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Are you picking the right car for your wallet?
Group contends that consumers could be save as much as $2,000 a year in fuel costs just by shopping between cars in the same class.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - Consumers could save a nice chunk of change at the pump just by choosing carefully at the dealership, a consumer protection group said Monday. The report, issued by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), revealed that vehicles in the same car class vary widely in fuel efficiency, and that could be costing consumers a substantial sum every year. "These differences mean that a car buyer's best defense against rising gas prices is to shop carefully within the class of car they are considering," Jack Gillis, CFA's director of public affairs, said in a statement. "Consumers can save hundreds of dollars a year by simply buying a higher rated subcompact, SUV or minivan." The CFA estimated that consumers could save about $2,000 by choosing the most fuel-efficient vehicle in a given class. (See related commentary: Stupid mileage tricks.) The study which compared EPA mileage ratings for 2006 vehicles, showed that if a consumer opted for a Chrysler Pacifica instead of a high-performance version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, they could save as much as $1,707 a year in fuel costs. The CFA also compared a high-performance pick-up truck, the Chevrolet SSR, and a standard Ford Ranger or Toyota Tacoma, noting a car buyer could save $701 a year if they opted for the Ranger or Tacoma. In order to make the comparison process easier for consumers, the CFA hopes to incorporate its new fuel efficiency rating system, or Mileage Rating Scale, on a vehicle's price sticker and in car buying guides. That rating system divides vehicles into broad categories of "excellent," "good," "fair," and "poor" according to their fuel mileage. The two-seat Honda Insight received an "excellent" rating for achieving an estimated fuel efficiency of over 40 miles per gallon. A Dodge Ram 1500 pick-up received a "poor" rating since it gets less than 20 miles per gallon. The CFA hopes that the new rating systems will ultimately drive manufacturers towards improving fuel efficiency. The national average fuel economy has remained at about 20 mpg since 1991, according to the CFA. Related: Commentary: Stupid fuel mileage tricks CFA ratings based on vehicle class
Two seaters Poor: Mercedes-Benz SL 600 Excellent: Honda Insight Subcompact Poor: Audi TT Coupe Quattro Good: VW New Beetle Compact Poor: Audi S4 Excellent: Toyota Prius Midsize Poor: BMW 650Cl Convertible Fair: Honda Accord Large Poor:Mercedes-Benz S600, Mercedes Benz CL601 Good: Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI Minivan Poor: Toyota Sienna 4WD, Buick Terraza AWD, Chevrolet Uplander AWD, Ford Freestar 4.2L, Mercury Monterey, Pontiac Montana SV6 AWD, Saturn Relay AWD Fair: Honda Odyssey Small SUV Poor: Jeep Wrangler Good: Ford Escape Midsize SUV Poor: Jeep Grand Cherokee, Mercedes-Benz G-Class Good: Toyota Highlander Hybrid Large SUV Poor: Dodge Durango Fair: Chrysler Pacifica 3.8L Compact Pickup Poor: Chevrolet SSR Fair: Ford Ranger Standard Pickup Poor: Dodge Ram 1500 8.3L Fair: Toyota Tundra 4WD |
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