New Car Buyers Focus on Fuel Efficiency
New car buyers are paying closer attention to the gas consumption of the vehicles they are considering, according to a new and exclusive survey by BuyingAdvice.com.
Seventy-four percent of respondents to the online poll, conducted among over 2,500 users of the web site's online price quote service, said that fuel efficiency was more important to them than when they bought their last vehicle.
Fifty-six percent of those polled said that during their search they had excluded vehicles from consideration because of poor gas consumption. All those who participated stated that they were within 30 days of buying a new car.
Recent sales figures suggest that rising gas prices have increased the proportion of fuel efficient vehicles being sold.
More than half, 54 percent, stated that fuel efficiency was "very" important to them when they reviewed their options.
The fuel efficiency of all vehicles is measured by the Environmental Protection Agency. These figures are seen on the window stickers of all new cars and are used by manufacturers in their advertising. The EPA measurements are intended solely as a basis for comparison of different vehicles and for this purpose, and this purpose alone, they provide a useful guide.
Many consumers, however, find they get substantially lower performance than the numbers indicate when they take their new car onto the streets. Individual driver habits and traffic conditions can produce wide variations in gas consumption on identical vehicles.
In response to this problem, the EPA lab test is being revised for the 2008 model year and while, in the long term, this may serve to provide a better guide, in the short term, it is adding to the confusion. The new test, which the government says better reflects the average experience of today's driver, has led to an overall lowering of the fuel efficiency numbers for almost every model while, in fact, nothing has changed but the testing procedure.
It is important to be certain which set of standards are being quoted when comparing the numbers, particularly in the current buying season when both 2007 and 2008 models will be on the lot side by side. The EPA has published mpg numbers for all vehicles back to 1985 under the new standards. Be sure those are the numbers being quoted when you are comparing fuel mileage between a 2008 auto and an older vehicle.
Despite the increasing sales of more fuel efficient cars, Americans have still have a long way to go before they end their love affair with horsepower. Forty-six percent of our sample said that performance was more important to them than fuel economy when they chose their vehicle.
Even for those who prefer power over gas mileage there are simple ways to improve their gas consumption. Smoother driving is one of the biggest factors in fuel efficiency. Driving at high speed, sharp accelerating and sudden braking can lower fuel consumption by over 30 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Most engines dramatically lose fuel economy over 60 miles an hour and when idling.
Other tips from the DOE include removing excess weight from the trunk and checking tire pressures and changing air filters on a regular basis. Use of features such as overdrive gears and cruise control can also have an impact.
Ultimately, the type of car you drive will be the key determining factor in the gas mileage you can achieve. For those looking for maximum efficiency the two vehicles with the highest rating are the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic hybrids. These are the only vehicles available to the U.S. consumer with a gas mileage rating of over 40 mpg.
This compares to the European market, where gas prices have been higher for decades, which has over 100 vehicles with a rating of 40 mpg or higher, according to a study by the think tank the Civil Society Institute. Some of these vehicles would not meet U.S. emissions standards because they are diesel, but many are made by U.S. corporations and the CSI maintains there is demand from U.S. consumers to make these vehicles available to them.
With gas prices projected to keep rising and the impact being felt on car sales, it seems that the market may force manufacturers to concentrate more on fuel efficiency as consumers vote with their pocketbooks.
Published on Monday, August 27, 2007 - Email to a friend
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