Gas Mileage

As a general rule, we like small cars, and small cars with small engines. Eighteen months ago, when we first drove prototype versions of the 2014 Ford Fiesta EcoBoost, we knew we'd be eager to get our hands on the little subcompact with the turbocharged three-cylinder engine for a longer drive...

The 2015 MINI Cooper five-door breaks new ground for the brand, as demonstrated by this ad.

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...

The redesigned 2015 Hyundai Sonata midsize sedan goes on sale later this month.

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...

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...

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...

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

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...

A special Launch Edition model brings the 2015 Volkswagen Golf hatchback's base price below $19,000.

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...

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...

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...

The FTC is seeking comments on potential updates of its fuel-economy advertising guidelines.

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...

The EPA reports 2012-model-year vehicles lowered CO2 emissions even further than required by law.

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...

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...

Ford will educate customers, dealers, and repair shops on the the ins and outs of aluminum-bodied 2015 F-150.

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...