Why some things need to be asked and asked and asked over and over and over again...Where are the American Fuel Saving Cars?
Why does Detroit continue to sit on their collective asses?
Is it safety? Congress?
The current CAFE standards are 27.5 mpg for cars and 22.2 mpg for light trucks. In June the Senate passed a bill that would boost the fuel economy of new cars and trucks by about 40 percent. (In August the House of Representatives passed a bill that would leave CAFE standards unchanged; a House-Senate conference committee is expected to resolve the differences between the bills later this year.) Under the Senate proposal, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) would divide the fleet into classes based on size or weight and set fuel-economy standards for each class to achieve an overall average of 35 mpg by 2020. Tom Wenzel, a transportation scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, says the safety impact would depend on whether the regulations alleviate the present mismatch between cars and light trucks. According to Wenzel, the lower CAFE standard for trucks has fostered a proliferation of behemoth SUVs and pickups that cause thousands of deaths every year when they plow into cars.
Perhaps the Auto Makers?
Or Perhaps The Keepers of Regulations?
Easiest way to sum up why the US Auto Industry is suffering! MPG and they aren't produced at home!
Top 10 fuel misers
By Craig Guillot • Bankrate.com
http://www.bankrate.com/...
Small, fuel efficient vehicles are flying off the lots faster than some dealers can stock them -- and what a turnaround that is.
In May 2008, the Ford F-150 truck, which had been the best-selling vehicle in the country for two decades, lost its title to the fuel-sipping Honda Civic. Consumers all around the country are quickly taking to the idea that gas is only going to become more expensive and they're trying to find vehicles that use less of it.
Detroit has responded by putting more emphasis on smaller vehicles, such as the Ford Focus and the Chevy Malibu, but Toyota, Honda and Nissan continue to dominate when it comes to fuel efficiency. As gas prices rise and consumers demand more efficient vehicles, more options will quickly come to market. Phil Reed, consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com, says that while hybrids continue to top the list on fuel efficiency, there are many small cars that get many miles to the gallon.
Here are the top 10 of the 2008 model year:
- Toyota Prius 6. Toyota Corolla
- Honda Civic Hybrid 7. Mini Cooper
- Toyota Camry Hybrid 8. Hyundai Accent/Kia Rio
- Toyota Yaris 9. Honda Civic
- Honda Fit 10. Nissan Versa