Vehicles are more fuel efficient than ever. The average fuel economy of the US light-duty fleet has seen a 40 percent improvement in forty years, and every year, automakers are making ambitious goals of cutting vehicle weight or pushing their hybrid and electric models. These efforts might be undercut, however, by poor driving habits.
According to a study by the Sustainable Worldwide Transportation at University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute, American drivers are driving more and tend to have fewer passengers in their vehicle. The car might be getting better fuel economy, but there is a higher amount of fuel used per person on average. In order to get the most out of these more fuel-efficient cars, people need to carpool a little more and consider walking or biking instead of taking the car everywhere.
The decrease in passengers per car, however, could also be attributed to the rise in compact cars. More people are opting for smaller vehicles with less room for additional passengers, ironically enough because many automakers tout their compact cars as being fuel efficient.
Readers, we want to hear from you! Are you happy with the fuel efficiency of your car? Have you made any changes to your lifestyle to pay less at the pump? Leave a comment below, and let us know what you think!
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For a long time, Kia has been considered a scrappy underdog in the U.S. auto market. The brand is known for value rather than flashy designs, and looking over the top selling cars of the past few years, it would seem that flash is winning out. Kia didn’t break the top 10 best-selling cars for 2010, 2011, or 2012, and while Kia won a decent number of design awards in 2012, it isn’t a brand that typically makes headlines.
In an effort to match their 2012 sales, Toyota is offering 
In an effort to lessen their environmental impact, Ford has pledged to reduce the waste produced per vehicle by 
The Ram 1500 
In recent months, some automakers have been criticized for exaggerating the fuel economy of their newer models, and in response, the 
As auto makers release their new models for 2013, car shoppers on a budget should be very pleased. Among the new 2013 models, there are a lot of great cars with top-of-the-line features now included with no extra cost. At the Approved Loan Store, we want you to get the best value for your dollar, so we’ve compiled a list of the least expensive 2013 vehicles and some of their standard features. These vehicles range in price from $12,780 up to $15,515.
As February begins, Americans are reviewing their New Year’s resolutions and lamenting the ones that were forgotten or broken in January. For many people, a common resolution was improving personal finances. They want to pay off a credit card, get out of debt, or start putting more money away in savings. The tough part about these resolutions is finding where to cut corners, especially for families, but a new statistic from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) points to one expense that Americans could cut: gas.
In the past year, Ford has been heavily promoting their EcoBoost engines as a more eco-friendly but still powerful option. A new series of tests by Consumer Reports, though, might poke some holes in their grand claims.
In the last few years, Kia has been making a concerted effort to appeal to a wider range of drivers. Besides vehicle value, they want to offer minivans, crossovers, and fuel-efficient compacts as well. Next month at the Chicago Auto Show, Kia will be unveiling its latest endeavor into luxury with their concept car, the Kia Cross GT.