Highly Efficient Vehicles,

[remusrm]

Highly Efficient Vehicles,as Chosen by Consumer Reports The Scion xB was the lowest-priced model on the Consumer Reports list and has a starting manufacturer's suggested retail price of less than $14,000. by the Editors of MSN Autos The most efficient vehicles of the 2005 model year, based on fuel use and interior cargo room. Toyota's Sienna was listed as the most efficient minivan with a maximum 70.5 cubic feet of storage space and a Consumer Reports fuel economy rating of 21 mpg. The Toyota RAV4 is the tops among traditional gasoline-powered sport utilities for fuel economy combined with cargo room, according to an analysis by Consumer Reports. Introduced in 1996 and redesigned for the 2004 model year, the RAV4 is 13.9 feet long and 5.5 feet tall. The Pontiac Vibe is one of only two domestic-branded models that ranked in Consumer Reports' list of best vehicles for combined fuel economy and cargo room. Though available with all-wheel drive and in a sporty GT model that's pictured here, it's the base Vibe with front-wheel drive that's tops in fuel economy. Ford Focus Honda CR-V Honda Element Honda Odyssey Honda Pilot Lexus RX 330 Nissan Murano Nissan Quest Mazda MPV Pontiac Vibe Scion xB Subaru Forester Toyota Highlander Toyota Matrix Toyota RAV4 Toyota Sienna Volkswagen Jetta Volvo XC70 The Honda Element is one of four Hondas that made the Consumer Reports list. The versatile SUV with unusual side doors that open like a clamshell is offered only with a 4-cylinder engine. Are you fretting about how much gasoline you burn just to have a vehicle large enough to carry stuff when you need it? You may not have to compromise cargo space for fuel economy as much as you think. Noted consumer publication Consumer Reports recently ranked 18 vehicles—all traditional gasoline models, not fancy gas-electric hybrids or diesels—as best-in-class for combining economical fuel usage and interior cargo room. Among the picks are the Toyota Sienna LE minivan, Honda Pilot EX and Toyota RAV4 sport-utility vehicles and the Scion xB wagon. "We wanted to identify vehicles that would give people the cargo-carrying capacity they want plus reasonable fuel economy," said Rik Paul, the publication's automotive editor. Top MinivansMinivans may have a stodgy image, but for fuel economy combined with optimal cargo room, they can't be beat. And predictably, they lead this Consumer Reports' analysis of best vehicles. Consumer Reports selected minivans that achieved 18 miles a gallon or better during the publication's own proprietary driving tests and had at least 55 cubic feet of cargo room inside. Based on results of the 2004 models, Toyota's Sienna LE was the minivan leader with a maximum 70.5 cubic feet of storage space and an overall fuel economy rating, as computed by Consumer Reports, not the federal government, of 21 mpg. Obviously, the rear seats fold to get the maximum cargo room, but when the Sienna's back isn't used for cargo, the van can carry up to seven passengers. The Mazda MPV ES was second with 19-mpg fuel economy and 56 cubic feet of storage space. The MPV is a shorter-wheelbase minivan and not as long, overall, as many other vans. Honda's Odyssey came in third as a 2004 model, but it's worth noting that in fall 2004 Honda began selling a redesigned and re-engineered 2005 Odyssey. Consumer Reports posted overall fuel economy of 18 mpg in the '04 Odyssey. But using a different test method, the 2005 Odyssey EX is rated by the U.S. government at 20 mpg in city driving and 28 mpg on the highway for a combined rating of 24 mpg. Indeed, the '05 Odyssey ranked as the top 2005 minivan in fuel economy, according to the government's rating. The van's interior is more spacious than the 2004 model's, too. Cargo volume is a maximum 91.1 cubic feet behind the front seats now, and when cargo isn't inside, up to eight people can find seats in the 2005 Odyssey. This is up from the 2004 model's seven people.

[joatmon]

Quote »Consumer Reports posted overall fuel economy of 18 mpg in the '04 OdysseyI understand that they are giving the most efficient vehicles in different classes, but I think it's just wrong to have any vehicle that only gets 18 mpg on a list of the most highly efficient.

[iinan]

ahhh who cares about mpg??? its all about shifting through 6 gears