Quote:
Originally Posted by Xist
According to Wikipedia, the VX weighs 2,039 pounds and the HX 2,319, a 14% increase.
I wouldn't expect power windows to affect mileage unless you constantly used them as you drove! 
Then again, if you have kids...
I would imagine the engine would need to work the slightest bit more to spin heavier wheels. |
Mass matters most with a lot of start and stop driving. You need torque to get that static mass moving. In drag racing, 100 pounds in weight reduction is generally equal to 1/10th of a second of off your E.T. But once you get something rolling, no matter how fat it is, mass becomes less of a factor, and aero & rolling resistance have more of an effect. So for someone on the highway a lot, the difference between an HX and a VX will be minimal. But in the city, with a lot of stop and go traffic, the lighter the vehicle, the better. And as far as wheel size/weight goes, unsprung rotational weight (your wheels, tires, driveshafts etc) count for a lot more than your static weight (taking out the spare tire). So a lighter, skinnier tire and wheel combo will benefit you more in stop and go traffic than taking out the passenger and rear seat. But, if you are on the highway most of the time, then it won't make much of a difference.