Gas Mileage
-
'Tis the season to be jolly--and with under two weeks to go before Christmas, drivers across the country will be planning trips to see relatives and friends for the holiday period. Driving in the middle of winter already presents its own unique challenges, but if you're looking to get good gas mileage it's worth heeding a couple more tips. Of course, you'll probably spend those saved gas dollars on food and gifts anyway, but that seems like a fair swap to us! Tip #1: Plan ahead You might have taken your winter route several times before, but it's worth having a look at alternatives, just in...
-
EPA To Dig Into Ford Fusion Hybrid, C-Max Hybrid Mileage
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is set to look into claims that two Ford hybrids don't meet their official fuel economy ratings in real world driving. We reported back in November that the 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid and Fusion Hybrid struggled to attain their official ratings, even driven with...
Antony Ingram -
Consumer Reports: New Ford Hybrids Don't Meet Mileage Ratings
it's always nice when the big boys say, "You're right." We reported three weeks ago that Ford's new 2013 hybrids were not achieving their 47-mpg EPA gas mileage rating in real-world usage. Now Consumer Reports has confirmed that finding, based on its own testing, in videos and a blog post published...
John Voelcker -
Green Car Reports 2013 Best Car To Buy Nominee: Nissan Altima
Not all green cars are hybrids, diesels, or plug-ins. And with new fuel economy regulations now set through 2025, all cars are going to get more efficient--gasoline cars first and foremost. The new 2013 Nissan Altima mid-size sedan has the highest EPA rating for combined gas mileage of any gasoline...
John Voelcker -
Five Things Carmakers Will Never Do That Would Boost Gas Mileage
The auto industry gets plenty of attention for its environmental impact, but it's clear to see that fuel efficiency has made huge strides even in the last five years. It could be even better, though. Ultimately, a carmaker has to sell cars to survive--and it does that by creating products that...
Antony Ingram -
2014 Mazda Mazda6: VW TDI Models To Get A Clean-Diesel Rival
Mazda is pushing ahead with its plans to offer a clean-diesel four-cylinder engine that could prove to be a strong rival to the TDI four in some Volkswagen and Audi products. While the 2014 Mazda6 will arrive in its lower-priced form with a 184-horsepower, 2.5-liter version of the four-cylinder...
Bengt Halvorson -
As your only point of contact with the road, it's no surprise that tires are important. Not just for performance, handling and safety, but gas mileage too--and General Motors has invested $5 million into the National Tire Research Center in Virginia, to help develop the next generation of fuel-efficient tires. The goal is to design tires with low rolling resistance. As that implies, the less resistance a tire has as it rolls along the road, the less power (and therefore fuel) is needed to overcome it. GM says that tires can make up as much as 7 percent difference in gas mileage simply through...
-
2014 Ford Fiesta Updates: Styling, Interior, MyFordTouch, And EcoBoost
Along with the new, ultra-fuel-efficient 2014 Ford Fiesta with the 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder engine, Ford's subcompact gets a number of other changes for the 2014 model year. These include a revised interior that adds a 6.5-inch LCD touchscreen display and optional MyFordTouch infotainment...
John Voelcker -
Audi Plans 200 MPG-Plus High-Tech Small Car
In mainland Europe, where gas mileage is measured in liters used per 100 kilometers (l/100km), a 'three liter car' doesn't usually refer to engine capacity. Instead, it means 3L/100km, or around 78 MPG. And now Audi wants to make a one-liter car--the equivalent of 235 MPG. Revealed by What Car, the...
Antony Ingram -
Honda Demonstrates 'Green Wave' Tech Designed To Ease Traffic
Have you noticed how much poorly synchronized lights—or traffic that's trying to go faster than the lights permit—can add to congestion? A new system in the works from Honda aims to provide a simple interface for smoothing traffic flow, while increasing safety and gas mileage. The idea...
Bengt Halvorson -
Getting Good Gas Mileage Is Hard; Will Tinier Engines Really Help?
How small is too small, when it comes to engines? Those of the "no replacement for displacement" school of thought might be thinking more about performance than they are gas mileage, but at what point does downsizing actually start to harm gas mileage, rather than help it? As carmakers strive to...
Antony Ingram -
Ford Hybrids' Fuel Economy Failing To Live Up To EPA Ratings?
This is starting to look not so good. It appears that two new hybrid cars from Ford--the 2013 C-Max Hybrid hatchback and the 2013 Fusion Hybrid sedan--may not deliver real-world gas mileage that's anywhere near their 47-mpg EPA ratings. Automotive journalists have been quietly discussing this for a...
John Voelcker -
Being an antique auto historian and appraiser is the greatest job I've ever had. I get to drive all sorts of cars that I've admired from afar, but never actually had a chance to drive before. I've always gotten a kick out of the little, economical Crosley cars built between 1939 and 1952. Cincinnati industrialist Powel Crosley Jr., made his fortune in radios and appliances. By the late 1930s, he owned both the Crosley Broadcasting Corp. and the Cincinnati Reds baseball team. His ambitious plan was to build a small, inexpensive, and economical car here in the States. In May 1939, the new...
-
2014 Ford Fiesta: EcoBoost 1.0-Liter, 3-Cylinder Engine For Subcompact
It's been on sale in Europe for months, and now it's coming to the U.S.: the smallest engine sold by a U.S. automaker in decades. The 2014 Ford Fiesta that goes on sale next year will offer the turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder EcoBoost engine as an option in the subcompact hatchback and sedan...
John Voelcker -
Next-Gen 2015 Honda Fit Getting More Efficient DI Engine, CVT
If you shop strictly by the EPA numbers today, the 2013 Honda Fit probably won't be among the top subcompacts you cross-shop. The current Fit's federal ratings, of 28 mpg city, 35 highway with the five-speed automatic, or just 27/33 mpg with the five-speed manual, aren't exactly at the top of the...
Bengt Halvorson -
On 'Pure' Gasoline, Your Mileage May Vary: What's The Difference?
Unless you're the type to very closely read the fine print on the face of fuel pumps, you might not know that the vast majority of U.S. gasoline is truly ten-percent home grown—that's ten-percent ethanol, and with that ethanol almost certainly from corn. The upsides of adding more ethanol to...
Bengt Halvorson -
Hyundai-Kia Gas Mileage Fiasco: What Does It Mean For You?
Now the recriminations--and lawsuits--will start. And we expect the focus on real-world gas mileage to increase, following news that Hyundai and Kia will revise gas-mileage figures downward on 13 different models from the 2011, 2012, and 2013 model years--and reimburse buyers for the extra money...
John Voelcker -
Hyundai, Kia Face Federal Lawsuits For Overstated Gas Mileage
Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia are being sued in U.S. courts over inflating gas mileage ratings on 2011-2013 vehicles. It was revealed on Friday that both automakers had reported higher numbers on EPA window stickers than the cars were actually capable of in EPA economy testing. Both companies...
Antony Ingram -
Approved by auto manufacturers, environmental groups and the White House, 2025's 54.5 mpg gas mileage rules are still causing headaches for dealers. The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) continues to oppose the ruling, and hopes that newly introduced legislation will lead to a re-think in 2017. The 2025 Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) rules require a manufacturer's average fuel efficiency to be 54.5 mpg or above by 2025. The rules do not apply to trucks, which will meet a different set of rules, and vehicles are expected to meet efficiency targets on a steady increase up to...
-
2013 Nissan Sentra: Details, Reviews, Gas Mileage
If you're in the market for a new Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla or Volkswagen Jetta, you're also in the market for the 2013 Nissan Sentra. While we haven't driven the 2013 Sentra on GreenCarReports yet, our sister site at TheCarConnection has reviewed the car in full--useful for any potential buyer...
Antony Ingram -
Yes, Your Gas Mileage May Vary. Honest.
Despite best intentions, it's always necessary to take EPA fuel efficiency figures with a pinch of salt. A look at MPG-recording sites like Fuelly or the EPA's own fueleconomy.gov website will show that many drivers have wildly varying economy figures. And that, of course, is why the slogan "Your...
Antony Ingram -
Toyota Supports Higher MPG Standards In U.S. But Not Mexico?
Toyota has a reputation among U.S. car buyers for being green and offering fuel-efficient vehicles. But a recent post on the Natural Resources Defense Council blog painted a different picture. Noting that Toyota was suing to stop the implementation of fuel-economy rules in Mexico that duplicate...
John Voelcker -
Want Better Gas Mileage? Rethink Your Daily Commute
If you live in a large city, work in a 9-5 job, and drive to the office, it’s probable that you end up spending at least some of your daily commute stuck in traffic. Assuming you drive a regular gasoline car--one without stop-start technology or hybrid drivetrain--congested traffic can...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid: Quick Gas-Mileage Test
Gas mileage in hybrid vehicles can be a tricky thing. Depending on how they're designed--and at what speeds their electric motors kick in--their efficiency can vary considerably. When we tested the 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid six weeks ago in Los Angeles, the real-world indicated gas mileage was 37 mpg...
John Voelcker