40 MPG Threshold and Today’s Cars

February 28, 2011 by Matt Keegan

Automotive manufacturers are making a big deal about gas-powered cars achieving 40 mpg on the highway. That number is being reached by an increasingly expansive group of car companies including Ford which learned last week that its compact 2012 Focus (pictured) has been EPA certified at 40 mpg highway, following on the heels of its subcompact Fiesta.[1]

Go back about 20 years and the number of cars delivering 40 mpg or more was greater than what we’re seeing today. Those cars, however, were lighter and did not include weight-adding safety features we take for granted today including front and side airbags, traction control and antilock brakes. Many of today’s cars are delivering the best of both worlds: excellent fuel economy and the safety features consumers appreciate.

Car shoppers do not have to rely on hybrids, electric cars or diesel engines for top fuel economy. The EPA fuel economy list includes the following top performers by car segment:

A-Segment (minicars)

Smart Fortwo: 33 mpg city, 41 mpg highway

B-Segment (subcompacts)

Ford Fiesta SFE 29 mpg city, 40 mpg highway

C-Segment (compacts)

Chevrolet Cruze Eco 28 mpg city, 42 mpg highway
Hyundai Elantra 29 mpg city, 40 mpg highway
Ford Focus SFE 28 mpg city, 40 mpg highway

Compact Cars

Notably, it is the larger compacts which are hitting the 40 mpg threshold and, in the case of the Cruze Eco, are delivering the best fuel economy numbers for small cars. Honda has promised that its 2012 Civic will achieve 41 mpg highway; others are expected to follow.

The Ford Motor Company may have a bit of a marketing problem on its hand with the Fiesta as the larger Focus matches its highway fuel mileage numbers. Ford may be able to squeeze more mpg out of the Fiesta, but it seems likely they’ll have to push heavily the car’s sub-$14K price to separate it from the Focus. Focus has set pricing for the four door sedan at $16,995 and $18,790 for the five-door hatchback.

Hyundai Elantra

The biggest threat to the small car market may be the Hyundai Elantra as that model carries the same fuel economy rating regardless whether a manual or automatic transmission is chosen. The Ford Focus SFE matches the Elantra, but its “superior fuel economy” edition is a $495 extra. The Chevy Cruze Eco likewise is offered in a higher trim level and achieves its class-leading mpg by being paired with a manual transmission.[2]