Top 2008 Fuel Economy Faves
Under $15,000
Honda Fit, 28 City/34 Highway MPG, $13,950
EPA classifies the Honda Fit as a small station wagon, making it the fuel economy leader in that segment. But in reality, the Fit competes more closely with the Toyota Yaris and Nissan Versa subcompacts, cars that are small on the outside and big on the inside. Regardless, Honda’s little five-door hatch is a very functional economy car/wagon that easily delivers fuel economy in the low to mid-30 mpg range. Power comes from a 109 horsepower, 1.5 liter VTEC four-cylinder and either a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission.
Ford Focus, 24 City/35 Highway MPG, $14,300
Ford’s new 2008 Focus is proof that domestic manufacturers can produce great small cars. The Focus is offered as either a sporty two door coupe or four door sedan in base S, mid-range SE, and higher-end SES trim levels. The new car has a stiffer body structure than before, allowing a greater level of suspension tuning that makes it fun to drive and pleasant to live with daily. It comes standard with Ford’s Duratec 2.0-liter four cylinder engine that can be ordered as a PZEV (Partial Zero Emission Vehicle) variant in many states.
Others To Consider:
Toyota Yaris, 29 city/36 highway mpg, $11,350
Nissan Versa, 26 city/31 highway mpg, $12,710
Chevrolet Aveo, 24 city/34 highway mpg, $10,895
