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AWD Gas Mileage

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There’s no better time then the dead of winter to test AWD gas mileage. (As I write this, I’m in the midst of reviewing an AWD 2009 Mazda CX-7 GT. While the official estimates are par for the course, I’ve been able to exceed the numbers on the window sticker.) Unfortunately, AWD gas mileage is nearly always lower than the FWD variant … when all four wheels are driven, fuel economy always suffers. It comes down to simple physics. Even the best gas mileage AWDs top out in the 30 mile per gallon (MPG) highway range.

2010 Audi A3 2.0 TDI at NAIAS 2009 ... can an AWD Quattro be far behind?

A good number of the current AWD gas mileage champs use hybrid technology. I’ve put the Lexus 400h, Ford Escape Hybrid, and Toyota Highlander Hybrid to the gas mileage test over the past year and have achieved excellent results with each vehicle.

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2009 Detroit Auto Show: Concept Cars

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Concept cars have always been a huge focus of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), and 2009 was no exception. While the sheer number of concept cars may have been down compared to previous years, the 2009 Detroit Auto Show played host to an impressive array of vehicles. MPGomatic’s NAIAS concept car coverage provides … Read more

MPGomatic on Fox News Toledo!

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There was no shortage of honest-to-goodness hard-working automotive journalists and bloggers of every stripe and size at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) press preview days in Detroit this week … and then there was yours truly, all part of the crazy mix. Never mind the never-touched-a-wrench ne’re-do-wells. A fundamental shift has taken place. … Read more

Senator Corker Goes to Detroit

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From the looks of the mob of reporters and cameras, one might have thought that a pop culture icon had descended upon the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) floor.

But it was not a Grammy-winning diva or Hollywood actress flocked by paparazzi … it was a man in the running for the Motor City’s least favorite Washington politician, Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee.

After exiting from a proverbial back room, Corker made his rounds of the NAIAS show floor, starting with the GM booth, where he received a car-by-car briefing on the latest designs and technology from the largest of the Detroit Three.

Senator Corker gets an education at GM

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Dinner with Ford’s CEO, Alan Mulally

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On Sunday evening, I had the good fortune to have dinner with Ford’s CEO, Alan Mulally and a number of Ford executives. I was the lone wolf mad dog blogger at the table, surrounded by conventional journalists from America and the UK. Needless to say, I was nervous as could be, not having previously met a single person in the room. I compensated by throwing down three pineapple vodka infusions – the house specialty at the Capital Grille in Troy, Michigan (and for good reason, I must say) – in rapid succession while twittering and waiting at the bar.

All in my best attempt to summon inspiration from the late great Hunter S. Thompson.

As the outsider not knowing a soul, I felt a bit uneasy as I eased into my spot at the corner of the table. I was only guy not wearing a tie (although I did have a proper navy jacket). My non-corporate arrangement of facial hair du jour couldn’t have helped.

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