No Hybrids Allowed: 5 Fuel Efficient New Cars Date : 04/07/2009
With buyer consciousness regarding the environmental impact of the vehicles they drive at an all-time high, automakers who offer gasoline / electric hybrids have enjoyed an extra surge of traffic from curious drivers interested in a more efficient, more ecologically-friendly daily driver. However, many buyers on a budget are stopped dead in their tracks by the price tags associated with these vehicles. Even the cheapest hybrids, such as the Honda Insight with a reduced MSRP designed to undercut the Toyota Prius, still start around $20,000. What’s more, hybrids are not enjoying the same level of new car rebates and other incentives that are currently being offered on most other automobiles.
Fortunately, there are several inexpensive options out there for drivers concerned about their tail-pipe emissions and fuel mileage but unable to plunk down sizable coin on a technology-laden hybrid. Thanks to the PZEV initiative embraced by a number of different car companies, there are inexpensive compact vehicles out there which are extremely clean when it comes to evaluating their greenhouse gas production. PZEV stands for Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle, and it is a certification handed to automobiles which do such a good job at scrubbing toxins out of their exhaust fumes that the emissions from their mufflers are often rated as cleaner than the ambient air in a major city.
This guide discusses some of the cheap and clean cars currently on the market. The five vehicles listed below might not be hybrids, but they certainly do their part to get great gas mileage and provide a radically reduced carbon footprint. In fact, each of these vehicles (save for the MINI) actually pollutes the air to a smaller degree than a few popular hybrids. They each produce the lowest amount of smog-forming pollution and greenhouse gases of any gasoline-powered vehicle currently available.
The 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt is the domestic car company’s entry-level compact car. Sleek and stylish, the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt comes in both four-door sedan or two-door coupe form. While certainly no sports car, the Cobalt does benefit from a 2.2 liter, 4-cylinder PZEV engine which produces 155 horsepower and 150 lb-ft of torque. Buyers can choose from either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission, and fuel mileage is rated at 25 miles per gallon in city driving and 35 miles per gallon on the highway
The base 2009 Cobalt is relatively bare bones, but upgrading to the LS model adds goodies like air conditioning and an MP3 / CD player. The LT further increases comfort through the inclusion of power windows and door locks, and the availability of options such as cruise control, heated leather seats and Bluetooth integration.
MSRP for the base 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt is $14,990.
Using the same platform as the Chevrolet Cobalt, the 2009 Pontiac G5 makes a sportier-looking proposition to those seeking basic transportation. The vehicle is available exclusively as a coupe, and it bears aggressive-looking front-end styling that mimics some of their other, quicker members of the Pontiac family. Under the hood can be found a drivetrain identical to that in the Cobalt – a 155 horsepower edition of GM’s PZEV 2.2 liter, 4-cylinder engine that also produces 150 lb-ft of torque. A 5-speed manual transmission provides the best fuel mileage, but a 4-speed automatic is also available. Fuel economy checks in at 25 miles per gallon around town and a very healthy 37 miles per gallon on the highway.
The 2009 G5 also differentiates itself from the Cobalt in terms of its level of standard equipment. Unlike the Cobalt, the base G5 comes with air conditioning and a full range of power options, including keyless entry. Satellite radio and OnStar are also included.
MSRP for the better-equipped base 2009 Pontiac G5 starts at $16,980.
The newest generation of Ford’s compact car option offers a base model sedan that provides inexpensive and clean PZEV transportation. The 2009 Ford Focus S is powered by a 2.0 liter, 4-cylinder motor that offers 140 horses and 136 lb-ft of torque. The sedan turns in fuel mileage numbers of 24 miles per gallon around town and 35 miles per gallon in highway driving, with the best figures coming with the use of the 5-speed manual transmission over the available 4-speed automatic.
The 2009 Focus S is outfitted with a decent list of standard features. Air conditioning and an MP3 / CD player are included free of charge, while satellite radio can be added as an option.
MSRP for the 2009 Ford Focus S is listed at $15,520.
2009 Hyundai Elantra GLS
Hyundai has long been known for their low-dollar economy cars, excellent warranties and solid build quality. However, most people are not aware that they also produce very clean automobiles. The 2009 Hyundai Elantra GLS is a solid sedan performer that features a PZEV 2.0 liter, 4-cylinder engine. This unit boasts similar power to the Ford Focus S, with 138 ponies and 136 lb-ft of torque on tap through either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission. Efficiency is a little lower than the other vehicles listed, with a rating of 24 miles per gallon in city driving and 33 miles per gallon on the highway, but it is still well in line with the standard most drivers expect from a compact.
The 2009 GLS might be the least expensive edition of the sedan available, but it doesn’t skimp on equipment. Power door locks and windows are matched with power steering and heated mirrors for all versions of the base GLS model. Buyers can choose to add on air conditioning, cruise control and a better stereo system via an options package.
MSRP for the 2009 Hyundai Elantra GLS is a very affordable $14,120.
The 2009 MINI Cooper is the outlier on this list, a semi-luxury compact that aims a little bit higher than a few of these other daily drivers. Corporate parents BMW have done their best to infuse the MINI Cooper with as much fun as they could squeeze into its diminutive chassis, and the vehicle’s driving characteristics reward enthusiasts to a greater degree than many other cars in its class. The hatchback’s 1.6 liter, 4-cylinder engine generates 118 horsepower and 114 lb-ft of torque. It is rated as a ULEV, or Ultra Low Emissions Vehicles – not quite in the same class as the PZEV cars, but very, very close. The MINI Cooper is available with either a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission, and it offers up very impressive fuel mileage numbers of 28 miles per gallon in stop and go traffic and 37 miles per gallon on the highway.
The 2009 MINI Cooper makes up for its lack of PZEV status by throwing in a long list of standard gear. Air conditioning, a powerful stereo system, power windows, door locks and keyless entry, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel are some of the highlights. A number of different options packages are available for the base MINI Cooper to make it either as sporty or as comfortable as the driver desires.
MSRP for the 2009 MINI Cooper base hatchback is $18,550.
Dealers are charging.
This Article Can Be Found In: