As Labor Day approaches, many dealerships will be offering incentives on their 2010 cars for sale in order to make way for the 2011 models. But soon after, these cars will find their way to used car dealers as late-model vehicles, where they can be found at a reduced rate.
When deciding on a late-model used car, fuel economy is an important factor. Since the vehicle was only built in the last few years, it’s unlikely to have many miles on it and thus drivers will be depending on the car for a long time. The more miles that a driver puts on a car, the more they end up saving – if the car has great fuel economy.
The Environmental Protection Agency rates every car’s gas mileage each year and posts the results online so that shoppers can easily compare vehicles across brands. If a driver considers fuel economy to be an important factor in their car-buying decision, they might want to keep their eyes peeled for a few of these models on the used car lot.
The most efficient car in the country was again the Toyota Prius. The Prius has come to symbolize the ideal hybrid and has been at the forefront of the class in terms of awards and recognition. With 51 miles per gallon in the city and 48 on the highway, average drivers can expect to pay just $780 per year on fuel costs.
That said, the Prius isn’t the only hybrid in the game. True, it has the best fuel economy by quite a bit. But fuel economy isn’t the only consideration when purchasing a vehicle.
Drivers who want a bit more power out of their hybrid, for example, might want to check out the Nissan Altima or Ford Fusion hybrids. Rather than the 1.8-liter engine found on the Prius, these both come with 2.5-liter engines. In addition, they’re both slightly cheaper than a Prius and have higher ratings in driver and passenger safety crash tests.
The Fusion clocks in with 41 miles per gallon in the city and 36 on the highway while the Altima gets 35 in the city and 33 on the highway. On average, this is about $200 – $300 more per year than the Prius, but drivers will have to weigh whether the cheaper price and additional features are worth it.
Another option is the Honda Insight. Like the Prius, the Insight comes as a hatchback, and though it only sports a 1.3-liter engine, it is $6,770 cheaper than its more famous counterpart. If a driver buys a used Honda Insight, they’re likely to save even more. The model still gets 40 miles per gallon in the city with 43 on the highway for an average of $952 spent on fuel each year.
The Prius might be the most well-known hybrid, and it still holds a 10 miles per gallon edge over its closest competitors. But when drivers really look at the numbers for a vehicle, the Prius’ competitors are all viable options as well, depending on what exactly a driver is looking for in a vehicle.