Nine Cars That Meet or Beat 40 MPG (gas)

[Dover]

If you're tired of high gas prices that empty your wallet every time you fill up but don't want to pay a premium for a hybrid, you'll find these cars enticing. They're all rated at 40 miles per gallon or better.

Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/08/01/cars-that-meet-or-beat-40-mpg/#ixzz1Ykw69nw7

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The 40-MPG Car Club (includes hybrids, diesel, electric and gas)
http://www.motortrend.com/features/mt_hot_list/1103_the_40_mpg_car_club/viewall.html




2012 Hyundai Veloster (Between 18-22K)

[begin_within]

1. Nissan Leaf uses no gas...

[Dover]

3. Do you know if there is a solar array/system that would be a substitute

for connecting it to the grid/utility? The thing that bugs me most about the electric cars is that as long as they connect to a grid
run by coal, etc. it doesn't really solve the problem. So I'm curious what would be required to recharge the battery using solar?
And now I'm hearing environmentalists complain about issues around the disposal of spent batteries.

[get the red out]

9. Thanks, I agree

I've been wondering how using coal instead of gas really solved anything for a while. It's kind of like the training session I was required to attend at work where they strongly recommended attendees print out the handouts and bring them, then bragged about the session being "green" because the presenters didn't print out any handouts.

[unblock]

20. it's green because you're not the one generating the emissions!

someone else does it on the other side of town!

yippie!

[txlibdem]

11. True for today but Electric Cars will get cleaner as the grid gets cleaner - fossil burners won't

And it depends on where you live. Washington State residents get something like 96% of their energy from hydro; zero emissions there. Here in Texas we beat our 2020 goal for total wind power installed and are now working to bust the 2025 goal.

But if you live in a state where the government is in the pocket of "big coal" or "big fossils" then you can always install solar panels. It's cheaper than you think if you only calculate the amount needed to "fuel" the car. Sure, if you have extra money then get more solar panels but just as a thought experiment start with only the amount needed for the miles you drive an electric vehicle.

Your local electric car dealer can help you figure that out and your local solar installer will put up your system, do all the paperwork for the rebates for you, etc.

There are even companies in almost all states that will lease the solar panels, equipment, etc., to you at the same rate your current electric bill is.

So the old "what about coal?" excuse is gone, gone, gone. And you could be driving a clean vehicle knowing that not one penny of your hard-earned money goes to fund terrorist groups... something that you definitely CANNOT say about a gasoline or diesel burner vehicle.

[tinrobot]

15. Coal powered electric cars are still cleaner than gas cars.

Coal plants are a lot more efficient than internal combustion engines and they also can have pollution reducing scrubbers, etc. But your point is valid. Hopefully, as we add more clean sources to the grid, this will be less and less of an issue.

As for solar, a solar array to charge a car depends a lot on where you live and how much you drive. You could probably get the car completely off the grid with roughly $10K worth of solar panels.

[txlibdem]

30. $10k... that assumes you'd completely deplete the battery every day, not likely

especially if you drive a Nissan Leaf. It depends on how many miles per day you drive.

Where you live has a lot to do with it: 1) rebates, 2) number of clear days, 3) type of solar panels (thin film vs monocrystaline, polycrystaline).

[jtrockville]

21. YES we have a solar charging station in Bethesda

http://www.gazette.net/article/20110808/NEWS/708089937&template=gazette
"The charging station, which works on a grid so it can store power, can fully charge a Volt for a day..."

[txlibdem]

31. Here's a map of charging stations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area

http://www.nteaa.org/dfw-chargin-stations/

[begin_within]

32. Well, we have 2 neighbors who have solar panels.

Both generate more electricity than they use. They are still on the grid because they have no way to store the generated electricity, so the power company buys it from them and then they get a credit at the end of the year on their bill. To be able to disconnect from the grid they would have to have storage capacity at their house, and from what I understand that costs a lot too. So it's still not as "green" as they claim, but I think it is a step in the right direction.

I don't understand why the big energy producers aren't investing more in solar. They seem to be putting money in to wind generators around here (San Diego County) but I only know of one photovoltaic farm in the county. The deserts of the southwestern U.S. have vast area and abundant sunshine. Yes the start-up costs would be high but in the long term I would think it would be highly profitable. If I was in Big Energy I would certainly push for it.

My friends who have a Nissan Leaf say that it costs them just under $1 of electricity (even at high San Diego electric rates) to charge up their car and they can run 100 miles on that charge. So the "fuel" cost is $1 for 100 miles. My 1997 Corolla gets about 35 mpg on highways, so it takes about 2.85 gallons for me to go 100 miles on the highway, and at an average of $3.81 per gallon in San Diego, that's $10.86 for my fuel cost to go 100 miles.

So I'd rather pay the $1 to charge up my car than the $10.86 for gas. And hopefully, if Big Energy ever "gets it," they will start generating electricity through sustainable and less-polluting methods, like solar, wind, hydroelectric and geothermal. Aren't fossil fuels really an indirect form of solar power anyway, that have been in storage for millions of years?

[Dover]

35. I wish I knew the answer as to why they don't invest. But surely a big reason

must be that, at least in their minds, the margins of profit are not big enough vs. the investment.
Or perhaps the energy money is invested in coal/oil/gas and they want to block the use of energies that don't have a similar return on investment. In fact many people have written about this issue (try reading, The Sun Betrayed). And we know what kind of influence they wield in Washington.
And I wonder if there aren't problems with sending solar over long distances and other such glitches.
I hope that solar becomes more of an independent purchase rather than centralized utilities.
We could do that if/when the price comes down a bit more. And I also think we need to diversify resources rather than concentrate them into a single source of energy. So solar AND wind and other
sustainable practices are probably going to be more effeective than just one solution.

[Dover]

2. both lists leave off the Fiat 500 for some reason...n/t

[Tunkamerica]

5. Well, FIAT just started advertising in the US. I have a feeling that might play into

FOX business not adding them to their PR piece.

[kelly1mm]

26. Because the Fiat 500 does not get 40 miles per gallon. (38 highway w/ manual).nt

[glowing]

4. just bought an elantra today

[Dover]

6. Great car! Congrats! ...n/t

[glowing]

18. Yes, I agree. I tried the Toyata carolla, Mazda 3, Nissan Sentra,

and the Elantra. I loved the Mazda 3. That was a really nice ride. But for the warranty, safety, and all the little "extras" included, the elantra was the best choice.. and had the best gas mileage. I'm really happy with it. Its crazy, I'm in the Tampa Bay area and the dealerships can't keep these cars stocked fast enough. I found a few on a lot in Tampa. They let me drive independently for a couple of hours over the afternoon, and I was sold. They were still really fair with the deal. I got them down on the sticker price and basically named my monthly payment; and they made it work. I'm looking forward to the gas savings. My husband sold his mustang and bought me this as a trade. He's taking over the "Mom-mobile" for now (nissan x-terra). We bought that when my son was small and the baby stuff to cart around was so grand. A family, mom-mobile. Its handy for longer vacation trips and piling all the neighborhood kids into... but the gas guzzles more thru the car. We have a couple more payments and that car is completely owned free and clear. So, we will keep that for "family" purposes, etc. Now, that the kid is 7, and the school commute is soooo long, we needed something practical. And there's a lot of space in the car. We figure we can still take the car on a few overnight trips like into Orlando and into Ocala as long as we aren't packing for a long stay.

I have to say, I'm really impressed with how far they have come as a brand. The 2012 body style and "extras" are really great. I absolutely love, love, love the blue tooth feature and making phone calls by just talking into the air.. or being able to use my iPhone---iTunes playlist thru the system.. Its really, really so handy to have this. Its amazing how far technology has come and that car companies are finally incorporating these things into the cars that we drive in a user friendly manner.

Shoot, I sound like a cars salesman.. I guess that shows how much I am happy we found an elantra in the area to test drive. One really nice thing about the car is the consideration to safety. 6 airbags. engines that are designed not to slam into one's knees in an accident.. Lot's of reinforced steal around the entire car. I can understand why the dealerships can't keep them stocked down here.

[Dover]

23. Wow, that's one enthusiastic endorsement! You're in good company.

The Elantra is getting the highest marks in its category in all the reviews. And they do seem to be scarce at dealerships across the country.
Maybe Hyundai was unprepared for the car's soring popularity. I agree, they have come from behind and now seem to be setting
the bar for all the others...even Honda and Toyota. I think Japanese companies have had a very tough couple of years what with
the tsunami and recall issues (toyota}. In fact a number of car companies are in a funky transition period and don't seem to
be able to get ahead of the curve, while Hyundai already has three cars that get 40mpg highway, trend-setting beautiful design, best warranty, and lots of value/quality for the money. They are even giving very high end cars a run for their money. I hope they hold up mechanically over time.
I think the new Veloster is pretty amazing for the price as well. Hard to believe it's priced under 20K.

Thanks for spontaneous review. Enjoy!

[glowing]

29. I got my Elantra down to $16,900. Pretty sweet deal.

[Dover]

33. You must be good at negotiation. What price did you start at?

And how did you work them down? Is there a formula for figuring that out? Did you pay the full price up front or do payments? I'd think they'd be less likely to negotiate on a car that is popular and flying off their lots, so you must really be good at that. I've always been intimidated by that process. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. :)

[glowing]

36. $21,300. something like that.

[Dover]

37. That's substantial. No clues on how you did it?..n/t

[glowing]

38. Was ready to walk out the door until they got me a price...

That led them to move the sticker price and drop the interest on the rest of the loan by a substantial amt. We also had money to put down. So, that helped lower the interest and the payment. They knew we would buy, if not from them, then someone able to find the right price. I was actually surprised they got the deal done; and how low they dropped the price and the interest on the rest of the loan.

[udbcrzy2]

7. What I don't understand is that in other countries they are getting

much better gas mileage than we do here in the US on the same car. Wonder why that is?

[dmallind]

14. Some reasons

The biggy that many people miss is that the Imperial gallon is 25% bigger than the US gallon (based on a 20oz pint not 16oz). So the UK and others using that gallon would get 50mpg out of a 40mpg car - same car - here.

Then the EU countries especially use diesel in passenger cars far more than we do - due lo less stringent emissions regs.

Cars in most countries are smaller on average. If you see a Focus in Britain, it looks like a large family sedan - most cars are smaller by far.

Cars in emerging countries but even also in the EU have less stringent safety standards. Being able to miss out on the reinforced side beams etc means a lighter more economical car.

There is less expectation for amenities in most other markets. With more spartan interiors, no power accessories, less soundproofing, fewer add-on bits etc a car is again lighter and more economical.

It's worth noting though that what a car CAN do and what it does are very different. I was in Europe for a month this year. I rented a Fiesta and over the course of the stay averaged 20 miles to the UK gallon - about 16mpg to us! How? Because I also averaged 9mph. This wasn't even in London, but a mid-sized northern city. The traffic there is so much more dense, the length of road between stops is so much less, and the mean distance traveled between origin and destination so much shorter, that a car certainly capable of 40 miles per US gallon got less than half that. I get better mileage out of my XK8 convertible here just because of how it can be and is driven.

[udbcrzy2]

22. Wow, thank you for your answer

We were looking at the Fiesta 5 door hatchback (which is a wagon to me) and it gets 29 in the city from the tag. It also had leather interior which is something most 4-cyl are missing on the lower end of pricing. My next car must be a 4-cyl and have leather. I hate cloth!

to add: I would also like to get something with tires bigger than those little donuts.

Will look also at the Chevy Cruze and Chevy Sonic.

[rog]

8. My Honda Fit is sitting at 43.6mpg right now.

That's combined city/hwy, I'd say about 30% city, 70% hwy driving over about 6 months, according to the onboard mileage computer. Five speed manual transmission, new car price $17,000 out the door.

I don't do "hypermiling," but I do try to drive with a light foot and keep the cruise control at 55 (when I'm not running late).

.rog.

[glowing]

19. That's a nice car too. My husband's grandfather has that car.

I liked it, but my husband didn't like to drive it; so he nixed it off the list of my options.

[rog]

24. The manual transmission version is VERY zippy.

I let a friend drive it, and the first thing that happened when he let the clutch out was he "laid a patch." I was a little startled, but impressed!

Just got back from a 150 mile road trip (round trip), and the mileage increased from 43.6 to 43.8. This is combined mileage over about six months. When I've measured only the hwy mileage I hav been consistently surpassing 50 mpg.

But it's definitely a small car. I'm used to driving cars this small ... and it feels a lot "bigger" than other cars I've had ... but I can understand some folks not being into it. I'm also pretty short. (grin)

By the way, I'm a musician, and I can get a LOT of stuff in there!

.rog.

[Dover]

25. Lots of room in a Fit.

My friend has a Fit and does a lot of sales on ebay which he packs and drops off at the post office regularly. I couldn't believe how much he was able to fit in the FIT! LOL! And I'm pretty tall and don't have any feeling of confinement in the passenger seat. It's nice the back folds down flat so the whole back area has like a level floor. I am surprised at your mileage. I wonder why Honda doesn't brag about the Fit getting much higher mpg than is listed?

[rog]

34. re: "mileage surprise"

I am surprised at your mileage. I wonder why Honda doesn't brag about the Fit getting much higher mpg than is listed?

I think it's because the average driver would get closer to the EPA estimate, which is what ... 38/40mpg on the highway? I have a couple of friends who drive this car, and that seems to be the case. Most (probably about 70%) of my driving is on the interstate and I rarely have to deal with rush hour stop-and-go driving. I have tried to cultivate a very light foot, which helps. The other thing is that this is a manual transmission vehicle. That makes it easier to just depress the clutch when you're coasting up to a stop sign, for example. I think manual transmission gives you just a slight edge overall in the mileage dept., but it was hard to get this car. The dealers don't order a lot of them because folks would rather have automatics. One more thing ... I try to use cruise control as much as possible on the interstate, and keep my speed down. Lots of later in the evening interstate driving w/ the cruise on 55/60mph can really pump up your average mileage. The woman who sold me this car mentioned that many of her customers were reporting mileage above EPA.

.rog.

[glowing]

28. Me too, I'm 5'3".. He's 6'1"... I hate driving after him and he hates

getting into a car after me... LOL.

[Kurmudgeon]

10. I don't listen to Fox on politics, so see no need to listen to them here.

I can research my own vehicles, and as the omission of the Fiat 500 shows, Fox as usual, leaves out a portion of the facts.

[kelly1mm]

27. The Fiat 500 only gets 38 on the highway w/ manual. Check their website. nt

[stuntcat]

12. we have the VW diesel Jetta

I can't drive so luckily we only have one car. The Jetta's good, we have to drive down to NC once a year and it gets great mileage. I think it's a 2009 but it still gets 40 mpg and more than that on log drives.

[Historic NY]

13. Fox article say 9 they list 7............sheesh.

[Dover]

16. I'm confused. The first link lists the Mazda 3??? I looked it up and it only gets 29 hwy

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=modelsMain&vehicleCode=M3H#/performance/fuelEconomy

...unless I have the wrong model or something. And the smaller Mazda2 only gets up to 35mpg hwy.

[kristopher]

17. $10,400 Daihatsu 71 miles per US gallon in Japan

http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201109210320.html