MPG Marathon Makes SUV Sip Fuel
by Sean Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio on 10. 8.07
One of the results of last week's MPG Marathon was taking a Chevy Captiva SUV filled with seven people, and getting just over 42mpg out of it - 14% better than the official 37mpg. The Marathon was a UK-based two day trip using fuel-saving driving techniques to squeeze every last bit of fuel efficiency goodness out of vehicles. Autoblog Green quotes GM as stating the Marathon results prove, this drive proves "that an SUV can be an environmentally responsible way to travel." Our question to GM: Then what's stopping you from making that happen? Let's take a look at Chevy SUVs available here in the States.
From the Chevrolet website:
- Chevy Avalanche - 14mpg city/20mpg highway
- Chevy Equinox - 17/24
- Chevy HHR - 21/30
- Chevy Suburban - 14/20
- Chevy Tahoe - 14/19
- Chevy Trailblazer - 14/20
Nothing close to either the 37mpg combined of the UK-available Captiva, and certainly nothing close to the MPG Marathon results of 42mpg. And we are sure a look at GM's other SUV models would bring similar results. Here's a challenge for GM. If SUVs can be made better, make them better. The challenge for drivers? If you drive a SUV, follow the example of the MPG Marathon crew - find six friends to share your commute with you, and drive like your wallet depends on it.
:: Via Autoblog Green
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It seems GM will be selling a Saturn version of the Captiva in the US in 2008 and a plug in version in 2009.
Loosen restrictions on diesels in America, and you can have the same 2 liter turbo diesel in your own SUV. Maybe.
you realize that UK mpg is different than the US mpg. by aprrox 20%, so that Captiva in the US would get about 28mpg ( im assuming they didnt already convert the numbers for the US, the story didnt convert the price of the SUV). The 14% improvement is the key number that shows how driving style can greatly effect your mpg regardless of what or where you drive.
"you realize that UK mpg is different than the US mpg."
Whoa! I never knew that. Indeed, Wikipedia confirms that a UK gallon is about 1.2 US gallons, so the MPG varies in the same proportion. That sure is confusing. When do you guys go metric?
I checked the UK Chevrolet site and I couldn't find the "official 37mpg" but it's definitely in UK mpg. The best stats for the Captiva are 39.8mpg UK (= 33.1mpg US = 7.1L/100Km) for the LS in extra-urban. 37mpg UK would be 30.8mpg US (not 28) or 7.6L/100Km. 42 mpg UK is 35 mpg US or 6.7L/100Km, a mere two mpg more than the best advertised consumption.