The Best Buys in Fuel Efficiency for 2007
The increase in oil prices has been an unending issue in every part of the world. The automotive industry probably gets the hardest blow since vehicles depend so much on gas for power. In the United States, the government has done a number of efforts to thwart the effects of skyrocketing oil prices by reducing the country’s energy dependency. American consumers are taking into consideration the fuel economy offered by vehicles. For their part, car manufacturers try their best to provide vehicles with the highest fuel mileage as possible.
In April this year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a list of Top 10 Most Fuel Efficient Vehicles based on miles-per-gallon ratings for city and road travel. EPA figures for miles per gallon take into account speeds and acceleration, the use of air conditioner, and colder temperatures outside a car. EPA computed vehicles’ fuel efficiency using the combined fuel economy formula, which is 55 percent of city miles per gallon rating and 45 percent of highway miles per gallon rating.
Interestingly, the fuel efficient cars sold in the United States are produced mostly by Japanese auto manufacturers.
The Toyota Prius is named the most fuel efficient car for this year. It earned a city mpg ratio of 48 and highway mpg ratio of 45. A hybrid model, the Prius has a 1.5-liter, four cylinder engine rated at 76 horsepower. Apart from its high fuel efficiency, this Toyota model has luxury features that include Bluetooth wireless technology and leathered interior.
Toyota Prius
A direct rival of the Toyota Prius, the Honda Civic hybrid comes as a close second in terms of fuel economy. The Honda Civic’s hybrid model generates 110 horsepower, making it 10 percent less fuel efficient than the Prius but 30 percent more powerful.
Honda Civic
The vehicle with the third best fuel mileage is the Toyota Camry hybrid, one of the top selling sedans in the United States. This is largely due to its hybrid engine that uses the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive System. The system is divided into two: the first half is a 2.4-liter gasoline engine rated at 147 horsepower, while the second is a 141-horsepower electric motor. This electric motor has a small inverter that owns a battery and a transaxle to trigger the efficient performance for the Camry hybrid.
Toyota Camry
The other cars that are among the most fuel efficient for 2007 are: Toyota Yaris, Toyota Corolla, Honda Fit, Mini Cooper, Ford Escape hybrid, Kia Rio, and Hyundai Accent.
Sources: Automedia.com, Fueleconomy.gov
