When is it worth paying extra money for a more fuel-efficient version of the same model? The answer to that question depends on the price of gas, how much more fuel-efficient is said car and how long it will take to recoup the added cost.
Consumer Reports (CR) set out to see if buyers would benefit in the long run by choosing the fuel-economy variants of the Ford Focus, Chevrolet Cruze and Honda Civic. While each of these models returns better mileage than their standard counterparts, they also cost between $500 and $800 more.
The following calculations were based on driving 12,000 miles (~19,300 kilometers) annually with an average gas price of $4 per gallon (€0.85/lt).
Starting with the Ford Focus, CR found that the $495 SFE (Super Fuel Economy) package, which adds flush hubcaps, a rear spoiler, and low rolling resistance tires, provides a 3-mpg improvement in overall and city fuel economy, to 31 and 21mpg, respectively.
After doing the math, CR found that the package would save Ford’s drivers about $145 in annual fuel costs, meaning it would take three years to offset the price difference.
The Chevrolet Cruze ECO model adds aerodynamic tweaks and low rolling resistance tires, which increase its price by about $800 over a similarly equipped Cruze LT. According to CR’s tests, the Eco model beats the LT by 1mpg combined at 27mpg, and by 4mpg on the highway at 40mpg.
Therefore, drivers would save only $20 per year, taking almost four decades to compensate for the higher base price! However, CR does note that Eco Drivers who mostly drive on the highway will save more.
The third and final model tested by CR is the Civic HF that uses low-rolling-resistance tires, a rear spoiler, underbody panels and flush alloy wheels to better its fuel economy numbers by 3mpg overall to 33mpg over the LX. On the highway, the HF returned an impressive 49mpg.
The Civic HF costs $800 more than a similarly equipped Civic LX sedan, with CR calculating that its better fuel economy would save buyers around $135, which means they’d need six years to recoup the price difference.
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