# What new, non-hybrid car gets the best gas mileage. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 21, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-non-hybrid-car-gets-the-best-gas-mileage/619531 "2012-04-21T20:25:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-non-hybrid-car-gets-the-best-gas-mileage/619531/41 "2012-04-22T20:42:11Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > My neighbor has a natural gas Honda and loves it. I know that in some parts of the country natural gas stations are few and far between, but here in southern California there are enough of them that he says its not a problem at all. I think he said he pays about 1/3 the price of today’s gasoline. > > There’s so much natural gas in the US that they don’t know what to do with it all. > > If I was buying a new car, I’d go with natural gas. Its a more expensive car up front, but if you maintain it and keep it for several years, you’d come out ahead. > > [http://automobiles.honda.com/civic-natural-gas/](http://automobiles.honda.com/civic-natural-gas/) I think we are going to see natural gas cars spread across the U.S. like wildfire in the next few years. Just a few years ago, everyone was expecting peak oil to make driving very expensive. It has started to do that but we just recently found out that the U.S. has WAYYY more natural gas than previously believed thanks to new drilling techniques. All major auto makers already build natural gas cars for use in some countries but most of those were never offered here because there was little to. Now there is and it is just a logistics problem of getting enough stations built across the U.S. to make people think about buying natural gas cars. ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-non-hybrid-car-gets-the-best-gas-mileage/619531/42 "2012-04-22T21:25:12Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I think we are going to see natural gas cars spread across the U.S. like wildfire in the next few years. Just a few years ago, everyone was expecting peak oil to make driving very expensive. It has started to do that but we just recently found out that the U.S. has WAYYY more natural gas than previously believed thanks to new drilling techniques. All major auto makers already build natural gas cars for use in some countries but most of those were never offered here because there was little to. Now there is and it is just a logistics problem of getting enough stations built across the U.S. to make people think about buying natural gas cars. One can also convert the gasoline vehicle they have now to a natural gas vehicle. Kits are sold to the public, but it sounds like something I’d let the pros handle. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-non-hybrid-car-gets-the-best-gas-mileage/619531/43 "2012-04-22T22:13:30Z")
We had some informed speculation about the moderate to longer term supplies of NG in [this recent thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=646474), just in terms of power generation. Neither of two of this board who might know best, **Longhorn Dave** and **Una** , would bank on what natural gas prices might do over a period of more than five years. I summarized their thoughts in [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14921369&postcount=60): > [@](#): > > the adequacy of NG supplies to meet demand over a more moderate term is an unknown, … among respected experts you can find outliers that think prices will rise dramatically even in the short term. Given that unknown the potential for massive volatility in that decadal time frame seems significant … Yes, right now, this year, this season, after a very mild winter, we have massive oversupply, so much so that they are potentially running out of storage space. Those who know best however are not so sure how long that circumstance will continue in a circumstance in which NG provides an increasing share of our power generation mix. Some would question the wisdom of building a new transnational NG vehicular refueling infrastructure with that much insecurity in supply-demand predictions. Meanwhile that NG Civic costs over $8000 more than a similarly appointed Civic LX. And Honda not only advises against a home refueling station, they state use of one may void the warranty. (The maker of [“Phill”](http://gigaom.com/cleantech/phill-maker-goes-bankrupt-bad-sign-for-natural-gas-vehicles/), the residential NG fuel refiller once affiliated with the vehicle, went bankrupt in 2009.) If you want an option to use NG on a GM pick-up be prepared to fork over an extra [$11,000](http://green.autoblog.com/2012/04/17/bi-fuel-option-to-cost-11-000-on-gm-pickups-w-video/). A [conversion](http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/maintenance/should-you-convert-your-car-to-natural-gas) will cost you “anywhere from $6500 for a basic system to $12,000 for a top-of-the-line installation with a high-capacity, composite fuel tank.” It is pretty clean though! **jtgain** , how many miles do you think you will putting on this car over this year and a half? ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-non-hybrid-car-gets-the-best-gas-mileage/619531/44 "2012-04-23T02:55:05Z")
My gf bought a new Versa a few years ago and has driven it over 40k miles since then. It still runs like new. It is solid and surprisingly powerful- you can get up to 65mph on the highway without even noticing. It is smooth and quiet and doesn’t break down. I think it is a great little car (and not so little- with the hatchback you can fit a lot of stuff in there). ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-non-hybrid-car-gets-the-best-gas-mileage/619531/45 "2012-04-23T03:15:03Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > I am confused, how is 30/42 worse than 28/40? Is that remnants of new math? :(:dubious: :rolleyes: I’m _saying_ that a 2 mpg improvement isn’t anything to write home about, especially considering the extra cost of a diesel engine (and the higher fuel prices.) not to mention that you’re stuck owning a VW which will fall apart around the engine in short order. Diesels _used to be_ significantly more economical than gas engines. that went away when we started expecting they be as performant and clean as gas engines. > [@GreasyJack](#): > > Also, Ford is bringing the Kuga here as the new Escape. that’s not how it works. The C520 is a new program, and it’s more correct to say the 2013 Escape and Kuga are being designed together as a global program. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-non-hybrid-car-gets-the-best-gas-mileage/619531/46 "2012-04-23T03:44:58Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > that’s not how it works. The C520 is a new program, and it’s more correct to say the 2013 Escape and Kuga are being designed together as a global program. Um, no it isn’t. Maybe the cars were “designed together” in the sense that Ford has been toying with the idea of replacing the Escape with it all along, but the 2013 Escape is going to be almost identical to the car that’s been sold in Europe since 2008. Other than the lack of goodies like diesel engines and manual transmissions. And as far as I know, the 2013 Kuga isn’t even getting so much as a facelift. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-non-hybrid-car-gets-the-best-gas-mileage/619531/47 "2012-04-23T03:51:31Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > Um, no it isn’t. Maybe the cars were “designed together” in the sense that Ford has been toying with the idea of replacing the Escape with it all along, but the 2013 Escape is going to be almost identical to the car that’s been sold in Europe since 2008. Other than the lack of goodies like diesel engines and manual transmissions. And as far as I know, the 2013 Kuga isn’t even getting so much as a facelift. I’m on the product team. I know what the f I’m talking about. I was driving the f’n things 8 months ago. [Here’s the current Kuga.](http://www.ford.co.uk/Cars/Kuga) And [here’s the 2013 Kuga](http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/98BEE1B8AC071BBACA2579BB001DCC2F) which is mostly the same as the 2013 Escape. yes, stylistically it’s a smaller leap from the current Kuga vs. the current Escape, but as far as engineering goes the 2013 Escape/Kuga is a new model program, and they’re both practically brand new. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-non-hybrid-car-gets-the-best-gas-mileage/619531/48 "2012-04-23T04:03:07Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > I’m on the product team. I know what the f I’m talking about. I was driving the f’n things 8 months ago. [Here’s the current Kuga.](http://www.ford.co.uk/Cars/Kuga) And [here’s the 2013 Kuga](http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/98BEE1B8AC071BBACA2579BB001DCC2F) which is mostly the same as the 2013 Escape. > > yes, stylistically it’s a smaller leap from the current Kuga vs. the current Escape, but as far as engineering goes the 2013 Escape/Kuga is a new model program, and they’re both practically brand new. Well, if you say it’s different engineering-wise I suppose I’ll take your word. But stylistically, it looks pretty much identical to the car I rented in Europe two years ago. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-non-hybrid-car-gets-the-best-gas-mileage/619531/49 "2012-04-23T04:15:46Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > Well, if you say it’s different engineering-wise I suppose I’ll take your word. But stylistically, it looks pretty much identical to the car I rented in Europe two years ago. that’s why I said it’s stylistically a smaller leap from the current Kuga. The “Kinetic” design language has been in place in Ford of Europe for a while now. that’s why the new C520 Escape/Kuga looks like a current Ford of Europe car. The 2013 C520 is built off of the Ford of Europe C-platform, but the vehicles themselves are mostly new, with new exterior styling, new powertrains, and new interiors. They’re pretty nice. Now, the C-Max, there’s a car which has been brought over from Europe. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-non-hybrid-car-gets-the-best-gas-mileage/619531/50 "2012-05-14T04:10:10Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > These threads make me sad. My 1995 Ford Aspire, which just went into the junkyard about a month ago, hit 50 MPG a few times and was still getting in the 40s despite its rattletrap ride. > > I ordered a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic sedan to replace it (in Inferno Orange Metallic, thankyewverymuch). I goofed and did not get the higher-MPG 1.4-L turbo engine, but I hope I’ll be happy with 35 combined, and maybe I can squeeze a few more MPG out of it, as the only extra I got was the satellite radio – no power stuff to increase weight. > > Still counting down; it’ll be here in about 3½ weeks. All the reviews I read, both user and pro, were excellent (with the usual odd outliers). My Sonic came in earlier than estimated, and I’ve been driving it for a little over two weeks. Loving it so far. Very fun to drive. Combined MPG is averaging in the high 30s (by both manual math and the dashboard computer). Got 41.2 mpg on the second-to-last tank, but 36-point-something on the most recent one. Most of our driving is highway miles. This model/engine is rated 26 city / 29 combined / 35 highway. I’m happy. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-non-hybrid-car-gets-the-best-gas-mileage/619531.md?page=2)