Entry tags:

cars, economy

econocrocks
As gas climbs past $4 per gallon, old-school econoboxes are getting some new lovin':

We got a tip yesterday that Geo Metros were being auctioned on eBay Motors for prices above what the tiny cars cost new. This auction for a 1993 Geo Metro XFI with just 22,501 miles ended yesterday with a winning bid of $7,200! Why has the resale value of the Metro and other tiny econocrap cars gone through the roof? The simple answer: gas prices. Vehicles like the Metro, the Suzuki Swift on which it's based, Ford Aspire and Festiva, and Hyundai Excel were around before federal safety regulations and public pressure demanded that every car survive an impact from any angle with five stars. That kind of safety adds weight, and modern econocars are therefore much heavier and therefore less fuel efficient than they were in the early '90s.

This is exactly right.  You can forget about any new car hitting 50 or 60 MPG using just a gasoline-powered engine.  (Worth noting is that the high MPG of older cars like the Metro are based on the EPA's old testing methods, which were less reflective of real-world driving conditions than the methodology they introduced for the 2008 model year.)  With the wide array of emissions-reducing technology and safety gear required for certification on U. S. roads, today's cars are simply too heavy to match the miserly feats of the Metro and its predecessor, the Chevrolet Swift.  Even the new-to-U. S. smart, with its one-liter three-cylinder motor, only manages a combined 36 MPG.

And I'm not sure maximum MPG is worth the trade-off in drivability and creature comforts.  The Metro XFi managed just 46 HP from its three-cylinder motor, so to ensure the car wouldn't lose a drag race to a four-year-old on his Big Wheel, virtually everything not essential to the drivetrain or body integrity was jettisoned, including sound insulation, air conditioning, power steering and other features taken for granted by American drivers.  If saving gas is the only criterion, one might have been better off with a bicycle and a poncho for inclement weather.  Certainly I wouldn't spend $7,200 on a 15-year-old car with the same features as a Pinewood Derby racer just to double my current MPG.  That would make a nice down payment on a new VW Jetta TDI . . . assuming you'll be able to find one.

Here are the current MPG champs as rated by the EPA:

1. Toyota Prius (hybrid), 48 city/45 highway (CVT transmission)
   
2. Honda Civic Hybrid, 40/45 (CVT)
   
3. Nissan Altima Hybrid, 35/33 (CVT)
   
4. Ford Escape Hybrid (2WD), 34/30 (CVT)
   
5. Toyota Camry Hybrid, 33/44 (CVT)
   
6. smart fortwo Convertible and Coupe, 33/41 (manumatic, premium fuel required)
   
7. Toyota Yaris, 29/36 (manual)
   
8. Mini Cooper and Mini Clubman, 28/37 (manual, premium required)
   
9. Toyota Corolla, 28/37 (manual)
   
10. Honda Fit, 28/34 (manual)

As you can see, hybrids dominate; but I think it's ridiculous that a car as small and light as the smart can only manage 33 MPG in the city on a three-cylinder motor.  OTOH, it's probably nowhere near as punishing to drive as that Metro of yore.