The Chevy Spark is fitted with a naturally aspirated DOHC 1.2-liter inline four-cylinder engine that produces 84 horsepower and 83 foot pounds of torque. The tiny four-banger can be mated to either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. There are three levels of trim: LS, 1LT and 2LT.

The official fuel economy estimates for the 2013 Chevrolet Spark are 32 city / 38 highway miles per gallon (MPG) for the five-speed manual and 28 city / 37 highway for the four-speed automatic.

We covered more than 400 miles on our five-speed manual-equipped Salsa Red 2LT Spark and dispensed the official mileage estimates, scoring an average of 36.6 MPG combined with temperatures ranging from the thirties through the fifties.

Along with our tester’s Salsa Red, the Spark’s standard color choices include Silver Ice, Summit White, Jalapeno Green, Denim Blue, Lemonade, and Techno Pink. You read that right: PINK. Black Granite is available at extra cost.

Our test vehicle was equipped with 15-inch machined-face aluminum alloy wheels, clad with Goodyear Integrity 185/55-15 all-season tires, and was delivered with under 4000 miles on the odometer. The 2013 Spark is equipped with an 9.2 gallon fuel tank and is designed to run on regular unleaded gasoline. Highway driving range is good. It feels far more substantial on the open road than the Scion iQ.

The Spark is fitted with an Anti-Lock Braking (ABS) system that uses 10.1 inch vented discs in the front and drums in the rear. The manual transmission-equipped Spark tips the scales at 2,237 pounds.

Make no mistake about it. The Spark is anything but a speed demon. Our best 0-60 MPH time fell in the 12 second range.

While the Spark has an Average MPG gauge, it’s lacking a Real Time display. We’d recommend adding an aftermarket unit like the AutoMeter EcoMeter or ScanGaugeE for optimal fuel economy.

The three-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel has a sporty feel and features integrated infotainment and cruise control buttons. The motorcycle-like gauges echo the Chevy Sonic with an analog speedometer and a digital tachometer. OnStar is standard in all models. A six-speaker audio system with a seven-inch LCD screen is standard in the 1LT and 2LT, while the base LS gets by with a four-speaker system. Handsfree Bluetooth and the touchscreen Chevy MyLink system are a standout at this price point.

MyLink includes streaming Bluetooth audio, Pandora, and Stitcher, along with the requisite iPhone or Android music integration. The 7-inch screen can display video when the car is stopped and out of gear.

(I did not have the opportunity to put the Bringo navigation app, Siri Eyes Freem or TuneIn apps to the test with this car, as I’m overdue to update my iPhone.)

There’s a single twelve-volt outlet located at the base of the dash, just above the USB and auxiliary audio input ports. The 2LT’s front bucket seats have single level seat heating. The two-tone leatherette upholstery features a unique graphic pattern and the interior’s quality level exceeds what’s often expected at this price point. (The top of the line LT2 has a MSRP of $15,895.)

The hidden back door handles give the Spark the appearance of a three-door coupe.

The second row seats provides 37.3 inches of headroom and 35.2 inches of legroom. A center seat storage cubby and cup holder make it very clear … the back seat is only intended for two passengers.

The Spark offers 11.4 cubic feet of storage behind the second row seat. Folding the split seat down yields a total of 31.2 cubic feet of cargo space. The seat bottoms must be flipped forward before the seat backs are folded down. (If you’re looking for a place where cost cutting is most apparent, look no further than those seat bottoms.)

All-in-all, the South Korean-built 2013 Spark packs a lot into a tiny and inexpensive package. It’s the most versatile and cost-effective city car in America today. The 2014 model year will bring a CVT transmission and a new electric model, the Spark EV, to do battle with the Honda Fit EV and Fiat 500e. While the Spark is available overseas with a tiny three-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, it’s unclear when or if a diesel version will reach our shores.

Chevrolet Spark 2LT Pricing Information:

- by Daniel Gray

Honda Accord Gas Mileage – 1988 – 1997

Honda Accord Gas Mileage 1978-1987

How to get more MPGs in the Accord

The fuel efficiency of older Accords may be incrementally improved through the careful choice of components in routine maintenance. When it’s time to replace the tires, consider a set of high-quality low-rolling resistance tires. The range of choices (depending on the model year) includes the Bridgestone Ecopia, Continental PureContact EcoPlus, Pirelli P6 Four Seasons, Yokohama AVID Ascend, Michelin Energy MXV4, Michelin Defender, and Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max.

When it’s time to replace the fluids (oil, transmission, differential), consider using synthetic fluids from Castrol, Royal Purple, Red Line, or Valvoline. Check with your mechanic and the owners forums to see which brands they recommend most highly.

There’s no question that driving style and technique have a huge bearing on gas mileage. In order to get the most out of every gallon in the Accord, you should use the built-in Instantaneous Fuel Economy display, if so equipped. If it’s not, consider adding an aftermarket Instant MPG gauge. Units like the ScanGaugeE and AutoMeter EcoMeter plug into the OBDII port (under the dashboard), cost less than $100 and can be installed in ten minutes or so. These gauges provide the feedback you need to become an informed light-footed driver.

Typical maintenance issues that can cause poor mileage in the Accord include bad oxygen sensors (02), clogged fuel injectors, bad alignment, dragging brakes, and low tire pressure. Plastic shrouds and bits hanging below the undercarriage can have an effect on highway mileage due to increased aerodynamic drag.

See Also: Honda Accord MPG Improvement Tactics

- by Daniel Gray ]]> http://www.mpgomatic.com/2013/05/09/honda-accord-gas-mileage-1978-2013/feed/ 0 http://www.mpgomatic.com/2013/05/03/can-you-find-a-fuel-efficient-car-on-ebay/ http://www.mpgomatic.com/2013/05/03/can-you-find-a-fuel-efficient-car-on-ebay/#comments Fri, 03 May 2013 18:56:53 +0000 mpg-o-editor http://www.mpgomatic.com/?p=4719 Folks often ask me, “what’s the ‘greenest’ car?” This is one of my favorite questions, because it can spur deeper conversation. Some people are shocked when I reply that the ‘greenest’ car is a recycled car. “Wait a minute,” comes the typical response, “a used car … for real?”

They often expect that I would answer with “oh, a (insert the most common name here) hybrid or an electric car (like the one that’s caught the tech world’s fancy that real world folks can’t afford).” Truth be told, 40 mile per gallon (MPG) cars are nothing new. You can find a ten or fifteen year old Honda Civic HX or Volkswagen TDI on eBay that will get 40 MPG on the highway. The older VW Jetta, Golf, Passat, and Beetle TDIs can even run on 100 domestic renewable biodiesel. Vintage Mercedes-Benz diesels can run on biodiesel as well, and they can all be converted to run on recycled fryer grease. There are great bargains to be found on fuel-efficient Saturns, too …

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me an old fryer-grease-powered Mercedes-Benz. All my friends slobber over Teslas, I must make amends …

A good friend of mine has one of those wicked cool big ol’ Mercs … One of these days, I’ll twist his arm into testing …

I shot this piece in my backyard for a promotion that eBay is running. Check out that bamboo in the background. The camera couldn’t decide whether or not to focus on yours truly or the bamboo (a.k.a.: my personal backyard carbon sink).

I don’t usually fall for contests, but this presented an opportunity to share the gospel on a new stage. All used cars can become more fuel efficient through MPGomatic’s Ain’t Fuelin’ Mindful Maintenance program. Bolt on a set of low-rolling-resistance tires, fill up with synthetic fluids, and pop in an OBDII Instant MPG gauge and you’ll be on your way to beating the original “official” estimates (minus today’s E10 MPG penalty, of course). If it’s a diesel, of course, there’s no worry …

- by Daniel Gray

Improving fuel efficiency and reducing carbon emissions through mindful maintenance, simple bolt-ons and driving technique might not be glamorous or a flight of fancy, but it is common sense. If you could get better gas mileage and spend less at the service station every month, without making a major investment, why wouldn’t you do it?

Yet, this concept hasn’t been sold that way. It hasn’t been sold at all. There’s been no concerted effort by an industry lobby to influence politicians to attack the carbon issue by retrofitting older vehicles with modern technology. Electric vehicles (EVs) are hailed as a savior by many and a demon by others. While EVs have significant potential for carbon reduction, a measurable impact won’t be felt for well over a decade, because the adoption rate is simply too low. By that point, we may have reached the point of irreversibility. That’s why we need to address the issue now, not just with new cars, but with much of the same technology from new cars, retrofitted to older cars. Tesla can’t make a dent in it fast enough. This program can.

Every time I pitch the Ain’t Fuelin’ project to an automotive industry executive or engineer, they get it. I see their eyes light up when I explain the process. They know it works. They’ve been up to their eyeballs in it. They’ve been going after this low-hanging fruit over the past few years.

Swapping in low-rolling-resistance tires and synthetic fluids, bolting on undercar tire spats, tweaking front air dams, and adding real-time fuel economy displays … it’s all been done now. These are all products that can be added to older vehicles – either by their owners or as part of the resale process.

For Ain’t Fuelin’ to have maximum impact, we need to go after the largest selling vehicles first – the Ford F-150, Fusion, Focus and Escape; Chevrolet Silverado, Impala and Malibu, Honda Accord, Civic, and CR-V; Toyota Camry, Corolla, and RAV4, Nissan Altima, Ram 1500, and Hyundai Sonata.

Getting things rolling with the Kickstarter campaign was just the first phase. If we can keep the tank full of gas and the bills paid over the next few months, we stand to make a real difference.

- by Daniel Gray

Our goal is to measure the improvement from stone stock to MPG-modified. Simply put, too many of the HX manual Coupes have been either butchered with questionable parts and hideous mods or the mileage has run around the clock twice. We can’t waste funds returning cars to stock form.

So we’re not giving up on the Civic … we’re just waiting for the right opportunity to appear. The ideal candidate should have no more than 150,000 miles or so on the odometer and must be mechanically sound, with documentation of maintenance. It’s okay if there’s exterior cosmetic work to be done. (Fenders, hoods, and bumpers are inexpensive enough to replace and after last week’s trip to the 3M Boot Camp I’m ready to dust off my long-dormant mad bondo skills.)

Most importantly, the Civic mule needs to be priced right. If we had raised even five figures, we’d be spending more freely. But tying up half our funds in a used car with over 200K on the clock just wasn’t in the cards, no matter how clean that car might have been. Dropping four grand on a 220K 2002 HX was too much of a risk when it came to the potential for resale.

I’ve spent a good bit of time on schwag lately. There’s some cool stuff coming, but one of the unfortunate truths of running a Kickstarter campaign is that fulfilling the donor perks includes costs that you might not originally factor. Mundane things, like packaging and shipping … and quality thing, when you don’t want to settle for a less expensive option on your schwag, because the next level up looks so much better.

As it looks now, we’ll be starting Ain’t Fuelin’ off with a 2004 Ford F-150. That’s right. An awesomely huge gas-sucking four wheel drive beast. We’ll see what impact our mindful maintenance procedures and simple mods have on America’s biggest selling vehicle. A one or two average mile per gallon (MPG) change in gas mileage can make a huge difference.

Once the testing on the F-150 is complete, we’ll launch into our second project. There’s a super cool story to be told on this one, but I’m not at the liberty to tell it just yet.

Stay tuned. It’s about to get very real …

- by Daniel Gray

The 2013 Ford Escape is available in four trim levels, S SE, SEL, and Titanium. The base S model is equipped with a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter Duratec inline four cylinder engine. The SE and SEL can be ordered with either a 1.6-liter or 2.0-liter EcoBoost inline four. The top-of-the-line Titanium model is only fitted with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost. All 2013 Escapes use a six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission and are available in front-wheel (FWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD). The 2.0-liter turbo produces 231 horsepower (HP) and 270 foot-pounds of torque on regular unleaded and 240 HP on premium.

The official fuel economy estimates for the 2.0-liter EcoBoost Escape are 22 City / 30 Highway for FWD and 21 City / 28 Highway for AWD.

We covered more than five hundred miles in our Ingot Silver AWD Titanium review unit and scored an average of 30.6 MPG on the Interstate highway and 23.2 MPG combined with temperatures ranging from the thirties through the sixties.

Interstate Mileage Testing:

• Cruise control set to 68 MPH, A/C off, windows up: 29.2 MPG
• Cruise control off, target speed 60-72 MPH, A/C off, windows up: 31.5 MPG

Interstate highway testing temperatures were in the mid-sixties.

Our test vehicle was equipped with 19-inch alloy wheels, clad with optional Continental ContiProContact P235/45R19 all season tires tires, and was delivered with slightly under 10000 miles on the odometer. The 2013 Escape is equipped with an 15.1 gallon fuel tank and is designed to run on regular unleaded gasoline (although the EcoBoost engine is tuned to produce more HP with premium fuel). Highway driving range is good.

The Escape Titanium AWD is fitted with four-wheel-disc brakes. 12.6-inch vented discs are used on the front and 11.0-inch solid discs on the rear. The AWD Escape Titanium tips the scales at 3,732 pounds.

The 2013 Escape is ten percent more aerodynamic than the 2012 model. Active grille shutters are used in the 2.5 liter (naturally aspirated) and 1.6-liter EcoBoost models further reduce wind resistance.

The turbocharged and direct injected EcoBoost 2.0-liter provides a solid combination of performance and efficiency.

The 2013 Escape marks the debut of Ford’s crisply designed global seat architecture. The Titanium interior features leather and cloth-trimmed upholstery, with five-level heated front bucket seats. The driver’s seat has ten-way power adjustment with two-way power lumbar support. Ambient lighting, dual-zone temperature control, and a remote start system are standard.

The ten-speaker Sony audio system includes a subwoofer. Hands-free Bluetooth, Microsoft Sync, and MyFordTouch are standard. There’s a 115-volt outlet at the back of the center console and two twelve volt outlets – one at the base of the dash, and one inside the center console, along with two USB ports, RCA inputs and a SD card slot

The Parking technology option package includes a rear view camera (with red/yellow/green zones and ghost lines), Active Park Assist, Blindspot mirrors with cross-traffic alert, forward and reverse sensing systems, and rain-sensing wipers.

The Escape’s second row seat is quite accommodating, with 39.0 inches of headroom, 36.8 inches of legroom, a recline feature, and a fold-down center armrest. There’s plenty of cargo area, with a low lift-over height (27 inches) and an extremely well-engineered fold-flat split rear seat. You’ll find 34.3 cubic feet of storage behind the 60/40 rear seat, and 68.1 cubic feet when the seat is folded down. The Titanium model includes the foot-activate liftgate and the tonneau cover.

All-in-all, the 2013 Ford Escape jockeys for the lead in this year’s pack of small crossovers.
There’s no question that it’s leaps and bounds better than it’s predecessor … if you’re looking for car, rather than a truck. Alas, the Escape Hybrid is no more. If you’re looking for the same style and comfort but with a significantly higher level of fuel efficiency, you’ll want to check out the Ford C-MAX.

Ford Escape Titanium AWD Pricing Information:

Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price: $32,120
Destination Charges: $895


Competitors:

• Chevrolet Equinox
• Honda CR-V
• Hyundai Tuscon
• Kia Sportage
• Mazda CX-5
• Nissan Juke
• Nissan Rogue
• Subaru Forrester
• Toyota RAV4

- by Daniel Gray

I’ve had this project on the back burner for more than three years. Over that time, I’ve had the good fortune to speak with a range of automotive professionals, from mechanics and race car drivers, through engineers and top-level executives. The premise of what we seek to prove is sound. The toughest part of this endeavor is producing compelling video on an extremely tight budget. Simply put, this has to be something that you want to watch and share with your friends.

Creating a video series with fuel economy improvement as a centerpiece may seem a bit daffy, but it’s no crazier than most of the stuff that’s out there today. Gas mileage is a prime consideration in most new car purchases. We simply want to extend a set of technological efficiencies from the current model year to cars that are five to fifteen years old.

Our goal with Ain’t Fuelin’ is to inform, as well as entertain. We want to help you save a bit at the pump every time you fill up and keep track of those savings over the course of time. We’re out to prove that reducing fuel consumption through vehicle maintenance, aftermarket parts, and driving technique isn’t just possible, but that it’s common sense.

With that in mind, it’s an honor to land sponsorships from key companies with this mission: AutoMeter, Valvoline, Eibach, and Fuelly.com … and there will be more to come.

Lining up the project vehicles is no easy feat. We need to rely on donated vehicles for the bulk of our testing.

Each vehicle will go up on the lift at least two times, with two stages. Stage One = install low-rolling-resistance tires, synthetic fluids, and tire spats. Stage Two = install lowering springs. Stage One is key. Stage Two is optional.

The procedure draft looks something like this:

1. Give it the once over, log details, conventional oil & filter change, install AutoMeter EcoMeter (OBDII device), address any issues/perform necessary maintenance, look for potential aero improvements (in addition to tire spats).
2. Benchmark mileage testing.
3. Install Valvoline synthetic fluids and low rolling resistance tires (possibly alloy wheels). Bolt on tire spats.
4. Mileage testing.
5. Install Eibach lowering springs.
6. Mileage testing.
7. Apply additional aerodynamic improvements (grille/fascia, underbody)
8. Mileage testing.

We will handle combined mileage tracking on long term vehicles with Fuelly.com, based on tank fills. Highway mileage tracking will be posted here on MPGomatic.com on a testing loop-by-loop basis.

This is a community effort and we not only welcome your input, we encourage it. Thanks again for helping to make it happen!

- by Daniel Gray

The front-wheel-drive Azera is equipped with a 3.3-liter gasoline direct injected (GDI) 24-valve DOHC V6 engine which produces 293 horsepower (HP) and 255 foot pounds of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The official fuel economy estimates for the 2013 Hyundai Azera are 20 city / 29 highway miles per gallon (MPG).

We covered hundreds of miles in our Black Onyx Pearl review unit and did a wee bit better than the official mileage estimates, with an average of 31.3 MPG on the Interstate highway and 23.7 MPG combined with late winter temperatures ranging from the twenties through the forties. We did most of our driving with the Active Eco system on.

Our test vehicle was equipped with 18-inch “Hyper-Silver” alloy wheels, clad with optional Hankook Optimo H426 245/45R18 grand touring all-season tires, and was delivered with under 3000 miles on the odometer. The Optimo H426s are not rated as low-rolling-resistance tires. Owners may want to try the Continental PureContact/EcoPlus or Michelin Primacy MXM4 when the time comes for a tire change. The 2013 Azera is equipped with a generously sized 18.5 gallon fuel tank and is designed to run on regular unleaded gasoline. Highway driving range is quite good.

The Azera is fitted with four-wheel-disc brakes with Anti-Lock Braking (ABS) and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD). 12.6-inch discs are used on the front, with 11.2-inch discs on the rear. The Azera tips the scales in the 3,605 to 3,825 pound range, depending on options.

The Azera’s cabin appointments are remarkable for the price point, with high-quality materials and leather upholstery that’s wonderfully soft to the touch. Heated seats (front and rear), and a ten-way power-adjustable drivers seat are standard; choosing the Technology Option package ups the ante with twelve-way driver seat tweaks that include seat cushion length adjustment, front bucket seat ventilation, and an integrated driver memory seat system that includes a power adjustable steering column. The enormous panoramic tilt-and-slide sunroof opens up the interior to the great outdoors.

A center-mounted monochrome display provides simultaneous data on average fuel economy (numeric) and instant fuel economy (via a thermometer-style gauge). The display also provides data on average speed, elapsed time, two trip meters, and distance to empty.

The steering wheel is wrapped with soft-touch leather and provides a full array of controls. A navigation system, rearview cam, hands-free Bluetooth (including streaming audio), BlueLink telematics, and a 450-watt audio system are standard. Our tester was outfitted with the Technology option package, upping the ante with a 550-watt Infinity sound system. There are 12 volt outlets at the base of the dash with one next to the USB input and the other by the passenger footwell. iPod support is excellent. The glovebox is ventilated, just in case you want to keep your chocolate bars cool in the middle of August.

The rear seating area is one of the Azera’s best attributes. You’ll find 37.3 inches of headroom (when equipped with the panoramic sunroof) and 36.8 inches of legroom. There are manual side sunshades on the rear door windows. An power rear sunshade is included in the Technology Option package.

The trunk provides 16.3 cubic feet of storage area, with sixty-forty fold down rear seats allowing for longer items. The passthrough area is a tad tight and the seats do not fold down completely flat.

All-in-all, the 2013 Hyundai Azera delivers a high-level of luxury and comfort at a remarkably low price point. This is more than just a shot across the bow for the more expensive luxury marquees (and they’re all more expensive). It’s a direct hit that has us asking just one question … How long will it take for Hyundai adapt the hybrid system from the Sonata?

Azera Pricing Information:

Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: $32,250.00
Added Features:
Technology Package: $4,000
19-inch Hyper Silver Alloy Wheels/P24540R19 Hankook tires
Panoramic tilt-n-slide sunroof
HID Xenon headlamps
Rear parking assist sensors
Infinity premium audio system with subwoofer and amp
Ventilated front seats
Drivers seat cushion extension
Power rear- and side-window (manual) sunshades
Integrated driver memory seat system
Power adjustable tilt/telescopic steering column
Interior ambient lighting

Carpeted floor mats: $100.00
iPod cable

Inland freight and handling: $875.00

Total Price: $37,225.00

Parts Content Information:
US/Canadian Parts Content: 2%
Major Sources of Foreign Parts Content: Korea – 89%
Final Assembly Point: Asan, Korea
Country of Origin:
Engine – Korea
Transmission – Korea

- by Daniel Gray