According to a recent Consumer Reports report, fuel economy is the best incentive when it comes to selling cars. Consumers are more concerned about buying a vehicle that gets better fuel economy than they are about other features or incentives being offered. This is evidenced by the fact that cars that have great fuel economy are selling like hotcakes at dealerships nationwide.

The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a random nationwide telephone survey. They conducted this phone survey from August 3rd to August 7th and talked to adults 18 and older who are considering a new vehicle purchase, most likely during the next twenty four months. Consumer Report reported that “when asked to identify the most important considerations, survey respondents were less influenced by incentives than product features, perhaps reflecting a blasé attitude shaped by perpetual promotions. Fuel economy (27 percent) led the list of considerations, followed by reliability (25 percent), purchase price (14 percent), and safety features (12 percent). Only five percent of car shoppers said that manufacturer or dealer incentives were the most important factor in their purchase decision”.

According to the Consumer Reports’ website, “Last summer, automakers’ employee pricing campaigns created a gold rush that drove significant sales volume, but the market is much different this year. Rising fuel costs have led to bloated inventories of large pickup trucks and SUVs, while small, thrifty vehicles have been in high demand.”

You can find more information about the recent Consumer Reports Survey by going to their website at www.consumerreports.org.

According to fueleconomy.gov (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bestworst.shtml), the Honda Insight is the most fuel efficient vehicle, with a whopping 60 miles per gallon in the city and an estimated 66 miles per gallon on the highway. Other fuel efficient vehicles include:

Most Efficient Overall
Honda Insight 60mpg city 66mpg hwy

Most Efficient Two Seaters
Honda Insight 3 cyl, 1 L, Manual(5) 60mpg city 66mpg hwy
Honda Insight 3 cyl, 1 L, Automatic(variable) 57mpg city 56mpg hwy

Most Efficient Minicompact Cars
MINI Cooper 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Manual(5), Premium 28mpg city 36mpg hwy
MINI Cooper 4 cyl, 1.6 L, Automatic(variable), Premium 26mpg city 34mpg hwy

Most Efficient Subcompact Cars
VW New Beetle (Diesel) 4 cyl, 1.9 L, Manual(5) 37mpg city 44mpg hwy
VW New Beetle (Diesel) 4 cyl, 1.9 L, Automatic(6) 35mpg city 42mpg hwy

Most Efficient Compact Cars
Honda Civic Hybrid 4 cyl, 1.3 L, Automatic(variable) 49mpg city 51mpg hwy
VW Golf (Diesel) 4 cyl, 1.9 L, Manual(5) 37mpg city 44mpg hwy

Most Efficient Midsize Cars
Toyota Prius (Hybrid) 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Automatic(Variable), Regular 60mpg city 51mpg hwy
Hyundai Elantra 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual(5), Regular 27mpg city 34mpg hwy

Most Efficient Large Cars
Hyundai Sonata 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Manual(5), Regular 24mpg city 34mpg hwy
Hyundai Sonata 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Automatic(4), Regular 24mpg city 33mpg hwy

Most Efficient Small Station Wagons
Pontiac Vibe 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Manual(5), Regular 30mpg city 36mpg hwy
Toyota Matrix 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Manual(5), Regular 30mpg city 36mpg hwy
Scion xB 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Automatic(4), Regular 30mpg city 34mpg hwy

Most Efficient Midsize Station Wagons
Ford Focus Station Wagon 4 cyl, 2 L, Manual(5), Regular 26mpg city 34mpg hwy
Ford Focus Station Wagon 4 cyl, 2 L, Automatic(4), Regular 26mpg city 32mpg hwy

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