Quote:
Originally Posted by MetroMPG
Interesting theory, Dave!
It also used to be (more than 12-15 years ago) that the cheapest (entry-level economy) cars were the models that returned the best fuel economy in any manufacturer's lineup. Mostly this was a byproduct of being small and light, with relatively small (low-power) engines. Therefore, being very economical on the purchase side also meant getting good mileage.
But more or less since the advent of hybrids, fuel economy has become a "feature". With few exceptions, if you want the best MPG in a lineup these days, you have to pay extra for it.
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That's an interesting point. There's always been somewhat of a trade-off between initial cost and operating cost, however, you're right that it used to be the cheapest cars also got the best mileage. Now, with the hybrids that's not the case. In some cases, the cars that get the best mileage actually don't have the best total economy because the purchase price is so high (the payback times are extremely long).