Good Gas Mileage: The Key To Economical Driving
If you are shopping for a new car, or even a used one, chances are the gas mileage it gets is one of the first things you want to find out. And with good reason. A car that goes a lot of miles on each gallon of gas will cost you less to run over the long haul. It will also make less of an impact on the already exhaust laden environment.
So where should you start? Well, it's time to get out the old gas mileage calculator. First, consider just how much car you need. The larger the vehicle, and the more powerful the engine, the more gas it will use. Do you have a family or a business that requires a full sized van, or can you get by with a smaller minivan? Do you live on a rugged ice-packed country road, making four wheel drive a necessity, or is two wheel drive perfectly adequate for your purposes?
When you've determined what type of vehicle you need, it is time to research the mileage estimates for the various models of that type. Of course, you will need to consider your price range, too. If you can afford one, you might want to go with a hybrid.
Hybrid cars are ones that use a combination of electricity with gasoline. The way it works is that the car has a large battery that is kept charged up by the movements of the engine. This way, you get better gas mileage and fuel economy because part of the power of the car is supplied by electricity. With a Toyota Prius or a Honda Civic Hybrid, you can get 45 miles per gallon ( mpg ) or better out on the highway. Plus, these autos are more roomy than the compact you'd have to drive to get this good of efficiency with a standard fuel car. The Prius base cost is over $22,000. Add a few amenities, and you could have a pretty expensive car. If this seems a bit pricey, you might be more in the market for a Ford Focus, which is one of the best domestic compacts for mileage. It has a base price of just under $15,000. You can expect 35 miles to the gallon on the highway or better, especially if you buy the model with the manual transmission. Two other compact cars that get very good gas mileage are the Toyota Yaris ($12,000 and up) and the Honda Fit, which has a base price of under $14,000. Both get up to 34 miles to the gallon in highway driving. If you don't absolutely have to have four wheel drive, you will use a lot less gas if you don't have it. Even when you're not using it, 4WD vehicles use more gas. One of the worst choices for gas consumption is a 4WD Jeep Grand Cherokee, which gets only 11 mpg in town and 14 on the highway. On the other hand, the Jeep Compass or Patriot, in 2WD, can get you up to 27 mpg on the highway. Two of the best minivans for gas economy are the Mazda5 and the Kia Rondo, each getting around 20 mpg in town and about 27 in highway driving. Whatever vehicle you choose, remember that smaller and simpler usually means cheaper to drive.
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