Entries from February 2009 ↓

Buckle up, kids. With the economy on the skids, and two out of the three American automakers facing bankruptcy, we’re in a paradox: this could be the best time ever to buy a new car. New car sales are in a deep tank and dealerships are desperate to unload their inventory before their doors close for good. We’ve never seen this level of discounting. Make no mistake about it, there are remarkable deals out there for car buyers who have the financial wherewithal to complete the transaction.

Updated 2/13: The US Senate has moved to sweeten the deals, by tacking on automotive purchase income-tax deductions onto the economic stimulus bill. The auto amendment was adopted with broad support (71-26) in the Senate. While the full stimulus measure has passed both the Senate and the House, there were reductions in the tax break.

The bottom line? Folks who buy a new car in 2009 will be eligible to deduct sales taxes on the purchase. The big if remains …whether funds will be available for those loans and whether prospective buyers will qualify.
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MPG-o-Matic Honda Fit Sport Summary: While it’s a good bit pricier then the Chevy Aveo, Nissan Versa, and Toyota Yaris, the Fit Sport trumps the competition with a sporting card, a versatile interior, distinctive styling, and excellent gas mileage.

The 2009 Honda Fit is available in two levels of trim, the base Fit and the Fit Sport.

All 2009 Fits are equipped with a 1.5 liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine, mated to a five-speed manual or automatic transmission. The Fit’s inline four produces 117 horsepower (HP) and 106 foot pounds of torque.

The official gas mileage estimates for the 2009 Honda Fit are 27 city / 33 highway miles per gallon (MPG) for both the manual transmission and Fit Sport automatic. (The base Fit automatic is estimated slightly higher at 28/35.)
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We spend a good bit of time testing small vehicles here at MPGomatic, for one basic reason. Small vehicles represent not just the present, but the future of transportation for most parts of the world. In Europe, where fuel prices are astronomical, small cars rule the roost. But in here in America, the popularity of small vehicles has had its fits and starts, as well as its Fits and Smarts (if you’ll pardon the pun). We’ve been able to live life large out on the road, due to the relatively inexpensive cost of gasoline. The SUV phenomena was a direct result of our nation’s lack of a coherent energy policy.

Our legislators recently set the goal of a national fleet average of 35 miles per gallon by the year 2020. This was not a lofty or ambitious goal. In fact, it’s achievable today … should we choose to express a preference to buy a small vehicle. The automakers are in a pickle: they need to sell what the public will buy. Our perceptions need to change. Folks have to look at small vehicles as a desirable purchase, rather then a compromise.

We’ve test driven some fantastic small vehicles over the past year. While our absolute favorites – the MINI Cooper D and BMW 123d – are diesel-powered European models that have not yet been imported to America, the trend is clear. All of the German automakers are now marketing highly fuel-efficient clean diesels in the United States, and we’ll be reviewing each and every one, as schedules permit.

Small Vehicle Reviews

	Chevy Aveo5 GM’s entry-level small car offers fuel efficiency and a low sticker price.
	Ford Focus An efficient four-cylinder engine and Microsoft Sync audio system make the Focus a popular choice.
	Honda Civic Hybrid Honda’s low-key, high-MPG hybrid delivers excellent fuel economy in a well-rounded package.
	Mazda3 The fun-to-drive Mazda3 easily exceeds the official estimates when driven sensibly.
	MINI Cooper Clubman The ever-so-slightly larger Mini Cooper Clubman handles like a dream and gets great mileage.
	Nissan Altima Hybrid While it’s not exactly a small vehicle, the Nissan Altima Hybrid is the sportiest of the hybrids.
	Nissan Versa The Nissan Versa isn’t just a highly affordable fuel-efficient vehicle, it has a quite a roomy interior, to boot.
	Pontiac G5 XFE Think American cars can’t deliver the MPGs? Think again. The Pontiac G5 XFE’s highway MPGs top the charts.
	Saturn Astra The Saturn Astra could sell like hotcakes here in America, as it does in Europe … if GM made one simple change.
	Scion xD The Scion xD scoots about with style. Consider it a canvas just waiting for customization.
	Suzuki SX4 Crossover The AWD Suzuki SX4 Crossover isn’t just the least expensive AWD in America, it’s packed with features.
	Toyota Corolla Toyota Corolla is the perennial choice for mileage conscious commuters.
	Toyota Prius The space-age Toyota Prius hybrid achieves remarkable gas mileage when driven sensibly.
	Toyota Yaris Real world MPG results on the Yaris are so good, there must be a conspiracy to cover them up.
	Volkswagen EOS The convertible VW EOS is like nothing else on the road.
	Volvo C30 A rare sight on the streets, the Volvo C30 is one of our favorite small vehicles.

MPG-o-Matic Nissan Sentra Review Summary: . The Sentra slots in between the entry-level Versa and more stylish Altima in Nissan’s lineup. The Sentra is a well-proven commuter that takes it all in stride, with MPGs that hit the mark.

With the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla as primary competition, the 2009 Nissan Sentra is marketed as being “powerful enough to keep up with your life.” The Sentra is available in three levels of trim: Base, S, and SL. The sporting Sentra SE-R and SE-R Spec V models round out the range.

All Sentras other then the more powerful SE-R models are equipped with a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine, mated to a six-speed manual or Xtronic continuous variable transmission (CVT). The Sentra’s inline four produces 140 horsepower (HP) and 147 foot pounds of torque.
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In the words of Bart Simpson, “holy cow!”

We’re getting LOTS of traffic to the front page of MPGomatic.com this morning and I haven’t been able to figure out where it’s coming from. My best guess is that we landed a media mention somewhere.

I couldn’t let this pass by without sending out a hearty welcome to all our new friends! I’d love to know who to thank for the mention …

UPDATE: Wow … it’s MSN … Many thanks for the heads-up!
The author of the article kindly referenced our Toyota Yaris review.

Please feel free to drop your comments and questions.