Quiz

[Anonymous-0]

What production model car (other than a hybrid)got the best gas mileage from 1989 to date?

 

[Dave H (MI)]

Yugo?

 

[Gun guru]

Maybe the Honda civic or my 2002 Saturn SL1 got 38MPG (real world MPG too)

 

[JT]

VW rabbit diesel. I am not sure of the time frame correctness, but they would run forever on a gallon fuel.

 

[Tim in NB]

Geo Metro or Pontiac Firefly

 

[john in la]

Do not know what the best may be but we just got back from a trip to my son's house 1100 miles away. Got 39.9 mpg running 75 mph (average of 70 mph) This was in a 2003 Toyota Echo.

 

[Anonymous-0]

1989-1994 Geo Metro XFI 53 mpg city,58 hwy..

 

[Allan in NE]

Hands down, the VW rabbit diesel.

Allan

 

[wolfman]

I don't know, but my 1992 Mercury Grand Marquis would give us consistent 29 mpg with my 6 ft 8, 240 lb son and his momma in the car. It would kind of lock up in overdrive-most were recalled and fixed-I kind of liked it unfixed!

 

[BMAN]

I have a 94 Geo Metro and it doesn't get anywhere near 58 hwy

 

[GentleBen]

VW Rabbit

 

[Allan in NE]

None of 'em did. Some could "crowd" 50 if babied with a tailwind.

Used to have to work on those darned things. Complete o/h of transmission/transfer case paid a screamin' 5.5 hours. :>)

Allan

 

[Steven f/AZ]

Honda CRX HF will get close to 50 or better.

I had a 94 Honda del Sol S with a 1.5 liter and 5-speed that I consistently got 45mpg from.

 

[Anonymous-0]

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/

 

[TomH in PA]

You don't need to exclude the hybrids. Their actual mileage (as opposed to the incorrect rating) is less than several conventional cars, including the Jetta diesel.

 

[Allan in NE]

Yep,

Just what I thought.

Now, crawl in one and drive it for a couple of months and see how it goes.

Let us know how ya come out. :>)

Allan

 

[Walt Davies]

Honda CRX ours with the medium engine got 44 MPH with the small engine they got 64 MPH

Hard car to beat for Gas mileage but only a 2
seater.

Walt

 

[Randy-IA]

My wife owned a Honda CRX ( medium engine one ) back in '86 and it got real close to 50 mpg on a trip from Vail , CO where we lived to Cleveland , OH where her parents lived . A buddy back in St.Louis where I grew up had a late '70's VW Rabbit diesel ( in the late '70's before I moved away ) that got better than 60 mpg on a trip we took to Daytona . Sorry that neither of these cars fell into your timeframe but good gas mileage has been around a long time . And they were fun and quick cars to drive especially the CRX . Trying to achieve cleaner air had choked gas mileage out of cars . But it's getting better these days .

 

[georgeky]

Yep, my uncle has one that gets 56 MPG's.

 

[Jeffinutah]

I had a VW Diesel Pickup I bought in 1980 - waited 6 months to get itand paid $7200. It gave an honest 40 mpg and would haul 1600-1800 lbs of grain. Even used it to bring in baled hay - 12 - 14 "kicker " bales (40 lb). Went 110,000 miles but the engine "gave out". Bought a "new" VW engine for $900, but it only gave 20,000 miles(it was a lemon). When I bought it - and waited 6 months for it, I thought "Boy, this will be worth money at trade time". But between GM Diesels of the time and other reasons, no one would even take it in trade.

But after 4 years you couldn't even buy another one. I really liked it!

 

[Lee in Iowa]

Our 02 Saturn SL1 got 36 to 38 on our trip to the Black Hills including the 80 mph trip home loaded with 4 people and all we could fit in it. Its American made and has been fairly reliable. Lee

 

[Anonymous-0]

Bought my daughter a new Chevy Aveo in 06 and car is an 05. Driving back and forth to college she gets 42 mpg. That's a 76 mile trip one way.

 

[Sean McDonnell]

Well I know the question was for 1989 and newer but I figured I'd throw in my car anyhow. I had a 1981 Ford escort that regularly got over 40mpg. What makes me laugh til this day is that it did it without a bit of modern electronics or computer controls! Just a 1.6L engine and a carb and even when it had close to 200k on it it still kept up the good mileage. Car makers today should be ashamed of themselves bragging about 25-30mpg on a $40,000 car.

 

[Sagebrusher]

We put 97,000 miles in five years on a then new 1991 Geo Metro four door with a five speed manual transmission. Daily commuting 23 miles one way on secondary 50 mph roads we averaged 48-51 mpg. On mostly freeway trips to Jackpot NV, Spokane, Seattle and the Oregon coast we normally saw 50-55 mpg.
Even loaded with highpower rifle comp gear and camping stuff it kept up with traffic flow. Whitebird grade though was mostly third gear at 45 most of the way up. . .
It was a good little throwaway car. No grease zerks that I could find. The little gal that bought it from us put another 90,000 on it before she passed it on. We replaced the muffler once and a rear window seal.
Would have bought another one but too many new folks here abouts like to play bumper cars and don't understand traffic signals or common sense.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Don't forget the Izuzu IMARK, my daughter drove one 100000 mi. in college no problems-nothing! Full tank in Louisville, took eight gallons near Minneapolis?min. I diddn"t like the car, wish I still had the engine&auto trans.

 

[Spook]

I put 130,000 miles on a 89 Geo Metro. Joint venture between GM and Suzuki. Great mileage, gave it to younger brother, he put another 90,000 miles on it. Wish I could buy one now.