Posts Tagged ‘fuel economy’

It’s fair to say that the Honda Insight has not been living up to expectations. Despite excellent fuel economy and a futuristic interior, Honda’s compact hybrid hasn’t done much to dent sales of its major rival, the Toyota Prius.

Honda once boasted a goal of selling 90,000 Insights during the vehicle’s first year on the market but was on track to achieve less than a third of that target by summer’s end.

Though Honda claims the Insight was never intended to compete directly with the Prius, the two hybrids share a windswept, five-door profile and are frequently cross-shopped. The Honda’s 41 mpg rating falls short of the Toyota’s 50 mpg, but the Insight is priced about $2,000 less.

To combat the Insight’s free-falling sales, Autocar reports that Honda will make changes to boost fuel economy. New software will triple the amount of time the hybrid’s start/stop system can leave the engine off when the vehicle is stationary and in the driver-selectable Eco mode.

The current software assumes worst case scenario conditions: five passengers on board in near-tropical levels of humidity. Conditions like these force the Insight’s gasoline-powered engine to fire up after only 30 seconds of rest so that the air conditioner can dehumidify the cabin and keep the windows from fogging. The new software extends the engine-off time to as much as 90 seconds, saving more fuel.

Honda’s new software will no doubt improve the Insight’s mileage in the real world, but it’s unlikely that this change will have a positive impact on the official EPA rating that appears on the Monroney Label window sticker. Those government test procedures require all vehicles to run in default mode, effectively rendering the Eco mode off-limits.

While the Insight’s new software will be nice to have for owners trying to maximize their fuel savings, it’s unlikely to steal many sales away from the popular Prius.

Can Americans handle this much Fiesta? We had to wait awhile to get our hands on a 2011 Ford Fiesta. Ford has been touting the vehicle for over a year now through their highly successful Ford Fiesta Movement and Fiesta Project on YouTube. Finally, this summer, the Ford Fiesta is now available for purchase.

I test drove the Ford Fiesta for one week all across Southern California. I usually only test drive hybrid and plug-in vehicles, but I gave the Fiesta a shot because it is known to be a fuel-sipping, low-emitting vehicle with an attractive price tag.

Let’s talk efficiency first. It is clear that Ford paid a lot of attention to how to maximize efficiency from this vehicle. From its very responsive PowerShift six-speed automatic transmission to its aerodynamic exterior, the Fiesta is designed to eke out the highest mpg possible. The model I drove came with the Super Fuel Economy Package, which offers additional aerodynamic details such as underbody shields and blockers on the lower grille.

Over the course of 350 miles, I averaged 33.7 mpg. This is what I would have expected, given the EPA estimate of 40 mpg (hwy)/29 mpg (city). However, I can’t say that I drove the Fiesta very efficiently. Since the Fiesta is also engineered to provide a smooth ride, even at high speeds with its electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) system, I could easily put the pedal to the metal and feel like I was just cruising.

I could have maximized more mpg if the Fiesta had an efficiency gauge that showed me real-time fuel consumption. Efficiency gauges now come standard in most hybrid models so that drivers know how their fuel consumption varies according to how one drives. In lieu of an efficiency gauge, I set the Fiesta on cruise control at 65 mph for longer freeway trips during my last 100 miles of traveling. As expected, my fuel economy increased significantly to over 40 mpg at times.

However, the Ford Fiesta is not only known for its fuel economy. It also stands out for its cutting-edge features intended to enhance the overall driving experience. In the second installment of my review, I attend to those creature comforts that really make this economy model stand out from the rest of the pack.

Dr. Shannon Arvizu loves driving clean, green machines. You can find out more at MissElectric.com.

My brother and his wife have a bun in the oven and a serious need for a new family vehicle.  They’ve been busy getting ready for their new baby girl and asked me to help them start the initial research for their next car.

The Honk search tool was built to handle situations exactly like this so I fired up my browser to sort through family-oriented crossover vehicles with high safety ratings, ample seating, and great fuel economy:

2010 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Matt and Natalie have their own organic farm, complete with fresh vegetables, chickens, and a cow (yes, really – they own a cow).  It goes without saying that ‘green’ is at the top of their list.

The Toyota Highlander is one of the few family-friendly hybrids out there and I think that my brother and his family will appreciate both the great mileage and the roomy cabin.

2011 Kia Sorento

Matt and Natalie have already told me that third-row seats are a must-have.

The great-looking Kia Sorento just arrived and it’s got an optional third row of seats that will be great for the occasional carpool or visit from Uncle Josh.  It’s also easy on the wallet and it gets great fuel economy (up to 29 mpg on the highway).

2010 Toyota RAV4

In addition to two adults and two kids, this family also has two canines – Rio and Bella – to cart around.  The Toyota RAV4 scored well with people who own pets and I discovered that there’s a wide range of aftermarket pet accessories (cages, harnesses, etc) built especially for the RAV4.

2010 Mitsubishi Outlander

Matt and Natalie live in snowy Pennsylvania and they’re going to need all-wheel drive and plenty of ground clearance to handle the next Snowpocalypse.  The Mitsubishi Outlander has the most ground clearance of all the vehicles on this list and it can be had with the all-important third row.  Winter, you’ve met your match.

How now brown cow?

So what car should you drive if you’ve got two kids, two dogs, and a cow?  My vote goes to the Toyota Highlander Hybrid but we’ll have to see what Matt and Natalie pick for their family… Rumor has it that my 3-year old niece is in love with the sock monkey from the Kia Sorento TV commercial.

Ford has accomplished another amazing feat in automotive engineering: the world’s first sports car that produces 300+ horsepower and gets more than 30 miles per gallon on the highway.  The 2011 Ford Mustang boasts a 3.7-liter V6 that’s rated at 305 horsepower and 31 miles per gallon on the highway.

The Mustang isn’t the only Ford to benefit from great fuel efficiency, either.  The Blue Oval unveiled a super-efficient 41-mpg Ford Fusion hybrid for 2010 and the upcoming 2011 Fiesta is expected to be the most fuel-efficient vehicle in it’s class, with 40 highway miles per gallon.

How is Ford achieving these ground-breaking improvements in fuel efficiency?  Their engineers claim to be rethinking every aspect of a car’s design, from aerodynamics to engines and transmissions.  For the new Mustang, Ford went so far as to redesign the power steering system, fit new 6-speed transmissions, and lighten several key engine components.

The 2011 Mustang is the latest vehicle to prove that eyebrow-raising horsepower and exceptional fuel economy are not mutually exclusive.  Our hats are off to the engineers who made this possible.  We’re looking forward to our first drive!