THE LEDGER-STAR
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, October 3, 1994 TAG: 9410030204
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
After five years of finishing in the shadow of the Geo Metro, the Honda Civic is No. 1 - as the stingiest gasoline burner on the road among 1995 model cars.
Five Honda Civic subcompacts were among the 10 most fuel-efficient 1995 model cars in test results released today by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Two Geo Metro models of subcompacts still made the top 10 list, but the fuel efficiency leader for last five years - the Geo Metro XFI - was nowhere to be found. A General Motors spokesman said the model was discontinued. Geo Metro subcompacts finished first, second and third last year, followed by Hondas.
The 1995 Honda Civic hatchback was rated at 56 miles per gallon on the highway and 47 mpg in city driving, the best of nearly 900 cars and trucks tested.
As usual, a string of luxury and high-performance cars made up the list of biggest gas guzzlers. The Lamborghini Diablo had the worst mileage at 9 mpg in city driving and 14 mpg on the highway. Eight of the 10 worst-mileage cars were various models of the Rolls Royce.
The EPA estimated it costs $1,841 a year to fuel a Lamborghini, compared with $750 for a Ford Taurus (21 mpg) and $338 for the Honda Civic hatchback. The estimates were based on 15,000 miles of travel and average gasoline prices.
Only about 7 percent of the vehicles - or 61 cars - showed combined mileage of 30 mpg or better. Nearly half the cars and trucks had mileage of 20 mpg or less, including 84 with mileage of less than 15 mpg.
Clarence Ditlow, director of the Center for Auto Safety, said the latest figures once again show that automakers are not interested in increasing overall gasoline mileage.
``The market isn't working. . . . We're wasting gasoline, paying more and more for oil imports and increasing greenhouse gases,'' said Ditlow. Carbon dioxide, a leading pollutant linked to global warming, is produced when burning gasoline. ILLUSTRATION: THE TOP 10
1995 model vehicles with the best gasoline mileage, according to
the Environmental Protection Agency. The first number is for city
driving, the second for highway driving.
Honda Civic HB/VX 47, 56
Honda Civic HB/VX 44, 51
Geo Metro 44, 49
Suzuki Swift 44, 49
Honda Civic 42, 46
Honda Civic 40, 45
Geo Metro 39, 43
Suzuki Swift 39, 43
Ford Aspire 36, 42
Honda Civic Del Sol 35, 41
Note: Models with identical names have different mileage because
of variations in engine size or transmission system.
by CNB