Green Your Drive Without a Hybrid
Photo credit: ieatstars
Even if you don't have a Hybrid, a few simple tips are all you need to give your vehicle's fuel economy the boost it deserves, which isn't a bad idea considering that gas prices are spiraling upward again this summer.
Here are some of the top money- and planet-saving tricks, according to KBB.com:1. Reduce your air conditioning2. Change your filters at scheduled intervals3. Check your tire pressure regularly4. Use a fuel additive in each fill-up to increase engine performance5. Get fuel injectors cleaned"Gas prices have reached levels that are causing consumers to take steps they may not have when pump prices were more moderate to improve fuel economy and save a few dollars," said Jack Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book (KBB). "If these consumers actually perform all of these gas saving tips, it's likely they could save up to 15 or 20 percent of their entire fuel costs annually."
Only more than a quarter of consumers (26 percent) say they would employ all of these recommended fuel-saving tips to achieve greater fuel economy or save some gas money, according to a KBB Marketing Research study. A contrasting 5 percent, on the other hand, won't be doing a thing.
And if you are one of the 69 percent of new-vehicle consumers who plan to change the car they drive in order to improve your fuel economy or cash flow, KBB.com's editors have a list of their top picks for fuel-efficient vehicles below. ::Kelley Blue Book
Category | Vehicle | Kbb.com Editorial Staff Comments | MPG* (city) | MPG* (highway) |
Small Sedan | Honda Civic Hybrid | The Honda Civic Hybrid is the Prius alternative with more mainstream styling, if not all the fuel economy. | 40 | 45 |
Mid-Size Sedan | Nissan Altima Hybrid | Beneath its sporty-sedan sheet metal, Nissan's Altima Hybrid uses licensed Toyota hybrid technology. | 35 | 33 |
Luxury Sedan | Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec | Powered by a state-of-the-art clean diesel engine, the Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec is as powerful and smooth as you'd expect anything wearing a three-pointed star to be. | 23 | 32 |
Compact Pickup | Toyota Tacoma | The Toyota Tacoma's bulletproof reputation for reliability is backed up by some of the category's best fuel economy. | 20 | 26 |
Full-Size Pickup | Chevrolet Silverado | GM's excellent new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra are just about the most fuel-efficient full-size pickups out there. | 15 | 20 |
Coupe | Audi TT | The 2008 Audi TT deftly maximizes turbo power and efficiency in one fun and fuel-frugal coupe. | 23 | 31 |
Small SUV | Ford Escape Hybrid | Revamped for 2008, the Ford Escape Hybrid combines excellent mileage with SUV versatility. | 31 | 30 |
Mid-Size SUV | Toyota Highlander Hybrid | The Highlander Hybrid is Toyota's only hybrid SUV, and the only one to boast a lineage that includes the revolutionary Prius. | 28 | 25 |
Large SUV | GMC Acadia | With more total cargo volume than the brand's own Yukon, the three-row GMC Acadia delivers everything most families require from a traditional full-size SUV but with significantly better mileage. | 16 | 24 |
Convertible | Mazda MX-5 | Some of the same characteristics that make the small and lightweight Mazda MX-5 one of the purest driver's cars of all time help make it a joy at the gas pump, too. | 22 | 27 |
Minivan | Honda Odyssey | What some consider the best minivan available, the Honda Odyssey, also delivers the best mileage. Under light loads, the Odyssey can cruise on just three of its six cylinders. | 17 | 24 |
Hatchback | MINI Cooper | A secret weapon in the fight against fuel prices, the extremely fun MINI Cooper delivers highway mileage of up to 36 mpg. | 27 | 36 |
Wagon | Toyota Matrix/ Pontiac Vibe | The Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe cousins are small but tall wagons that have been delivering outstanding fuel economy since the 2003 model year. | 26 | 33 |
* (Note: All fuel economy figures reflect the new-for-2008 model year guidelines, per fueleconomy.gov).
