In full-disclosure: I rent a lot of different cars for work -- lots of travel.
I requested an "Economy" car and ended up with a
Buick Lucerne CXS V-8. Ugh.
Confessions of a Buick Driver...
The agency was thin on vehicles and offered either a Toyota Tundra Pickup or the Buick Whatever. The Car sounded like the efficient option...
Some insight on the situation:
The vehicle is loaded with feature content, one of which is Heated Windshield Washer Fluid.
From an efficiency and not luxury standpoint, I can see this helping retain heat to the windshield during those freezing rain and snow situations while driving the average vehicle.
For those who drive in cold, road-spray situations or freezing rain and snow, it is common to divert a LOT of heat to the defroster/windshield air flow to keep the windshield surface liquid and not frozen (critical for vision). Coolant heat is lost, efficiency could decrease...
Hypothesis: a small electric heater warms the washer fluid to avoid coolant temperature loss, and is more efficient (depending on alternator load).
Any thoughts? I know it's a stretch, but brainstorming could produce some interesting conclusions...
RH77