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05/20/2008: "Gas Mileage has Gone Down as Prices go Up"

This is what gets me. Why do newer cars get lower gas mileage than many older models from the early 90s? The 1986 Cheverolet Sprint ER got 44 mpg in the city and 53 on the highway. CNN just ran an article on the Geo Metro from the early 1990s--the earlier models get the same mileage as the Toyota Prius. The Smart 4 door coupe gets about the same (for a smaller car!). My 2002 Ford ZX2 (Escort) can get in the mid 30s on the highway, outdoing its replacement, the Focus. Even the AMC Gremlin with six cylinders was not as economical as smaller, lighter subcompacts with four-cylinder engines, but it did get 28 to 30 miles per gallon. It would seem it's time to bring back cars like the Sprint and Metro, but even the new small cars get lower mileage. I'd love to hear any analysis as to the why of that.

Eric Miller, on 05.20.08 @ 16:38PST