Reintroduced with great fanfare as a 2005 model, the venerable Chrysler 300 continues to roll in style. Available with a range of engines and in both rear-wheel and all-wheel drive, the domestically-available 2012 Chrysler 300′s best gas mileage results come with the the new Pentastar V6 engine achieving a highway rating of 31 miles per gallon (MPG) in rear-wheel-drive form. On the flip side of the coin, the thirsty Hemi-powered 300/SRT-8′s gas mileage earns it an official status of gas guzzler (complete with federal tax).
A highly fuel-efficient version of the 300 is available in Europe, equipped with a Mercedes-Benz 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 engine. While Jeep sold the Grand Cherokee CRD with the same engine here in the States for a brief time, Chrysler has never sold a diesel-engined Chrysler 300 domestically. This is truly unfortunate, as the turbo-diesel 300 is capable of highway mileage in the mid-thirties, with an abundance of torque. Continue reading →
MPG-o-Matic Pontiac G8 GT Review Summary: The 2009 Pontiac G8 GT is an eye-opening performance sedan, with acceleration that will pin you back in your seat without emptying your wallet. Excellent handling, a roomy interior, crisp styling, and competitive pricing make this one a winner … with or without large factory incentives.
The 2009 Pontiac G8 GT is a classic American muscle car with a big twist. This V8-engined rear-wheel-drive sedan handles as well as it accelerates and provides plenty of room for five adults. But it’s not made in America … the G8 GT is a re-badged Australian-built Holden Commodore.
With domestic auto sales in the midst of the worst slump in decades, some folks in Washington are aiming to clear the massive backlog of unsold new cars and trucks with more Monopoly money. Representative Betty Sutton (D-OH) has introduced the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save (CARS) Act, which rewards new car buyers with a $3,000 to $5,000 bounty to purchase a more fuel-efficient car or truck … or to use mass transit.
That’s right, my fellow Americans. If you own a vehicle that is eight years old or older, you could be eligible for the latest round of free government cheese … providing that you purchase a new car that is rated at 27 miles per gallon (MPG) or higher on the highway or a new truck that is rated at 24 MPG highway or higher.
A similar program was introduced in Germany that has been credited with raising their domestic auto sales in February 2009, over the same month last year. The thought, “if it works in Germany, why not in America?” leads to the obvious question. Why set the MPG limit so low?
The Cash for Clunkers bill, if approved, would be the maraschino cherry on top a growing ice cream sundae of incentives for Americans to buy a new car. Federal tax credits currently include a state tax rebate, as well as rebates on specific alternative fuel vehicles (aka: the hybrid tax credit).
We’ll have additional analysis once we’ve had the opportunity to comb through the bill …
What a difference half a year makes. At the peak of the gas price bubble last summer, hybrid vehicles were in short supply. Some dealers were tacking on thousands in “market-adjustment” ploys. And here we are, six months or so later and there’s a glut of hybrids sitting on dealer lots. An article in today’s LA Times spells it out in detail.
But in these crazy times, it seems, there are still vehicles that are commanding premiums over the Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). We’ve heard numerous stories about Volkswagen dealers charging well over the MSRP sticker price for new Jetta TDI clean diesels. And needless to say, it doesn’t make us very happy.
We can understand the demand. Our week-long 2009 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI test drive proved the point … this is one of the best vehicles for the money in America today.
For the good of the brand – and for clean diesel’s acceptance in America – market demand must not be allowed to provoke greed.
If Volkswagen is to market their cars as the People’s Cars, they must exert pressure on their dealers to stop the unfortunate practice of selling Jetta TDIs for above MSRP. We fully understand that it’s tough to be a car dealer at the moment, but a smash and grab sales tactic sullies the brand over the long run, purely for short-term dealer gain.
Make no mistake about it. We do car reviews differently at MPGomatic.com. Our fuel economy focused mileage reviews deliver a unique perspective by consistently testing each vehicle with a light-footed driving style. Over time, our mileage review testing procedure has evolved to include a specific highway circuit. We don’t test in a lab or on a closed course. Our highway miles are rolled up in the real world, on a forty mile loop of Interstate highway that includes a good number of grade changes and variable traffic conditions. Each vehicle runs a minimum of two loops on the highway circuit. Continue reading →
MPG-o-Matic Pontiac G8 GT Review Summary: The 2009 Pontiac G8 GT is an eye-opening performance sedan, with acceleration that will pin you back in your seat without emptying your wallet. Excellent handling, a roomy interior, crisp styling, and competitive pricing make this one a winner … with or without large factory incentives.
