details On Hybrid Yet
The redesigned 2015 Hyundai Sonata midsize sedan goes on sale later this month.
Stephen Edelstein -
Why CVTs Won, Direct-Shift Gearboxes Lost Fuel-Economy Fight
If you're reading this in North America, the vehicle sitting on your driveway probably has an automatic transmission. So do around 95 percent of other new vehicles on the U.S. market right now, though the Canadian figure is slightly lower. The numbers don't lie: Drivers just aren't buying cars with...
Antony Ingram -
Could Renewable Bamboo Be As Strong As Carbon Fiber For Lightweight Cars?
Bamboo is light and strong, but also renewable and more environmentally-friendly than carbon fiber.
Stephen Edelstein -
2015 Honda Fit: First Deliveries Delayed From April To June
It's not a good week for getting your hands on innovative Japanese cars. Following the news that Mitsubishi has delayed its plug-in Outlander yet further, Honda Fit customers will now have to wait until June to get their cars--following an original April 14 release date. There's no solid reason...
Antony Ingram -
2014 BMW i3 REx Window Sticker Revealed, 39 MPG On Gasoline: BREAKING
Yesterday we reported on the delay getting range-extended versions of BMW's 2014 i3 electric car to the market, pending the confirmation and fitment of their EPA-approved window stickers. That wait may not be much longer--and now we know the car's official EPA-rated mileage. The 2014 BMW i3 REx is...
Antony Ingram -
Ford may dissuade buyers from choosing the base 3.7-liter V-6 engine of the new 2.3-liter turbocharged four.
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2015 Ford Focus EcoBoost Three-Cylinder: Manual Gearbox Only
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...
John Voelcker -
2015 Volkswagen Golf Launch Edition Priced At Under $19,000
A special Launch Edition model brings the 2015 Volkswagen Golf hatchback's base price below $19,000.
Stephen Edelstein -
2014 Chevrolet Spark With CVT: Gas Mileage Review
We're fond of the Chevrolet Spark minicar; it's by far the best-executed of the several smaller-than-subcompact cars sold today. But our fondness had been limited to the five-speed manual version; the four-speed automatic offered in 2013 was, in a word, awful. Now we've driven a 2014 Chevrolet...
John Voelcker -
Ford's Three-Cylinder Engine Does Well In Fiesta; Focus Next Up
Three cylinders is about three-quarters what many U.S. consumers will tolerate, about half the number they prefer and three eighths that of what some consider ideal. It may come as a surprise then that Ford's 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder, as found in the Fiesta, is actually beating Ford's...
Antony Ingram -
2014 Dodge Dart Dumps Dual-Clutch Automatic, Except On Aero Model
The Dodge Dart compact sedan launched as a 2013 model hasn't sold as well as hoped. One thing that hurt its debut was the unfamiliar feel of its dual-clutch automatic gear gearbox, brought over from Europe to boost the fuel economy of versions fitted with the 160-horsepower turbocharged 1.4-liter...
John Voelcker -
Yesterday's multi-hour presentation of the five-year plan for the combined Fiat Chrysler Automobiles was called "Chryslerpalooza" by local Detroit reporters who sat through it. The first green news was that Chrysler will build small numbers of plug-in hybrid minivans and large SUVs to meet emission regulations. But in an afternoon technology briefing, Chrysler said it will incorporate mild hybrids into many future powertrains. ALSO SEE: Jeep Five-Year Plan: An SUV For Every Niche The company sees its proportion of diesel engines staying steady at about 6 percent of its total sales (which will...
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FTC Considers Changes To Rules On Carmaker Claims For Fuel Economy
The FTC is seeking comments on potential updates of its fuel-economy advertising guidelines.
Stephen Edelstein -
Why European Gas-Mileage Ratings Are So High--And Often Wrong
We're often asked why cars sold in Europe seem to be so much more efficient than those on sale in the U.S. Typically, it's accompanied by the mention of some supposedly 80-mpg car sold in Europe--while the best U.S.-market vehicles barely crest the 50-mpg mark. Now, Reuters highlights one of the...
Antony Ingram -
California To Use 1 Billion Gallons Less Gasoline In Six Years?
Analysts predict stricter regulations will cut California gasoline consumption.
Stephen Edelstein -
Automakers Met Carbon-Emission Limits In 2012 With Room To Spare
The EPA reports 2012-model-year vehicles lowered CO2 emissions even further than required by law.
Stephen Edelstein -
Why Can't We Buy Cars That Do 60, 70, Or 80 MPG?
The first-generation Honda Insight hybrid, sold from 2000 through 2006, is renowned even today for its ultra-high gas mileage: 52 mpg combined (48 mpg city, 58 mpg highway). Those ratings remain unmatched today by anything today that doesn't include a plug and a large battery pack. So why, 15 years...
Antony Ingram -
They say that honesty is the best policy. It's also said that the truth can hurt. Ford is experiencing both of these with its C-Max Hybrid--with lower sales since the company dropped its official EPA-rated mileage figures. The C-Max Hybrid was launched to great fanfare in 2012, touting EPA combined mileage of 47 mpg. That matched Ford's larger, sleeker Fusion Hybrid, and beat the Toyota Prius V's 42 mpg combined rating. It soon became apparent though that journalists and owners alike were struggling to replicate the lofty mileage claims, with figures in the high-30s not uncommon. Our own...
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2015 Ford F-150 Team Fights Fear Of Aluminum Toughness, Repair, Cost
Ford will educate customers, dealers, and repair shops on the the ins and outs of aluminum-bodied 2015 F-150.
Stephen Edelstein -
2015 Honda Fit: Quick Gas Mileage Drive Of All-New Hatchback
If you're looking for a small hatchback that delivers high gas mileage and almost unparalleled flexibility, the all-new 2015 Honda Fit should probably be at the top of your list. The new Fit has become a more important car for Honda now that it's built in Mexico, and that's reflected in many of the...
John Voelcker -
Diesel Or Hybrid? Road & Track Says Benz Beats Prius
Car shoppers today are spoiled for choice when it comes to fuel-efficient vehicles. When else in history have we had the choice between gasoline, diesel, biofuel, natural gas, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and full battery electric vehicles? When it comes to actually putting fuel in your tank, many turn...
Antony Ingram -
2015 Fiat 500 Updated With New Instrument Cluster, Display Options
The 2015 Fiat 500 gains new technology features, and an automatic transmission for Turbo and Abarth models.
Stephen Edelstein -
2014 Mazda 3: Gas Mileage Review Of Sporty Compact Hatchback
Auto writers tend to like Mazdas; they generally perform and handle well, and are far more fun to drive than the anodyne Fords, Hondas, and Toyotas that outsell them in the compact and mid-size categories. The newest crop of Mazda cars and crossovers, built around the company's highly...
John Voelcker