mpg-o-editor

2013 Chevrolet Suburban LTZ Review

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MPG-o-Matic 2013 Chevrolet Suburban Review Summary: The 2013 Chevrolet Suburban is the Big Daddy of traditional body-on-frame American SUVs, with half- and 3/4-ton versions that can seat up to nine people with a maximum towing capacity of 9,600 pounds.

We put a loaded AWD half-ton Suburban LTZ to the “take your kid to college” test, packing the cargo area full, and taking to the open road for a 700+ mile round trip. The Suburban delivered plenty of creature comfort, while consuming a considerable amount of fuel.

2013 Chevy Suburban LTZ 4WD half-ton - rear view

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2013 Ford Explorer Sport – NYC First Test Drive

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Can America compete with the best of the European auto manufacturers when it comes to luxury sport utility vehicles that emphasize the Sport aspect of the SUV badge? The 2013 Ford Explorer Sport seeks to answer that question with a definitive “yes.” With the Range Rover Sport HSE as the primary target, Ford’s attack takes a three-pronged approach: price, performance, and fuel-efficiency.

2013 Ford Explorer Sport - front view - NYC

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New Car Gas Mileage Average: 23.2 MPG for September 2012

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It’s more than a budge of the needle. The year-over-year average in September light vehicle fuel economy numbers has risen to 23.2 miles per gallon (MPG) in 2012, from 22 MPG in September 2011, according to TrueCar.com’s TrueMPG* tally. The Santa Monica-based “authority on new car pricing information, trends and forecasting.”

While the numbers are the highest recorded to date, September 2012 held steady with August. The year-to-date TrueMPG average has risen to the same 23.2 magic MPG, from 21.9 MPG, over the first three quarters in 2011, with General Motors, Honda, and Toyota showing the largest gains in corporate fuel economy over the time period. A slew of new models and punishingly high gas prices have new car buyers seeking more fuel-efficient vehicles, with compacts and subcompacts leading the charge.

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VW Sets Land Speed Record with Jetta Hybrid

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Think all hybrid cars are slow? Think again. Volkswagen has set a production car land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah with a modified 2013 Jetta Hybrid averaging 186.313 MPH over two runs on October 5th.

The Jetta Hybrid’s record-setting effort in the Southern California Timing Association’s (SCTA) H/PS class topped a 185.394 MPH run made in August. (The H/PS class covers production cars using 1.5 liter forced induction engines.) While modifications were limited by class rules, horsepower output was significantly enhanced.

Record-setting 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid at the Bonneville Salt Flats

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2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo Review

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MPG-o-Matic 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo Review Summary: The 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo takes it up a notch over the naturally-aspirated Veloster. An added cost of approximately $4,500 delivers a whopping improvement in torque and horsepower (HP), with a negligible hit on fuel economy. The Veloster Turbo ups the ante in the affordable Eco Sport segment, but can it go head-to-head with the Fiat Abarth, 500 Turbo and John Cooper Works MINI? Fingers crossed, we’ll put the Euro rivals to the test down the road …

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