Want Fuel Efficiency? Look at what Europe gets but we don't

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

I cam across this review of fuel efficient cars available in the British market. None get less than 40 mpg combined city+ highway, and some are north of 60mpg. Also, none of them are useless hybrids either. Plus, they are not even the most efficient cars they can but there either, nor are the most efficient models expensive.

http://www.topgear.com/content/news/stories/2884/

 

[Geesie]

We should be seeing things like this soon, with the ULSD approval. Europe has always had lower emissions standards than the U.S. so they have been able to get away with high-efficiency diesel engines in cars.

It is amazing though that Ford is getting its *ss handed to it here in the U.S. because of reliance on Navigators and Expeditions but it has a 65 MPG Focus in Europe.

HEY FORD - BRING THAT sh*t OVER HERE ALREADY

Or how about the Suzuki Swift, owned by GM? They used to call it the Geo Metro over here and it got 60MPG but then gas got dirt cheap and nobody wanted it. Now it's back as the Chevy Aveo but despite its miniscule size and the fact that nobody would call it "An unseemly amount of fun for a small amount of money", it only gets 34MPG instead of the European Swift's 39.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

The Aveo is not made by Suzuki, it is made by Daewoo. So, it's not the same car. If you look at the Swift ( it is still sold elsewhere), it looks nothing like the Aveo. I have been actively searching for an old 3 cylinder 5 speed Metro as a new delivery car. It would save me $300 a month in fuel costs!

Finally, the US has the toughest emissions standards in the world, not Europe. it is harder to sell a new model here than any other major market because we have so many smog and safety regulations that many manufacturers choose not to.

 

[R/T kota]

You guys do know that a U.S. gallon is smaller than a Canadian or European gallon?

US Gallons (Liquid): A US capacity measure (for liquid) equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters. Note also there are different measures of US dry gallons and UK gallons.

US Gallons (Dry): A US capacity measure (for dry material) equal to 4 quarts or 4.404 liters. Note also there are different measures of US liquid gallons and UK gallons.

UK Gallons: A British imperial capacity measure (liquid or dry) equal to 4 quarts or 4.545 liters.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

You guys do know that a U.S. gallon is smaller than a Canadian or European gallon?

US Gallons (Liquid): A US capacity measure (for liquid) equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters. Note also there are different measures of US dry gallons and UK gallons.

US Gallons (Dry): A US capacity measure (for dry material) equal to 4 quarts or 4.404 liters. Note also there are different measures of US liquid gallons and UK gallons.

UK Gallons: A British imperial capacity measure (liquid or dry) equal to 4 quarts or 4.545 liters.

So... what does it mean that a UK gallon is equal to in US gallons? I am too lazy to get out my calculator and do the math right now...

 

[R/T kota]

A U.S. gallon is 3.785 litres
An imperial gallon is 4.545 liters
0.76 litre more in an imperial gallon than what is in a U.S. gallon
The European cars may still be getting better millage but it seems like a lot more if you are thinking about it in U.S. gallons.
I'm not doing the math either but if you convert the millage of the U.S. cars into imperial gallons, the millage will read higher.

 

[Geesie]

The Aveo is not made by Suzuki, it is made by Daewoo. So, it's not the same car. If you look at the Swift ( it is still sold elsewhere), it looks nothing like the Aveo. I have been actively searching for an old 3 cylinder 5 speed Metro as a new delivery car. It would save me $300 a month in fuel costs!

Finally, the US has the toughest emissions standards in the world, not Europe. it is harder to sell a new model here than any other major market because we have so many smog and safety regulations that many manufacturers choose not to.

Okay, a check showed that the Aveo is also marketed as the Suzuki Swift+ which is different from the regular Suzuki Swift.

Right, the U.S. emissions standards being tougher than European standards are the prime reason we don't see diesel cars here.

Still, the Ford Focus has long been a much better car in Europe than here.

 

[Geesie]

You guys do know that a U.S. gallon is smaller than a Canadian or European gallon?

US Gallons (Liquid): A US capacity measure (for liquid) equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters. Note also there are different measures of US dry gallons and UK gallons.

US Gallons (Dry): A US capacity measure (for dry material) equal to 4 quarts or 4.404 liters. Note also there are different measures of US liquid gallons and UK gallons.

UK Gallons: A British imperial capacity measure (liquid or dry) equal to 4 quarts or 4.545 liters.

So... what does it mean that a UK gallon is equal to in US gallons? I am too lazy to get out my calculator and do the math right now...

Multiply U.S. numbers by 1.18 or UK numbers by .83 for the conversion.

So that Swift actually does get the same gas mileage as the Aveo.
The Focus they list gets about 49, which is still awesome.

 

[GP403]

[ho mode]
Anyone interested in the Metro/Sprint/Swift family check out my other site http://3cylinders.com/
[/ho mode]
(what?)

I thought the Aveo was a sister to the Toyota Echo, since GM seems to be in bed with them these days (Matrix/Vibe, etc.)

And yeah the Swift still exists, but IIRC its no longer the 3cyl. wonder it used to be, and only for the Asian/AU (as the Holden Barina) market (again IIRC, no expert here....)

 

[Derision]

I have been actively searching for an old 3 cylinder 5 speed Metro as a new delivery car. It would save me $300 a month in fuel costs!

My dad has one of them... drives a lot for work, so it's the only way that $.40 per mile pays off.

It's green, though. And he put a fart can on it.