hot hatch

2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback Review

by

Some things get better with age, as the saying goes, and the fully-revised 2019 Toyota Corolla is case in point. The Corolla is one of the world’s most popular cars, with a remarkable production run that stretches over half a century. The twelfth generation Corolla steps it up with a switch to Toyota’s TNGA-C platform, which also underpins the Prius and C-HR.

Toyota offers the Corolla Hatchback in just two models for 2019: the base SE and the XSE. The SE starts around $20,000 and the XSE around $23,000. The extra $3,000 buys a slew of cool stuff, including LED fog lamps, 18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, a TFT digital dashboard display, an eight-inch flat-screen infotainment system, and leather-trimmed heated front buckets. A revised Corolla Sedan is due in the 2020 model year.

Read more

Top 10 Cheapest New Cars of 2018 – What Gets the Best Gas Mileage?

by

Deciding which cheap new car to purchase can be a daunting task. It’s crucial to take your time, do your research, and look at the big picture. While we are largely focused on fuel economy here at MPGomatic, your purchase decision will include a range of considerations. The process can be highly emotional. The car you like best, might not make the most financial sense, for any number of reasons. If the car you fall in love with turns into a money pit, the honeymoon won’t last long.

Kelly Blue Book (KBB) crunched the numbers to determine 2018’s least expensive new cars “based on a full buy-drive-sell ownership cycle” (not just the purchased price). While some folks are most concerned with the monthly payment, the most important factors in KBB’s calculations include initial cost, finance rates, and five-year depreciation, as well as fuel costs. These are KBB’s picks’ not our favorites.

All of the vehicles on the list use conventional gasoline engines. Some worthy compacts and subcompacts oddly didn’t land on the list (including the Corolla, Yaris, Civic, Mazda3, Focus, and Fiesta) and there are no hybrid or diesel models due to the higher sticker prices. It comes as no surprise that all of the vehicles are front-wheel-drive. We’ll run through the list by order of fuel economy and include KBB’s listing order at the end of the article.

Read more

Most Fuel Efficient Cars of 2017 – Without a Plug

by

2017 sets another high point for fuel efficiency with a bumper crop of hybrids, turbo-diesels, and small-displacement vehicles that will knock your socks off. Not only do these highly efficient cars deliver great gas mileage, many are exceptionally rewarding to drive and stylish to boot.

While the brand new Hyundai Ioniq swipes the top spot from the Toyota Prius, the Kia Niro, Honda Accord Hybrid, and Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid are roomy and packed with creature comforts.

2017 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid

Here’s our list of the Top Fifty Cars of 2017 with Great MPGs (without a plug) …

Read more

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5

What’s the Best Cheap Used Car with Great Gas Mileage?

by

We’ve all been there. You have basic transportation needs and a budget tighter than a screw cap on a cheap bottle of wine. An inexpensive used car can help you meet your needs without resorting to taking out a high-interest loan. Knowing which car to buy is key, but the answer is too often locked away. We’re here to cut through the bombardment of advertisements and get right to the facts. When you buy the right cheap used car it will set you free. Buy the wrong one and you’ll enter a new world of pain.

Read more

Chevy Spark EV: 5x the Tesla Model S at 1/5 the Price?

by

I had the opportunity to drive the 2014 Chevy Spark EV last month at a media event in Portland, Oregon. The drive route ran through the streets of the city, onto the highway, and out into the suburbs. This provided the Spark EV with an ideal setting for its virtues to shine.

It can be a trick to shoot media events like this. The schedule is extremely compressed and time behind the wheel is often limited. We set out from the garage of the Portland Kimpton hotel and headed to Electric Avenue. I hustled to get location shots and hung a pair of cameras on the car on our departure from the parking garage (although I only ended up using the external camera).

Spark EVs charging in the basement of the Portland Klimpton Hotel

Lets go out on a limb and call the Spark EV the first affordable electric hot hatch. Who could argue with 400 foot pounds of torque and a 0-60 MPH time of 7.5 seconds? With that much power, the engineers are clearly holding back its full potential, lest the front tires disintegrate into billows of smoke and shards of rubber.

Read more