ford

Ford Ranger Gas Mileage: 1986 – 2011

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The compact Ford Ranger pickup truck was introduced to America in the midst of the gas crunch, roughly twenty-five years ago. Fuel efficient Mazda and Mitsubushi diesel engines were options in the earliest years of the Ranger. Ford also sold a battery-powered electric version, the Ranger EV, between 1998 and 2000.

The domestic 2011 Ford Ranger is available with either a 2.3 liter four cylinder or 4.0 liter six cylinder engine. The manual transmission-equipped 2.3 liter 2010 Ranger is rated at 22 city and 27 highway miles per gallon. The Ford Ranger sold in Europe is a rebadged Mazda that uses an economical 2.5-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engine.

The jury’s out on whether or not America will ever get the well-received redesigned World Ranger. Ford is likely concerned that the new Ranger would cut into sales of the F-150.

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Ford Escape Hybrid: Most Fuel-Efficient SUV on Earth?

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Ford is running an advertising campaign, billing the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid as “the Most Fuel-Efficient SUV on Earth.” There’s no questioning that the Escape Hybrid delivers great gas mileage figures … for a SUV. But the claim that the Escape Hybrid is the world’s best demands closer inspection.

It’s time for a fact check.

While the Escape Hybrid is indeed the most fuel-efficient SUV currently for sale in the United States of America, it might not be the most fuel-efficient SUV in the entire world.

Equipped with a 2.2 liter i-CTDi common rail turbo diesel engine, the all-wheel-drive 2007 Honda CR-V currently on sale in Great Britain is rated at 34.9 Urban / 49.6 Extra Urban / 43.5 Combined in miles per British gallon. Since the British gallon is larger than the US gallon, we need to convert the numbers to US specs.

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Cheap High MPG Cars: 1995

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There were just creeping changes to the 1995 Top Ten High MPG list, as the Honda Civic Del Sol snuck into the ranks, along with the Nissan Sentra – 200SX.

All-in-all, Honda continued to hold half the list, while GM/Suzuki’s grip slipped a bit.

A bevy of Saturn models knocked on the door with 40 mile per gallon highway ratings. The Dodge and Plymouth Neon began their run, replacing the Mitsubushi-sourced Colts.

Top Ten High MPG Cars – 1995 Model Year:

  • Honda Civic HB VX 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 47 city / 56 highway
  • Honda Civic HB VX 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 44 city / 51 highway
  • Geo Metro 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 44 city / 49 highway
  • Suzuki Swift 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 44 city / 49 highway
  • Honda Civic 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 42 city / 46 highway
  • Honda Civic 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 40 city / 45 highway
  • Geo Metro 4-cyl., 1.3 liter – MPG: 39 city / 43 highway
  • Ford Aspire 4-cyl., 1.3 liter – MPG: 36 city / 42 highway
  • Honda Civic Del Sol 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 35 city / 41 highway
  • Nissan Sentra/200SX 4-cyl., 1.6 liter – MPG: 30 city / 40 highway

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Cheap High MPG Cars: 1994

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The names remained the same among the ranks of high MPG cars in 1994, with a notable exception.

The Ford Aspire was the only car to break Suzuki/GM and Honda’s firm grip on the Top Ten High-MPG list for the 1994 model year. The Aspire, a result of a collaboration between Kia and Mazda, replaced the Festiva in Ford subcompact lineup and remained a fixture through the 1997 model year.

Top Ten High MPG Cars – 1994 Model Year:

  • Geo Metro – XFi 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 53 city / 58 highway
  • Honda Civic – HB VX 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 47 city / 56 highway
  • Honda Civic – HB VX 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 44 city / 51 highway
  • Pontiac Firefly – 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 46 city / 50 highway
  • Chevrolet Sprint – 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 46 city / 50 highway
  • Geo Metro – 3-cyl., 1.0 liter – MPG: 46 city / 49 highway
  • Honda Civic – 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 42 city / 46 highway
  • Honda Civic – 4-cyl., 1.5 liter – MPG: 40 city / 45 highway
  • Suzuki Swift – 4-cyl., 1.3 liter – MPG: 37 city / 44 highway
  • Ford Aspire – 4-cyl., 1.3 liter – MPG: 36 city / 43 highway

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