Terms Defined:
MPG – miles per gallon
HWY – highway
RPM – revolutions per minute (referring to engine speed)
SUV – Sport Utility Vehicle
GM – General Motors
mpg hwy – miles per gallon on the highway. A tank of gas will last longer on a highway than a city or urban setting due to there being less stops.
It seems like the biggest issue with cars these days is the fuel economy. Which cars get the best gas mileage? Which ones are best for the economy? These are a couple questions most people find themselves asking when buying a new car. But do they do their research? Most of the time they don’t. They look at just a few cars and out of those few they make their decision. So I’ve decided to make a list of automobiles that have been proven to be fuel efficient, but also provide many other benefits for consumers.
First, I will start with trucks and SUVs. Many people buy these types of vehicles for various different reasons. The SUVs have more room than a car, while a truck can haul equipment and trailers. With the right truck or SUV, you get the luxury of off-road capability. So here are a few trucks and SUVs that will give you good gas mileage and other great benefits.
Saturn VUE Green Line 32mpg hwy
The all-new Saturn VUE is one of the most fuel efficient SUVs on the market, and priced lower than the Ford Escape Hybrid. With its all-new design, the VUE looks more stylish and less square than its predecessor. The VUE Green Line uses many new technologies, such as early fuel cut-off during deceleration. The new VUE comes in 4 different models, the XR, XE, Red Line, and Green Line. The new Saturn VUE offers another option for those looking for a fuel efficient/environmentally friendly car.
Chevy Suburban 20mpg hwy
The Chevy Suburban has always been the biggest name in full-size SUVs. The Suburban combines great looks with powerful performance. This monstrous SUV offers 310hp, while combining active fuel management to produce 20mpg, making it the most fuel efficient SUV of its size. One of the downsides that has always haunted GM’s trucks and SUVs was the interior design. The Suburban remedies this with an all-new, redesigned interior that looks more like a luxury sedan than an SUV. The Chevy Suburban will haul a payload of more than 1600 pounds and tow 9700 pounds. With power like this, the Suburban makes it easy to haul all your gear and tow your favorite toys. The Suburban is the perfect SUV for a large family that needs towing capability and of course, good fuel economy for its size and weight.
Toyota Highlander Hybrid 26mpg hwy
This was a hard decision here. It was close between the Honda Pilot and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid shown above. Both SUVs looked good, both had nice features, but in the end, I decided that the Toyota Highlander was the better bet; mostly because it gets 26mpg compared to Honda’s 22 mpg. Also, the interior design seemed more luxurious and had a better flow than the Pilot. What I like about the Highlander is that it’s a mid-size SUV that still provides good fuel efficiency. It looks really sharp with chrome accents and bumped out fenders. This SUV provides the driver with 167 hp while still offering good fuel economy. This vehicle will be a key component in Toyota’s fight against GM in the Hybrid market.
Chevy Silverado 22mpg hwy
The Chevy Silverado got 2 awards in 2007: Motor Trend’s Truck of the year and North American Truck of the year. The awards were handed to Chevy for good reasons. The truck has more payload capacity than the Toyota Tundra, better towing than the Dodge Ram, and best in class gas mileage. The new interior looks better and has more room, including new dual glove boxes (the Silverado was redesigned for 2007). The Silverado offers a 6.0 L V8 Vortec Engine that pumps out 353 hp and 373 lb.-ft. of torque, which provides a maximum towing capacity of 16,500 pounds. So no matter what you need to haul or tow, the Chevy Silverado will get it there.
So now we go to Cars, Sedans and Coupes. These cars provide good fuel economy, sporty looks, safety, and in some cases, luxury.
Chevy Malibu Hybrid 32mpg hwy
The all-new 2008 Chevy Malibu was redesigned to help compete against cars like the Toyota Camry. It is built on the same platform as the Saturn Aura, which received North American Car of the Year. The Malibu’s interior was also redesigned, with beautiful 2-tone dash and seats. There are many features that make this car great, but one of the most appealing is the 32mpg. The Malibu offers a new alternative to the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Toyota now has to step up its game to stay ahead of GM in the Hybrid market, with the Chevy Malibu nipping at the Camry’s heels. Both auto companies have their work cut out for them.
Honda Civic Hybrid 45mpg hwy
The Honda Civic Hybrid is one of the most fuel-efficient midsize cars around. It’s got a very aerodynamic design, and a very smooth looking interior. The Civic Hybrid dishes out 110 hp with a 4 L engine. The Honda Civic is a great choice for someone who is looking for a very fuel-efficient vehicle, and a better option than the Toyota Prius.
Fuel Economy after-market Products
If you aren’t satisfied with a car’s gas mileage, you could always just buy one of a handful of after-market products which increase fuel efficiency. One of the first products that comes to mind is one titled “Super Fuel Max”, which can bring up fuel mileage to around 27 %! When dealing with SUV’s, that’s a massive mpg increase! More information on this particular product is provided here: http://www.drcca.com/fuelsaver/
Auto News
GM is releasing 100 Chevy Equinox in 3 different states. So what does that matter? Well, it matters because the Equinox is powered by hydrogen. They run on 0 gas and produce nothing but water vapor, and still are able to reach a top speed of 100mph. They run on renewable hydrogen and would completely drop our dependency on petroleum for cars. This is GM’s biggest test with hydrogen vehicles. Go to chevy.com for more info, or to sign up to test one of these vehicles.
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