2017 Ford Escape AWD 1.5-liter gas mileage review

2017 Ford Escape Titanium 4WD, Kingston, NY, Feb 2017Smaller engines with turbochargers have spread throughout new vehicles as a way to meet the increasingly stringent fuel-efficiency rules that started in 2012. But no maker has been as forward about marketing that technology as Ford, which now offers a range of downsized and boosted engines under the EcoBoost brand. We'd tested a couple of Ford...

ACEEE issues latest list of ‘Greenest’ and ‘Meanest” vehicles

2017 Hyundai Ioniq ElectricMeasuring the energy efficiency of a new vehicle is one thing, but ascertaining its overall environmental impact can be more complex. A debate still rages over the overall carbon footprint of electric cars compared to those powered by fossil fuels. But for the past 20 years, the the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy has tried to...

2017 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel sedan rated at 37 mpg combined

2017 Chevrolet CruzeWith the elimination of Volkswagen diesel models, the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel is one of the few remaining options for buyers seeking a mainstream-priced diesel car. The second-generation Cruze Diesel was confirmed last year, but the initial sedan variant is only just now going on sale. We now know that the 2017 Cruze Diesel sedan will achieve...

What White House faces if it tries to roll back fuel-economy standards

Chrome exhaust pipeDonald Trump won the U.S. Electoral College and swept into the White House on a varied platform that included significant promises to cut regulation and reduce government involvement in a wide variety of spheres. The day after his election, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers sent him a letter asking that corporate average fuel economy...

Why aren’t there more hybrid crossover utilities and SUVs?

2017 Nissan Rogue HybridIt's one of the most frequent questions asked by shoppers interested in utility vehicles with better gas mileage: why aren't there more hybrid SUVs and crossovers? Following the 2012 demise of the much-loved Ford Escape Hybrid, it took four years for the 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid to emerge. This year, we have the 2017 Nissan Rogue Hybrid to compete...

VW suggests engine downsizing is done; emissions rules are the reason

2018 Volkswagen Golf SportWagenWhen it comes to improving fuel efficiency, simply making an engine smaller is a fairly direct way to get results. It's the approach that many automakers have taken in recent years. They have downsized engines across model lines, usually adding turbochargers at the same time to match the power output of the larger-displacement engines that they...

Public supports fuel-economy regulations, including Trump voters

Gas pumpRegardless of political persuasion, there are some issues almost everyone can agree on. One of them, for example, is likely gas prices. It's hard to imagine anyone who enjoys paying more every time they fill up their car. DON'T MISS: Emissions/MPG rules could cost 1 million jobs, Ford CEO tells Trump: what's behind that number? Which might explain...

Full-size diesel pickup truck that gets 37 mpg? Achates says yes

Achates opposed-piston two-stroke diesel engine, as it would be packaged for truck installationCould a full-size pickup truck ever get a fuel-economy rating of 37 mpg? California-based Achates Power believes it can, and its novel engine uses a design that dates back to the earliest days of internal combustion to do so. The company announced its two-stroke, opposed-piston diesel engine for pickup trucks in 2014, and revealed a prototype of...

Gas has to cost $3 a gallon before it affects vehicle choice, study says

Gas pumpContinuing low gas prices are often blamed for the current popularity of crossover utilities and SUVs, along with any sales struggles green cars may experience. But would a sudden increase in gas prices cause shoppers to flock to more fuel-efficient vehicles? If so, how high would gas prices have to get in order for consumers to start changing...

Mazda to launch homogeneous-charge compression engine next year

2017 Mazda CX-5The differences between gasoline and diesel engines lie not only in their fuels, but in how those fuels are ignited. Gasoline engines use spark plugs, while diesels simply use compression. But it is possible to ignite gasoline in an internal-combustion engine with compression, as in a diesel. DON'T MISS: Mazda diesel to arrive fall 2017 in new...