CR: Fuel Economy #1 Factor for Car Buyers

[Guibo]

According to Consumer Reports:

"Fuel economy is now the number one purchase consideration for new car shoppers, sparking a massive swing in interest for alternative fuel vehicles.

According to the latest survey by Consumer Reports, the single largest factor for buying a new car is high gas mileage. In total, 37 percent of respondents chose fuel economy, with quality placing a distance second at 17 percent. Going down the list, safety came in at 16 percent, value at 14 percent and performance at 6 percent.
“These results make it clear that high fuel prices are continuing to impact driver behavior and influencing future purchase considerations,” said Jeff Bartlett, Consumer Reports deputy auto editor. “While quality, safety and value are still important, this may be foreshadowing a market shift by folks seeking relief at the pump.”
Perhaps more shocking than how much consumers rank fuel economy over quality is their intention to switch to alternative fuels in order to save at the pump. In total, almost three-quarters (73 percent) of respondents said they would consider an alternative fuel vehicle as for their next car purchase, with younger buyers more receptive than older ones.
Not surprisingly, owners of large SUVs responded as the most likely to downsize in order to find better fuel economy, followed by mid-size SUVs and large sedans.
In total, two-thirds of buyers said they expect their next car to get better fuel economy, with 90 percent of buyers citing the rising cost of gas as their reason for wanting a more efficient vehicle. Other reasons cited include the decision to be more environmentally friendly (62 percent) as well as a desire to be less dependent on foreign oil (56 percent).
With rising gas prices, the switch to a car with better fuel economy sooner than later may seem like a wise decision, but according to Consumer Reports, you’re likely to save more money by sticking with your current car if it’s less than three years old."

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/...e-factor-for-car-buyers-consumer-reports.html

 

[K-A]

Lame. Safety and quality should always be #1 and #2. This makes life so easy for car manufacturers. Cut interior costs and refinement (which many have been doing), and focus on good gas mileage.

 

[Guibo]

Is focusing on good gas mileage so easy though?
I agree safety and quality are very important. But today's cars are so evenly matched in overall quality (within classes) and safety that the hit to the pocketbook in daily driving is a very real concern, and one area which can differentiate one model or manufacturer from another. I'm glad to see that dependence on foreign oil, the #3 factor in fuel economy concerns, is becoming an increasingly important issue. A lot of military lives are at risk often for the primary reason of keeping oil supplies secure. The military itself is a huge consumer of fuel, and they too are looking at ways to improve efficiency.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/amywest...ary-hates-fossil-fuels-part-two-alternatives/
There are definitely national security issues at stake when relying too much on foreign oil.

 

[Merc1]

Yeah its #1 for people who subscribe to and read Consumer Reports. People who actually like cars don't rank fuel economy nearly as high, otherwise SUVs, trucks and a lot of luxury/sports cars wouldn't get bought.

I refuse to believe that someone would knowingly buy a lower quality car because it posts 2-3 more MPG according to an EPA test. Has to be a person that really doesn't know or care about cars at all.

M

 

[Zafiro]

In europe fuel is very important. Gas fuels are ridiculous expensive here. There is a reasons why so many choose diesel.

 

[Guibo]

While it is true that this may be a survey of only CR readers, it must be said they're not exactly a small group. That magazine's circulation is about twice as large as the top 3 US car enthusiast mags (R&T, C&D, Motor Trend) combined. The typical car buyer in America really isn't a car enthusiast. He (or often it is she who makes the decision) is just more concerned about where he's going and for how much.
There may always be a market for workhorse trucks like the F-150, but the Expedition which used to sell about 160k a year is down to around 40k. Chevrolet may soon kill off the Avanlanche, having seen sales plummet from 80k down to 20k. Escalades down nearly 60%. Meanwhile, Focus sales are holding steady for 6-7 years with this year showing a surge, and after 30 years we have the reintroduction of the Fiesta to the market. Cruze sales are also holding steady at historical rates against the Cobalt/Cavalier.
And it would appear that even F-150 drivers care about economy:
"Overall EcoBoost models accounted for 40 percent of all F-150 sales, which is impressive considering that the boosted mill comes with a $895 price premium compared to the very capable 5.0-liter V8. Still more impressive is the fact that Ford also sold plenty of 3.7-liter V6 models as well, and the overall take rate of V6 engines is over 50 percent on the year."
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/26/ford-f-150-ecoboost-hits-100-000-sales/

 

[Centurion]

Yeah its #1 for people who subscribe to and read Consumer Reports. People who actually like cars don't rank fuel economy nearly as high, otherwise SUVs, trucks and a lot of luxury/sports cars wouldn't get bought.

That's the contraindication isn't it? Fuel efficiency is rising but yet more SUVs are introduced by car manufacturers and subsequently purchased by consumers. It's to the point that people are forgoing a sensible Golf in favour of a Nissan Juke which is technically just a bloated hatchback.

However fuel economy does matter a lot of families and everyone else which is why hatchbacks top the selling charts. For families expenses is a pain and one rather feed the kids than feeding the thirst of a big car. When I was younger my family owned a series of different cars and the from a large Volvo to a small four door Hyundai the difference in monthly fuel bills is two fold. Financially fuel efficient cars make a big difference.