gas mileage

Fuel Mileage – How High Can It Go?

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While Americans typically refer to gas mileage, rather than fuel mileage, there’s a change afoot.

Highly fuel-efficient clean diesel-equipped vehicles have finally begun to reach our shores, and little-by-little, they’re making an impact. Time to adjust the lexicon. It’s fuel mileage, not gas mileage, when you’re driving a diesel.

Last month, I had the good fortune to interview a globe-hopping fuel economy record-setting couple from Australia, John and Helen Taylor, who had just set a new Guinness World Record for fuel mileage in a trip through the 48 states. The Taylors achieved an amazing 58.82 miles per gallon (MPG) in over 9000 miles of driving in a brand new clean diesel 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. That’s a number that couldn’t be touched with the current crop of hybrids.

We can thank the German manufacturers for making heavy investments in the technology.

The VW Jettas are the first of the clean diesels to arrive. Next up are the Audi Q7 and BMW 335d, with the Audi A4 to follow at some point in 2009 or 2010. Just this month, Audi ran a cross-country dieselfest, inviting automotive journalists from around the globe to partake in a coast-to-coast voyage to bring light to the excellent fuel mileage results of their fleet of clean diesel-equipped A3s, A4s, and Q7s.

The best is yet to come.

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Mitsubishi Eclipse Gas Mileage

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The 2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse gas mileage estimates fall in the mid to high twenties on the highway, as the sporty coupe competes with a diverse range of competition including the Chevy Cobalt, Pontiac G5, Ford Mustang, and Dodge Challenger.

Eclipse owners must decide between a four cylinder or V6 engine, depending on the model. The Eclipse GS is fitted with Mitsubishi’s 2.4 liter SOHC MIVEC inline four delivering 162 horsepower (HP) and 162 foot pounds of torque. The Eclipse GT is fitted with a 3.8 liter SOHC V6 providing a healthy 265 HP and 262 foot pounds of torque.

Mitsubishi Eclipse GT

The four cylinder Eclipse GS is fitted with a 4-speed automatic or 5-speed manual transmission. The V6 Eclipse GT is fitted with 5-speed automatic or 6-speed manual transmission. The Eclipse GS is rated at 20 city / 28 highway miles per gallon (MPG) with the manual and 20/26 with the automatic. The Eclipse GT is rated at 16 city / 25 highway MPG with the manual and 16/24 with the automatic.

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Mitsubishi Galant Gas Mileage

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The 2008 Mitsubishi Galant delivers middle of the road gas mileage, as it battles it out in a highly competitive segment with the likes of the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion, and Chevy Malibu.

Galant owners can choose between a four cylinder or V6 engine, depending on the model. The 2.4 liter SOHC MIVEC inline four delivers 160 horsepower (HP) and 155 foot pounds of torque, while the 3.8 liter SOHC V6 provides 230 HP and 250 foot pounds of torque. The more economical four is rated at 20 city / 27 highway miles per gallon (MPG). The V6 requires premium fuel.

Mitsubishi Galant

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Saab 9-3 Gas Mileage

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While the long-running Saab 9-3 doesn’t top the charts when it comes to gas mileage, it is capable of producing respectable numbers when driven conservatively.

The 9-3 is well-outfitted. All current 9-3s are equipped with traction control, electronic stability, anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes, and six-speed manual transmissions as standard equipment. An electronically controlled five-speed Saab Sentronic automatic is optional in the 2.0T, while a six-speed Sentronic is available in the Aero; both offer manual gear selection.

2009 Saab 9-3

The 9-3 is available with three engine choices, all of which are intercooled turbos. The 9-3 2.0T is equipped with a 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine that produces 210 horsepower (HP) and 221 foot pounds of torque. The 9-3 Aero is fitted with a 2.8 liter six-cylinder engine that prodices 255 HP and 258 foot pounds of torque. The Aero’s Cross-Wheel Drive (XWD) option takes the six up a notch to 280 HP / 295 foot pounds, and ratchets down the gas mileage (as is the case with all AWD vehicles).

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A Simple Method to Increase Gas Mileage

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I’ve test driven a lot of vehicles over the last six months or so, spending a week with each of the best selling hybrids, as well as a handful of the smaller SUVs and a slew of small fuel-efficient vehicles. Over this time, I’ve come to realize that there’s a very simple way to increase gas mileage without spending a dime or taking undue risks. This gas saving technique is remarkably simple, yet many folks have never given it a try.

It all starts by asking yourself this basic question …

When you’re driving, what percentage of the time is your foot completely off the accelerator? To be clear: not resting on the accelerator, but resting on the carpet.

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