Top 10 cars for fuel economy.

Eug

Lifer
Mar 11, 2000
23,957
1,576
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I note that North American cars are conspicuously few, par for the course as we North Americans continue to be amongst the heaviest polluters in the world... Personally, I'm getting the Prius. (Note though that the diesel engines don't meet California emissions standards however.)

Death to hick muscle cars like Irocs and Vipers! ;)

By The Associated Press

The top fuel economy winners among 2001 model cars, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Mileage is city followed by highway.

1. Honda Insight (electric-gas hybrid) 61/68
2. Toyota Prius (electric-gas hybrid) 52/45
3. (3-way tie) Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Jetta, Volkswagen New Beetle (all diesels with manual transmissions) 42/49
4. Honda Civic HX (manual) 36/44
5. Suzuki Swift 36/42
6. Honda Civic HX (automatic) 35/40
7. (3-way tie) Volkswagen Jetta, Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen New Beetle (all diesel with automatic transmission) 34/45
8. Toyota Echo 34/41
9. (2-way tie) Chevrolet Prizm, Toyota Corolla 32/41
10. Honda Civic 32/39
 

DaBoneHead

Senior member
Sep 1, 2000
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I agree. It is good to see some of the hybrids showing up... any idea of rough prices?

BTW, I won't ever go with a diesel after I read that diesel fumes are carcinogenic. They have dioxin in them!

As far as pollution goes... I'm not so sure anymore about NA being the biggest polluter. That was the case 15 years ago, but believe it or not, I believe several countries (like Russia) are well exceeding us these days. I read recently where the burning of coal in CIS cities was among the leading causes of global pollution. If I get a chance I'll try to find the article...
 

thebestMAX

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2000
7,498
132
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My 350 cubic inch high performance Trans Am gets 26-27 MPG on the freeway at 65-80 MPH with the safety of antilock 4 wheel brakes, large tires and the ability to get out of harms way.

Why would I want to drive a GORE ECONOBOX?

If this is stictly an economic question, then excuse me but please also consider safety.

 

lupin

Platinum Member
Oct 11, 1999
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Kinda sad how the hard research done for making high MPG cars are crushed by the production size of SUVs.
 

denali

Golden Member
Oct 10, 1999
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How do you account for the fuel needed to create the electricity for hybrid cars?
 

Zucchini

Banned
Dec 10, 1999
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I guess you don't understand hybrids. The gasoline engine is a regular but very small one. It powers the wheels (sometimes) and also charges the battery.

As for safety, size of car doesn't always determine safety(up to a point). Its possible the new civics are safe as your gand am or whatever. Yes, suv's %#@ suck!
 

desy

Diamond Member
Jan 13, 2000
5,442
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Yah
I've found small cars just as safe or safer than SUVs.
I got both, the small cars are more manovrable and much better stopping distances than SUVs. Remember Force is Mass X Velocity squared so the lighter the car the less force generated also the less force a 4" square patch for each tire has to kill cause the actual tire that is contact with the road is about the same for SUV as car.
The problem is when you are on the road with vehicles of greater mass and ridulous bumper heights you are at a disadvantage.
Consider it the same kind of issue of boxers of different weight categories, there is a reason they separate them. Which is one of the reasons and got rid of my Civic and got a Corsica. It puts my wife and child on a more equal footing with the large vehicles on the road.
I'm also a lot more diligant about putting quality winter tires on in the winter and just regular all seasons for the summer cause it really boils down to your vehicles interface with the road, just ask any racer.
 

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
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<< I've found small cars just as safe or safer than SUVs. >>


That don't mean sh!t when a Ford Excursion goes head on with a Honda Civic ;)
 

chucky2

Lifer
Dec 9, 1999
10,018
37
91
Please see here. I was driving a 1991 Plymouth Acclaim, 3.0L V-6, 4spd slushbox; every option, CD changer in trunk.

Now, before my car got hit, it ran perfectly. When I mean perfect, I mean it didn't consume oil (smoke or leak), performance was like new, and it looked fine (for a Grandpa car).

I got 26mpg in the city, and 32 on the highway. This was with the air-conditioner ON.

First: How many of those cars will be performing like new at 160,000 miles? You buy one of these, you will be getting a car made with parts from the lowest bidder. Something to think about...

Second, as thebestMAX said: Aren't you slightly concerned for your safetly?! Read the link above and think about what happened to me. It can most certainly happen to you! Do you really think that one of those little econobox's is worth your life? I've been on this board for a while (wayyy back in 1997) and I'd like to think that everyone so far has a fairly analytical mind.

Think: Your out driving your econobox late one night, you have your brights on because the road your on is known for deer. An 98 Royale comes over the hill at the intersection ahead and has to stop. It nose dives so you think &quot;OK, he is obviously going to stop at the HUGE stop sign that's there. You resume your search for deer (this road is THAT bad). Then, out of the corner of your eye, you see this big white car careening toward you in a textbook T-bone setup. At that precise moment, you remember how proud you were when you convinced you parents that you indeed wanted to have that econobox, because &quot;Everyone should do their part to help protect the environment&quot;. Then the Olds hits you.... Your best friends speech during your eulogy talks about how you were protecting the environment up to the end. Gore, he could care less; he already got your vote.
 

desy

Diamond Member
Jan 13, 2000
5,442
212
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Uh
I think thats what the rest of my message said?
Which is why I won't be buying a super small car again. I'm looking at maybe a Jetta deisel not too small and has airbags all the way around.
What do you think? I've got a bout a 20 mile one way commute now and something better on gas than my 4X4 is gonna be needed.
 

Zucchini

Banned
Dec 10, 1999
4,601
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well the new civic is bigger, i think it went up a class or something.. better fuel econ.
 

Eug

Lifer
Mar 11, 2000
23,957
1,576
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&quot;My 350 cubic inch high performance Trans Am gets 26-27 MPG on the freeway at 65-80 MPH with the safety of antilock 4 wheel brakes... excuse me but please also consider safety.&quot;

I find it hard to believe that a 5.7 L TA gets 27 MPG highway, but I'll take your word for it. Anyways, if you're going 80 mph in a TA and hit a Honda Insight going 50 head on, you're still probably gonna die. Drive conservatively and you're much more likely to stay alive, no matter what car you drive. I have driven a few SUVs and I don't feel as safe in those. The handling sucks. Big engined sports cars are different though - good handling and good pickup. However, you don't need 5.7 litres to stay alive although I can understand wanting more power than what a Prius puts out. What pisses me off is the yahoos around here who drive like maniacs - I gave up my motorcycle partially for that reason. In a car I just stay as far away from them as possible.

The Prius come standard with front air bags for the driver and passenger and anti-lock brakes. It doesn't have side air bags though.

 

Zucchini

Banned
Dec 10, 1999
4,601
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car safety is not just a function of size. Its also affected by how well the body is engineered to distribute impact forces and protect the cabin area. Thats why some big cars have high deathrates.. they crunch in ways that hurt the people inside. Go to the ugh national highway safety department(i can't remember their name)'s site.. they should have crash data listed for your car.
 

Eug

Lifer
Mar 11, 2000
23,957
1,576
126
Heheh, the safest car is the Ford Winstar. Actually, in truth that thing is much more useful than most SUVs, but it doesn't make for a good status symbol.
 

Zucchini

Banned
Dec 10, 1999
4,601
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My god some cars really suck.

year 2000 cars that got a single star in of the four tests.

escort zx2
chevy cavalier
pontiac sunfire
toyota tacoma

year 2000 cars that got two stars in one of the four tests

chevy s10
dodge durango
dodge stratus
chrysler cirrus
civic coupe

heh seems to be mostly american cars:p Well now i know which cars to avoid:p
 

chucky2

Lifer
Dec 9, 1999
10,018
37
91
Zucchini- I don't know. Numbers don't lie though, and the numbers there show that the foreign cars provide greater protection in a crash. I'd like to see them develope a test that combines the side impact and the frontal impact though. Example: Both the vehicle being tested and the ram car (best term I can think of) approach head on at 40 mph. I think that's a very likely scenario, and would show how a car reacts to a force trying to carry through it.

Overall, very disappointing. Not much progress has been made since 91 (the year of car I was in). Hell, the K-car's had about the loosest frame on earth...I don't know how cars no-a-days cannot do that much better.

One things for sure: I'll be adding Crown Vic's to my search for a replacement car. :)

Chuck
 

thebestMAX

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2000
7,498
132
106
EUG -

I said-

&quot;My 350 cubic inch high performance Trans Am gets 26-27 MPG on the freeway at 65-80 MPH with the safety of antilock 4 wheel Disk brakes... excuse me but please also consider safety.&quot;

You Said -

&quot;I find it hard to believe that a 5.7 L TA gets 27 MPG highway, but I'll take your word for it. Anyways, if you're going 80 mph in a TA and hit a Honda Insight going 50 head on, you're still probably gonna die. Drive conservatively and you're much more likely to stay alive, no matter what car you drive.&quot;

Well, you said it all and I agree with you and we have no arguement but let me explain a few things about driving in Florida on dIe-95. (I-95) At 80, you get passed on the right, left and top. I drive conservatively and am a great defensive driver but these fools down here are rushing to their doom and the sooner ther better. Try to keep a car length in front of you and watch the idiots jump in while weaving from right to left to right lane. What I said was give me the MECHANICALS for the best chance of survival. I have a car capable of safe driving at speed but see these econoboxes going by on bicycle tires at 90+.
If you want economy, fine but drive accordingly.

BTW, my T/A does get the mileage indicated with 6 speed standard transmission, properly inflated tires and good maintenance. 18 MPG in traffic is also about average. Maybe driving has something to do with it also????? Have always had HP cars and have always gotten good mileage WHEN I WANTED IT.

 

thebestMAX

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2000
7,498
132
106
THATS RIIIIGHT!

Try to keep 3 - 5 and see what happens. People here are idiots. Im here so what does that make me?
 

extra

Golden Member
Dec 18, 1999
1,947
7
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>>one car lenght on the HW@80mph? that doesn't seem like much space.

no, but i think what he's saying is that if you leave more space than that, some one will come in and take it, leaving you in an even worse situation than before.