MPG-o-Matic 2012 Chevrolet Sonic Turbo Review Summary:
What a difference a year makes. While the outgoing Chevy Aveo ranked at the bottom of all the cars we’ve tested over the years, the brand new 2012 Sonic LTZ Turbo has muscled its way into the top of the sub-compact class.
If you’re shopping for a high-MPG sub-compact, your short list just got longer. The Sonic Turbo is a blast to drive and American-built, to boot.
While fuel efficiency might seem like the latest craze, we’ve been tuned into it for years. 40 MPG cars are nothing new. Other sources may be content to simply throw up a photograph and a paragraph or two about any given economy car. We take the time to put hundreds and hundreds of miles on each and every odometer. We test for real-world fuel-efficiency with a light-footed driving style … because mileage matters.
Check out our playlist of 40 MPG Car Reviews!
Through comprehensive testing, we’ve found that a number of cars are capable of exceeding their highway fuel efficiency ratings when driven conscientiously. Some cars rated in the high 30 MPG range can eclipse the 40 MPG mark. It’s all in the way you drive. Over the last few years, we’ve tested a range of 40 MPG (highway) cars, including:
MPG-o-Matic 2011 Chevrolet Volt Review Summary: The 2011 Chevrolet Volt is both futuristic and familiar, with a range-extended Voltec drivetrain designed to provide efficiency, as well as flexibility. Top off the battery overnight and you’ll have approximately 40 miles of pure electric range in the morning. If you should exceed the Volt’s range before recharging, a fuel-efficient gasoline-powered engine will kick in to provide electricity to power the electric motor. Welcome to the future.
MPG-o-Matic 2011 Chevrolet Cruze ECO Review Summary: The 2011 Chevy Cruze ECO sedan is the most fuel-efficient vehicle in General Motors 2011 lineup, outside of the extended-range electric Chevy Volt. When equipped with the six-speed manual transmission, the Cruze ECO is capable of gas mileage that rivals many of the current hybrid cars on the market. The combination of a tiny turbocharged 1.4-liter engine, advanced aerodynamics, and an optimized manual gear set (with overdrive) deliver excellent real-world fuel economy, at a very attractive price point.
Back in the day, six-cylinder Mustangs and Camaros were dismissed as secretary’s cars. You could slap a set of Cragar SS chrome rims on a straight six, but the exhaust note always gave it away. Musclecar fans debated horsepower, not fuel efficiency. Flash forward forty years and things have changed. Folks are pitting Mustang gas mileage against Camaro gas mileage. The cutting-edge naturally-aspirated V6 engines in the current Mustang and Camaro are both powerful and thrifty on gas (when driven conscientiously).
The 2011 3.7-liter V6 Mustang is rated at 30 miles per gallon (MPG) on the highway (when equipped with the six-speed automatic transmission), while delivering a remarkable 305 horsepower. I was lucky to be on hand to witness the Mustang 1000-Lap Challenge at Bristol Motor Speedway back in June. After spending a good part of the day with Mustang Vehicle Engineering Manager Tom Barnes and the engineering crew, I gained a raft of insight into how the original pony car was transformed into fuel-efficient fire-breathing beast.
Want to know how the team scored a remarkable 48.5 MPG in the test? Que up the video …
