Honda Hybrid 'Light Drinker'
Powered by both gasoline and electricity, a two-seat Japanese import is next year's top fuel miser, the Environmental Protection Agency said Friday as it released its latest fuel economy statistics.
The Honda Insight, which arrives at showrooms in December, was certified as getting 61 miles per gallon in city driving and 70 mpg on the highway, the best among more than 800 vehicles of the 2000 model year.
Among the biggest gas-guzzlers were the popular sport utility vehicles. Land Rover's Range Rover got the worst mileage (12-mpg city, 15-mpg highway) among the SUVs.
But a sleek two-seater, the sporty Ferrari 550 Maranello, was the biggest guzzler of all, getting 8 mpg in city driving and 13 on the open road.
Twenty cars, including the Ferrari, are subject to the federal gas guzzler tax.
The first gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle available in America, Honda has touted the Insight as "breakthrough engineering" with high mileage and emissions low enough to meet California's toughest standards outside of an all-electric car.
The Insight runs primarily on gasoline, but its electric motor kicks in to boost engine performance. The electric motor draws power from an onboard battery and acts as a generator when the car slows down, recharging the battery.
Other manufactures are planning to unveil similar "hybrids" in coming years.
Some auto industry analysts have questioned how many people will buy the new Honda offering, which is expected to cost close to $20,000.
Mileage varied widely among all categories of cars.
Volkswagen's diesel-engine versions of the subcompact Beetle and the compacts Jetta and Golf reported the best fuel economy (42 mpg city, 49 mpg highway) of any cars in their classes. They were the only diesels tested.
As it was a year ago, the Chevrolet Metro (39-mpg city, 46-mpg highway) was the most frugal fuel sipper among gasoline-powered cars. The Mazda 626 was the fuel economy winner among midsize cars (26-mpg city, 32-mpg highway) and the Toyota Avalon among large cars (21-mpg city, 29-mpg highway). The Dodge Caravan and its sister Plymouth Voyager were the most miserly among the popular minivans (20-mpg city, 26-mpg highway).
The EPA's fuel economy rankings haven't gained as much attention as in years past, when gasoline prices were higher. Today about half of the vehicles sold are SUVs and pickup trucks.
EPA Administrator Carol Browner said "Choosing the most fuel-efficient vehicle within a class can save drivers at least $1,500 in fuel costs and avoid more than 15 tons of greenhouse gas pollution over the life of the vehicle."
But the Coalition for Vehicle Choice, a group that campaigned against government fuel economy requirements, said consumers shouldn't be urged to by fuel-efficient cars, which the group argues are smaller, less convenient and less safe.
"The small gas sippers simply don't meet the needs of most consumers," said Diane Steed, president of th coalition, whose members include auto manufacturers.