Choosing a More Fuel-Efficient Passenger Car

Fuel economy is on car shoppers' minds these days; a survey conducted earlier this year by AAA Chicago found that gas mileage is the most important factor for people when it comes time to purchase a car.

If you place a high priority on fuel economy too, there are some simple steps you can take to get a car that uses less fuel. What's more, many of the steps will also save you money on the purchase price of the car. If you'd rather learn about new cars that get 35 mpg or more, check out our High-Mileage Cars page.

Go With a Smaller Engine

Perhaps the easiest way to get better mileage is to choose the smallest engine when more than one is offered. In most instances, going with a base four-cylinder engine over a V-6 or V-8 will give you better mileage. In otherwise equally equipped cars, the four-cylinder version will likely cost less than the model with the bigger engine, too.

Some people may ask whether a four-cylinder offers enough performance in a larger car. That's a legitimate question, but while a four-cylinder likely won't offer the midrange power of a V-6 or a V-8, if you're just traveling from one point to the next, today's four-cylinder engines can get the job done. If you're concerned about not having enough power, try test driving the engines back-to-back to determine if the smaller engine offers enough power for you.

Shift for Yourself

The 2009 Chevrolet Aveo5 is rated by the EPA at 25/34 mpg city/highway with an automatic transmission and 27/34 mpg city/highway with a manual transmission.

While automatic transmissions have made great strides in terms of matching the frugalness of their manual counterparts, choosing a manual transmission can still offer gas savings in some models. And, like a four-cylinder engine, a manual is typically the base transmission offered, so you'll save money by not choosing an automatic, which can cost around $1,000. If you don't know how to drive a manual, find a friend who does and keep it from becoming a lost art.

Step Up to More Gears

If you're not prepared to spend time learning how to drive a manual transmission but are still interested in getting a few extra miles per gallon, you can look for an automatic transmission that has more gears. Four-speed automatics used to be the norm, but now many mainstream cars can have five- and six-speed automatics that help maximize fuel economy. To see how significant the fuel savings can be, take a look at the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu with the base 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine.

You can see from the table that the six-speed automatic offers a 3 mpg gain in the EPA's highway driving estimate. The extra gas mileage is not without extra cost, though, as the six-speed costs an extra $695.

Look for Special Trims

Automakers have seen the writing on the wall and know how important fuel economy has become in the marketplace. GM, for one, has responded with XFE versions of some of its vehicles, including the Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5. XFE stands for Xtra Fuel Economy. The Cobalt and G5 got fuel-saving features like low-rolling-resistance tires and different final-drive gearing. Though the changes may seem simple, they result in notable fuel economy gains; the G5 XFE with its manual transmission gets an EPA-estimated 25/37 mpg city/highway, which is 2 mpg better on the highway than a base model with a manual. Because these kinds of changes can be done quickly with minimal effort, look for other manufacturers to offer their own fuel-conscious trim lines.

Step Down a Size Class

Whether you're looking at a full-size or midsize car, stepping down one size class to a midsize or compact car, respectively, is usually an easy way to improve your gas mileage. You'll likely end up with a car that has a smaller engine and also weighs less, which further aids fuel economy.