Hybrid & diesel reality check.
Choosing a hybrid or a diesel is another
effective way to save fuel. But while many hybrids and diesels get the best
fuel economy in their class, most cost more than conventional cars. Because of
this, not all hybrids and diesels make financial sense, despite their fuel
savings.
Family
sedan MPG comparison
We’ve compared five-year ownership costs
for most hybrid and diesel models with those of similar, comparably equipped
gasoline-powered counterparts. The factors in our five-year owner-cost analysis
include depreciation, fuel costs, insurance, interest on financing, maintenance
and repairs, and sales tax. We factor in depreciation, assuming that owners
will trade in their vehicles after five years, which is a typical ownership
period. Depreciation makes up the largest portion of the owner costs during
that time, nearly half.
Our analysis found several affordable
hybrids and diesels that provide consistent cost savings regardless of gas prices.
They include the Toyota Prius hybrid and diesel-powered Volkswagen Golf and
Jetta SportWagen. Some others, including the Lexus RX 450h hybrid, carry price
tags so high they cancel out any savings.
The
Toyota Prius hybrid
One thing is clear: No matter what type of
vehicle you’re looking for, it is getting easier to find a fuel-efficient model
to meet your needs. Federal fuel-economy standards that languished for decades
at just over 20 mpg are rising to 35.5 mpg by 2016 and to 54.5 mpg by 2025. The
standards will require all types of vehicles to get better fuel economy, not
just small cars. And that will bring lots of choices for consumers looking to
save money on gas.
The
Lexus RX 450h hybrid
Best & Worst cars for fuel economy
These lists show the vehicles within each
category that achieved the best or worst gas mileage in our real-world tests.
We have selected mpg cutoffs that are relative to each category. For example, a
vehicle that gets 20 mpg would not be a standout among family sedans but it
would be for midsized SUVs. The models below in blue are the worst performers
in their class. Models with a ü are recommended.
Downsizing: The Dozen most useful cars per MPG
Many consumers these days have thought
about downsizing their SUVs to save gas, but they don’t’ want to give up the
ability to carry extra people or gear, or even pull a trailer. So we’ve come up
with a list of 12 Recommended vehicles that require the least amount of
functional compromise for consumers who want to get better mileage.
Our list includes a variety of choices,
from small hatchbacks, wagons, and SUVs to relatively fuel-efficient large SUVs
for those who may need to tow. No matter what type of utility you need, you
should be able to find something here to suit your needs. Although there are
exceptions, small cars still generally get better mileage than larger ones. The
trick is in finding the exceptions that offer an unusual amount of passenger or
cargo space or towing capacity, for the amount of fuel they consume
*: Based on fuel price of $4,00 for regular
and $4.20 for diesel, and 12,000 miles driven annually. NR means towing is not
recommended.
See how money you could save
This chart can help you determine what your
annual fuel savings would be by choosing a more fuel-efficient vehicle.
To compare two vehicles that CR has tested,
first look up their overall mpg in the Ratings charts. Then, find the
corresponding overall-mpg figure for one vehicle on either the horizontal or
vertical axis of this chart, and the mpg figure for one vehicle on either the
horizontal or vertical axis of this chart, and the mg figure for the other
vehicle on the other axis. The figure where the two columns, intersect shows
how much money you’d save annually, assuming you drive 12,000 miles per year
and gasoline costs $4.00 a gallon. Higher fuel prices would mean greater
savings. A vehicle that runs on regular fuel will save you even more compared
with one that runs on premium
