Tired of paying $90 dollars to fill up that big SUV or pickup truck each week? Want to buy the most fuel efficient vehicle possible for each dollar you spend? Consumer Reports has compiled a list of the most fuel efficient vehicles in what each car will cost per gallon. The key to buying a fuel efficient car is to make every dollar count. To come up with the lowest priced car per gallon they divided the overall mpg by the price paid for the vehicle. They limited their list to highly rated cars in terms of customer satisfaction and low-cost repairs over the first five years.
In their report, the Toyota Yaris Hatchback with manual transmission had the lowest overall price per mpg, but did not make the list because of its overall test score.
The list of 2008 cars with the best price per mpg is:(in order of price per mpg)Source: Consumer Reports July 2008
Honda Fit Sport (manual transmission) - 34 mpg - $464 Price per mpg
Toyota Prius Touring - 42 mpg - $591 Price per mpg
Nissan Versa - 28 mpg - $596 Price per mpg
Honda Civic Hybrid - 37 mpg $605 Price per mpg
Honda Civic EX (manual transmission) - 31 mpg - $607 Price per mpg
Hyundai Elantra GLS - 27 mpg - $650 Price per mpg
Scion tC - 26 mpg - $658 Price per mpg
If you are looking to buy a car with great gas mileage be sure to check the list above. Just because a car gets the best gas mileage doesn't always mean it is the cheapest in the long run. Most hybrids take 7-8 years before they give you a return on your investment and by that time the warranties are starting to run out and the car batteries, etc may need repaired or replaced which will cost you in the long run.
Tires Can Help you Save Gas
Don't overlook your tires on a vehicle when it comes to saving gas either. Studies have shown that under-inflated tires require more energy to make them roll across the ground thus using more gasoline. Check your tire pressure regularly and use the vehicle manufacturer's recommended pressure. This figure is usually found on the inside of the door jamb, do not use the maximum recommended pressure on the outside while of the tire as this may not be accurate for your particular vehicle.
If you are in the market for new tires for you car or truck you should consider a model with low rolling resistance. Rolling resistance is basically how easily the tire rolls across the ground. Consumer reports show a 1 to 2 mpg difference between the best and worst replacement tires.
By choosing the right tires and keeping the air pressure at the appropriate level you can save up to $100 a year at today's current gas prices.
