NASCAR Gas Mileage Racing

Fuel management is key to success in NASCAR. Races are won and lost depending on a team’s ability to accurately measure the amount of fuel necessary to cover the distance. At this year’s Pocono 500, I asked Dr. Eric Warren, the director of competition for Richard Childress Racing, for some insight into gas mileage racing in NASCAR.

“Each race is a certain length,” Dr. Warren explained. “Say it’s a 400-mile race. The objective is to get to the finish line and 400 miles quicker than anyone else.” NASCAR cup cars have fuel tanks that hold approximately 18.5 gallons. “Let’s say we can get a hundred miles on a tank of gas depending upon the racetrack, that might be 60 laps or it might be 50 laps on a two-mile track,” Dr. Warren continued. “If that caution comes out with 53 laps to go or 110 miles to go you have to stretch and make sure you start saving fuel because making it to the end of the race is more important than having to make an extra pit stop.”

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2017 Chevrolet Cruze Turbodiesel Review

Hang onto your hats. The most fuel-efficient petroleum powered sedan in America for open road cruising is the 2017 Chevy Cruze Turbodiesel. While a number of hybrids may be more efficient in city driving, the Cruze turbodiesel delivers off-the-charts fuel economy out in the country and on the highway. I covered 336.3 miles in mixed conditions and used only 6.942 gallons of diesel fuel (verified via tank fill, not the onboard computer), with an overall average of 48.4 miles per gallon (MPG) in my six-speed manual tester.

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Most Fuel Efficient Cars of 2017 That Are Not Hybrids

The 2017 model year offers a wide range of non-hybrid vehicles with an official EPA fuel economy rating of 30 mile per gallon (MPG) or more combined. The vehicles range from imported subcompact economy cars through outstanding domestics and luxurious European sedans. While the tiny Mitsubishi Mirage delivers maximum bang for the buck with a remarkably low sticker price and 39 MPG combined, it’s the new Chevrolet Cruze turbodiesel sedan that takes the crown on the open road, with a remarkable 52 MPG highway rating.

2017 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel Sedan

The list includes sedans, five-door hatchbacks, coupes, convertibles, small crossovers, an amazing all-wheel-drive (AWD) wagon, and a remarkable roadster with a lineage that spans the continents. You’ll find naturally-aspirated and turbocharged engines, with a handful of amazing turbo-diesels. Need AWD? No problem! This group of 30 MPG+ vehicles proves that you don’t have to make any compromises to get great mileage these days and you don’t have to drive a hybrid. (Click here for a list includes hybrids (but not plug-ins).)

The list is split into multiple pages to speed download times. Video reviews will be included in the list over the course of the year, as the cars are road tested.

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Most Fuel Efficient Cars of 2017 – Without a Plug

2017 sets another high point for fuel efficiency with a bumper crop of hybrids, turbo-diesels, and small-displacement vehicles that will knock your socks off. Not only do these highly efficient cars deliver great gas mileage, many are exceptionally rewarding to drive and stylish to boot.

While the brand new Hyundai Ioniq swipes the top spot from the Toyota Prius, the Kia Niro, Honda Accord Hybrid, and Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid are roomy and packed with creature comforts.

2017 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid

Here’s our list of the Top Fifty Cars of 2017 with Great MPGs (without a plug) …

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2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Road Test Review

When Chevrolet first rolled out a Malibu Hybrid back in 2008, it was referred to as a “mild hybrid” with fuel economy ratings of 26 city / 34 highway miles per gallon. At the time, it presented little competition to the hybrid fuel economy leading Toyota Prius. Flash forward to the present day and it’s a very different story. The 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid is a contender, with EPA ratings of 47 city / 46 highway. I spent a week with the Malibu Hybrid producing two videos and was very impressed. This first video is a backroad/small town hybrid “stunt drive” where I use a conservative driving approach to ascertain the hybrid drive train’s potential for high MPGs:

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