Downsizing to a Compact, Reliable and Fuel Efficient Vehicle

Posted on Jan 18, 2013

With the fluctuating fuel prices, reduced parking areas and repair costs on the rise, consumers have no other choice than to downsize their vehicles into a compact, reliable and a fuel efficient car. The Americans have always loved to own a large multi-purpose vehicle that they can take to the highways whenever they want. However since the first time that gasoline prices shot up, along with the costs of everyday utilities, it is now time to put the passion aside and to choose a smaller, more compact vehicle that gives better mileage to gasoline ratio.

But with cost concerns, people usually reverted to smaller vehicles backed by smaller brands; and though these cars required lesser fuel to be put into the vehicles, the repair and maintenance costs more than compensated for the savings.

Meanwhile as the demands of the average consumers swayed from here to there, the top vehicle manufacturers infused ground breaking technologies and lighter materials in the production of their cars which enabled them to produce vehicles that were not only very reliable and compact, but fuel efficient too. With enhanced bodily designs, the compact vehicles have a lot more space inside although the outsides might be a bit misleading. But that is the core beauty of it; the vehicles look very compact and small, yet they are quite spacious inside. And with a lighter body and a stronger engine, they have improved torque yet efficient when it comes to fuel consumption.

One is likely to find a fuel efficient and compact vehicle from all of the top reliable automobile brands. Below are listed, some of the vehicles which have proven to be some of the best compact and fuel efficient vehicles from the leading names.

The Toyota Prius (51/48 mpg) and the Toyota Prius V (44/40 mpg) are some of the most fuel efficient cars on the market right now. Giving more miles per gallon, these are some of the most luxurious and spacious compact vehicles. The Mitsubishi I (126/99 mpg) and the Nissan Leaf (106/92 mpg) are two of the very compact-sized and fuel efficient cars. Chevrolet Volt (58/62 mpg), Honda Civic Hybrid (44/44 mpg), Lexus CT200h (43/40 mpg) and Mazda 3 are few of the other examples of compact and fuel efficient vehicles.

Whereas most of these cars do give some of the best mileage for a gallon, they are not quite the stuff that some consumers are looking for. For consumers who feel safer in a slightly larger vehicle than the typical sedan or hatchback but who still want their vehicles to be fuel efficient, the modern midsize and compact SUVs are the best as they have plenty of cargo space and 7 passengers or more. See car & SUV reviews at www.7passengervehicleszone.com for reviews of these kinds of vehicles. They are perfect for those people who still haven’t quite gotten over the era when large trucks and vehicles reigned supreme. For more of the best small SUVs on the market, check out these MPG and price comparisons.

Midsize SUVs get the best of both worlds. They are compact, yet spacious from inside. In fact some of the SUVs have an optional 3rd row of seating at the back which increases the seating capacity. They offer easy handling on different terrains besides being easy to maintain. See this complete list of family sized SUVs if you’re interested in a midsize SUV that offers 3 rows. The reliable brands offer the convenience of little amount of transmission maintenance (read more: when to replace transmission fluid?) The following are some of the most compact, reliable and fuel efficient ones.

• The Ford Escape Hybrid giving an average of 32 mpg combined (city and highway).
• Lexus RX 450h producing 30 mpg combined.
• Mazda CX-5 giving 30 mpg on the average, combined.
• Nissan Juke – 29 mpg, combined.
• Toyota Highlander Hybrid giving 28 mpg within city and 28 mpg on the highway.
• Mitsubishi Outlander Sport producing 27 mpg on the average.
• Honda CR-V, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain, all giving 26 mpg combined.