mpg-o-editor Over the years, Acura has achieved a well-earned reputation for fuel-efficiency among the premium imports. Highway gas mileage for the current RL, TL, and TSX lines run from the mid to high twenty mile per gallon (MPG) range. Although the 2009 Acura TSX (shown below) produces solid MPG ratings for a performance-oriented vehicle (20/28 with the five-speed automatic and 21/30 with the six-speed manual transmission), a much more fuel-efficient diesel option is waiting in the wings.
The compact Chevrolet S10 pickup truck premiered as a 1982 model and was replaced by the Colorado after the 2004 model year. When equipped with the most fuel-efficient four-cylinder engine and manual transmission, the S10’s gas mileage ratings floated in the high twenty mile per gallon (MPG) highway range for much of its run. For a time in the 1980s, the S10 could be ordered with a 2.2 liter four-cylinder diesel engine.
MPG-o-Matic 2009 Toyota Corolla Review Summary: The 2009 Toyota Corolla competes with the Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra, Ford Focus, and Chevy Cobalt, among others in the highly competitive compact market and slots in between the Yaris and Camry in Toyota’s lineup.
Under the hood, all Corolla models with the exception of the XRS are fitted with Toyota’s 1.8 liter DOHC 16-valve VVT-i four cylinder engine, which produces 132 horsepower (HP) and 128 foot pounds of torque. (The more powerful XRS is equipped with a beefier 2.4 liter, producing 158 HP and 162 foot pounds of torque.)
It comes as no surprise that gas mileage has never been one of the Cadillac Escalade’s strong suits. Over the years, the Escalade’s gas mileage has never exceeded 20 miles per gallon (MPG) on the highway, while its city mileage has dwelt in the low teens. Get ready for a magic makeover for one of America’s most indulgent gas hogs. All that changes with the brand new 2009 Escalade Hybrid, which promises a whopping fifty percent improvement in city mileage.
The 2009 Escalade Hybrid’s 2-Mode Hybrid system mates a special transmission and battery pack to the big 6.0 liter V-8 to deliver 20 city and 21 highway MPG. At low speeds, the Escalade Hybrid can be propelled solely under electric power. At higher speeds, the gasoline engine and electric motor work in tandem. When you really put your foot in it, the gasoline engine takes over. Active Fuel Management shuts down half of the V-8’s cylinders under light loads to achive better gas mileage while cruising at highway speeds. Auto engine shut off turns the gasoline engine off when the Escalade Hybrid is stopped, saving additional fuel.
I’ve been alternatively amused and agitated by CNN’s recent biodiesel road trip. It seemed like a novel idea for the mainstream media to tackle, but wrapping it up with a sideshow twist was bound to paint things with a skeptic’s light. Did CNN intend for the voyage to run into problems? Was this just a … Read more