It’s been one cold week here in the Swamps of Jersey! I spent the day inside today, compiling a stack of pages that break out gas mileage data by individual manufacturer for the 2013 model year. I’ve wanted to do this for some time now, but we lost our database server a while back and it’s taken a bit of hammering and sawing behind the scenes to get things rolling again. I focused on the mass-market manufacturers first, leaving out the exotics (namely Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, and Lotus) and the high-end luxury brands (like Bentley and Rolls Royce). If you’re buying one of those magnificent beasts, you’re not concerned about MPGs. I’ve been working on the page layout to speed things up and these pages should help a bit with site navigation. Next on the hit list: find the right sidebar widget to help folks get to what they’re looking for as quickly as possible.
mpg-o-editor
2013 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club PRHT Review
MPG-o-Matic 2013 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club Review Summary: The 2013 Mazda MX-5 Miata tops the charts when it comes to low-ticket, drop top roadster fun. Affordable rear-wheel-drive (RWD) convertible sports cars are tough to find these days, given the departure of the Honda S2000, Saturn Sky, and Pontiac Solstice. While some may decry the Miata’s relatively low power output, it’s the sum of the parts that makes this little roadster so enjoyable to toss about when the sun is shining. With a power retractable hard top, the fun needn’t end when the weather turns cold or the rain starts to fall.
2013 Cadillac ATS 3.6L V6 Premium Review
MPG-o-Matic 2013 Cadillac ATS 3.6L Premium Review Summary: Is the 2013 Cadillac ATS a shot across the bow of the European sedans, or is it a swing and a miss? Designed to compete with the Audi A4, the BMW 3-Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the ATS hits the mark with a distinctively American flavor.
Caddy’s smallest sedan might have what it takes to go toe-to-toe here in the United States today, but it’ll take a turbo-diesel to be truly competitive across the pond.
The 2013 Cadillac ATS is available with three different engines: a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline four, a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four, and a 3.6-liter V6. We tested the V6, which produces 321 horsepower (HP) and 274 foot-pounds of torque. While the 2.5-liter four and 3.6-liter V6 are only available with a six-speed automatic, the 2.0-liter turbo can be fitted with a six-speed manual. (The turbocharged 2.0-liter puts out 272 HP and 260 foot-pounds of torque.) Rear-wheel-drive (RWD) is standard on all models. All-wheel-drive is available with the 2.0 Turbo and V6.
Are All Hybrids Slow From 0-60 MPH?
There’s a common misconception among drivers that all hybrid vehicles are sluggish, unresponsive, and generally not fun to drive from a sporting perspective. While that may be historically true, the tide is changing. The latest crop of hybrids contains a bunch of cars with plenty of ‘get up and go’ to go along with that fuel-stingy technology.
When most people think of hybrid cars, the Toyota Prius is the first model that comes to mind. Introduced to America near the turn of the century, more than a million Prius have been sold in the United States. It’s hugely popular in California and among the environmentally conscious and spendthrifts alike.
2013 Ford C-MAX SEL Hybrid Review
MPG-o-Matic 2013 Ford C-MAX SEL Hybrid Review Summary: While it falls short of the mark in cold weather and high speed fuel-efficiency, the Ford C-MAX dominates on every other front. Controversy aside, the C-MAX rolls a respectable level of performance, a solid ride, plenty of comfort, ample technology, and a remarkably roomy interior in a compelling package. Ford touts that the C-MAX is “the fastest-selling hybrid ever at launch, with 8,030 sales in its first two full months on the market in October and November.”