I came across this thread while searching for the highest MPG production cars available currently. Here is some information that might be of interest to some of you.
Long ago I bought a new 1982 Honda Civic 1300FE. This was a standard, but very high MPG 2 door hatchback Civic with a very efficient gas engine using a carburetor, a 5 speed manual transmission and was not aerodynamic. It was well equipped for the time. It was rated by the EPA at the time for 58 MPG highway.
I owned this car for about 20,000 miles. In that time the absolutely lowest mileage I got was a partial tank of nothing but very bad traffic jams in the summer with the A/C on in Texas. That "poor" mileage was still 38.5 MPG. I typically got 44-46 MPG in town, and that was not even trying to drive efficiently. Frequently, I drove the car with passengers, or loaded with stuff.
Highway mileage was a true 50-52 MPG, usually cruising around 70. The worst highway mileage I got was a disappointing 48 MPG. The best was on a trip to Colorado. The high for a full tank was 55 MPG on that trip. The low was 52 MPG. I never really tried to drive this car efficiently, so I know that higher mileage was very possible.
Remember that this was a rather normal car using regular tires, a carb, no slick aerodynamics, had a standard weight rating (meaning it could really carry 4 adults and cargo), no lightweight bodywork, accelerated 0-60 in about 13.5 seconds (A contemporary road test said 11.8) and could do over 100 mph. At that time, those performance specs were not exciting, but it could get out of its own way. Even fast cars were typically turning 0-60 in around 8 to 9 seconds at that time due to no programmed EFI and strangling emission controls of the period. It was also the cleanest car of the period, rated at only 4.3 tons of CO2 per year. As I recall, a modern Civic hybrid is 4.4 tons per ton. Not a bad performance for a boxy 4 passenger car with a carb.
Imagine my surprise when I considered the Honda Insight in 2001. Here was a highly developed car with special tires, special lightweight bodywork, very aerodynamic, used an elaborate and highly efficient drive train, yet even with a very low rated weight capacity of about 350 pounds, it was still only rated at 70 MPG on the highway.
This car's curb weight was 1850 pounds, which was about the same as my 1300FE, yet could could only carry 2 people with a GVWR of a very low 2200 pounds. If you put a full tank of gas of 10 gallons (62 lbs.), those two people better be very light indeed.
In comparison, the 1300FE can carry 4 people, and some cargo, and still turn in real world mileage of at least 50 mpg without even trying. I've seen reports from some owners of over 60 mpg driving at normal highway speeds in the old FE.
Frankly, I have been unimpressed by the lack of advancement in 25 years on these vehicles. Regular cars and trucks get far better mileage and performance than 1982. Many get twice the gas mileage while literally being able to blow the doors off their ancestors in a drag race.
And before anyone says I am comparing completely different vehicles, keep in mind that I am comparing cars of virtually the same weight, and rather close to the same power. Even if you compare test reports for acceleration between the old Civic 1300FE and the Insight, the FE at 11.8 sec to 60 is pretty close to the Insight's 11 seconds (and that is with the latter 61 city, 66 highway higher output 2005 model).
Frankly, Honda should even be able to do better with a gas only car and save the weight of the battery for extra cargo capacity.
Note: I even think less of the Prius/Corolla comparison. The 2005 Corolla was rated at 41 mpg on the highway. The new ones are only rated about 35 mpg, though. Still, even in a slushbox equipped 2008 rental Corolla, I got an average of 36 mpg driving nearly 600 miles on the poor roads (and traffic jams) of Puerto Rico. Frankly, that compares very well with the Prius's 46 combined mpg in a whole lot simpler car for a lot less money. It also makes the Mercedes Smart ForTwo at 40 mpg and over $20K
just seem a bit silly.
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