New, cheap, high mpg cars?

[Christ]

I was thinking NADA or KBB values for used cars...

Figure up a list of cars, and I'll split some with you.

[Matt Herring]

Well we should probably go with a good amount of companies to get a good look across the board. Let's just start with new cars for now...2010's or the newest model. We can select 5 models from each company and figure the cost per 1 mpg. Just select what you consider the 5 most popular lines for each company and figure cost per 1 mpg (you can do more than 5 if you want if certain companies have many popular cars or there is a hybrid version of a certain car). High cost per 1 mpg is just as important as low cost per 1 mpg to really get a good look at what cars start people off on the right track from a cost per 1 mpg point of view. When you get a chance send your info to me and I'll combine our lists and send it to SVO to publish.

Here are 27 makes...if we do 5 models in each make that will be a good start to our list...135 cars. If you want to take Acura - Jeep I will take Kia to Volvo.
Acura
Buick
Chevy
Chrysler
Dodge
Ford
Geo
GMC
Honda
Hyundai
Infiniti
Isuzu
Jeep
Kia
Mazda
Mercury
Nissan
Olds
Pontiac
Saturn
Scion
Smart
Subaru
Suzuki
Toyota
Volkswagon
Volvo

[Matt Herring]

And just for consistency...

I'm going to use vehix.com for car prices on their base models and for epa mpg. For combined mpg I'm using city plus highway divided by 2.

If we both use this we will have a list that uses the same source.

[hyperyaris]

My 2007 Yaris: $11,000, up to 52 mpg.

[cfg83]

robots4joey -

Welcome to EM! What SVOboy said. For your price range I agree with KJSatz, a Yaris is good. A Fit barely fits.

CarloSW2

[Christ]

Carlos - You wanna split the extraneous conversation into another topic?

Matt - I'll take Acura - Jeep, 3 to 5 models in each make, using Vehix.com for new car values.

I'll also consider some used vehicles from the line ups, if I have the time, using Vehix if possible, if not, I'll take the NADA "good" value, and mark them accordingly.

[Matt Herring]

Sounds good...I have my list ready to go. It's a Mac excel file so not sure how to send it to SVO other than a Mac file to combine with yours when you're ready. If you can use vehix as much as possible that would be good to keep the entire list consistent.

Will send to SVO and see what he can do with it.

[Christ]

I'll probably end up using MS Spreadsheet, I don't think I have excel on here. I'm sure SVOboy can figure out how to merge them, though.

[Matt Herring]

Here's my half of the list for SVO to merge with your list. Interested to see what your list looks like when mixed in with mine for best bang for your buck new car purchase.

[skyl4rk]

I bought a Nissan Versa Base model (1.6 liter) last fall for 11k (no air, no cruise control, no radio). I have 8000 miles on it and it drives OK, although the handling is not the greatest at 70mph. Its a decent car for the city and for 55mph country roads.

I seem to average 38-40mpg with moderate hypermiling. If I drive about 50mph or a little less, I can get about 43mpg, maybe a little better than that. Extreme hypermiling will probably get me in the upper 40's. Current mods are 5W20 synthetic Mobil 1 oil, grill blocks and foglight blocks.

My boat tail mod got me up to 62mpg (extreme hypermiling), however it disintegrated at 85mph. It seemed to be getting in the low 30's mpg at fast highway speeds.

I was in a similar situation, I needed a car and couldn't wait a few years for newer more better models, and the Versa was the best affordable car I could find.