More from Newsday’s Gas Pains
The federal government and oil industry say that, when you take inflation into account, gas in 1981 sold for the equivalent of $2.77 per gallon today. Or, put another way, the price is about the same as the 25 cents per gallon it cost in 1950. Because of improvements in U.S. fuel economy, the average cost of gasoline per mile traveled is less than half the 1980 cost of 16.7 cents for cars and 21.9 cents for light trucks.
It could be worse. The average price for regular unleaded in California yesterday was $2.147 a gallon.
What we pay for in a gallon of gas:
27% Taxes
10% Distribution and marketing
16% Refining
48% Crude OilMost fuel-efficient cars
The Environmental Protection Agency rates vehicles on their fuel economy. Ratings are listed in city miles per gallon and type of transmission.HYBRID GASOLINE/ELECTRIC
Honda Insight ………………………. 60 manual; 57 automatic
Toyota Prius ………………………… 60; automatic
Honda Civic Hybrid ………………………. 45 manual; 47 automaticDIESEL VEHICLES
Volkswagen New Beetle TDI ……… 38 manual; 36 automatic
Volkswagen Jetta TDI Sedan …….. 38 manual
Volkswagen Jetta TDI Wagon ……. 36 manual, 32 automaticGASOLINE POWERED
Honda Civic HX ……………………. 36 automatic
Toyota Echo ……………………….. 35 manual; 33 automatic
Toyota Corolla ……………………… 32 manual
Toyota Scion xA ……………………. 32 manual and automatic
Toyota Scion xB ……………………. 30 manual and automatic
Dodge Neon ………………………….29 manual
Toyota Celica ………………………..29 four-cylinder, automatic
Source:
The Fold: Rising Gasoline Prices
By Tom Incantaluop
Newsday, March 23, 2004
http://www.newsday.com/mynews/ny-i3719932mar23,0,1347112.story
re:Gas mileage on vehicles
Figures for the Dodge Neon Manual transmission are innacurate. I have owned 2 of these vehicles since the models were introduced. The first(1995 Dodge Neon) averaged 43 mpg , the second, which I still own ( 1998 Plymouth Neon ) [ Both with manual trany]avgs 40 mpg . Thats 30% better than stated .