Fuel economy champions
Looking for ways to get better fuel economy? Check out these articles.

Looking for new ways to escape spending a ton of money at the pump? With gas prices shooting toward $5.00 a gallon, just about everyone is feeling the burn. With the summer driving season upon us, what's a driver to do?

Check out Consumer Guide's suite of fuel-economy-related articles. We have all of your options covered from the hybrids and flex-fuel vehicles of today, to the hybrid and electric cars of tomorrow; from the new, pint-sized Smart car to the fuel-sipping subcompacts of the '90s. Find your answer here.

­

Gasoline-Electric Hybrids
2010 Toyota Prius
The world's top-selling hybrid vehicle is redesigned for even higher mpg, plus more room and performance. A shift to U.S. production should reduce delivery times, though not prices.
The Consumer Guide to 2008 Hybrid Vehicles
The Consumer Guide to 2008 Hybrid Vehicles breaks down the 15 gas-electric hybrid vehicle choices on sale this year.
Test Drive: 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
According to the trip computer, the end fuel economy result during my test of a 2WD Tahoe Hybrid was an impressive 22.9 miles per gallon over nearly 50 miles of 100 percent city driving.
Future Car: 2011 Land Rover LRX
Britain’s SUV specialist takes the green path with a new high-style compact based on a show-stopping concept. An eco-friendly Land Rover? Yes, and it’s only the first.
Future Car: 2010 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid
The first gas/electric Porsche will be a much cleaner, thriftier Cayenne--and maybe a sales booster for this cash-cow SUV. Porsche purists may moan, but Al Gore will approve.
Future Car: 2010 Honda Insight
 The green-car race is on, and Honda is readying three new entries. First up, Insight. It's a small low-cost "dedicated hybrid" that could give the Toyota Prius a run for your money at purchase time and at the gas pump.
Deep Drive: 2009 Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango Hybrids
 Though a little late to the party, Chrysler's new hybrids are a step in the right direction for the ailing automaker.

E85 Flex-Fuel Vehicles
The Consumer Guide to 2008 Flex-Fuel Vehicles
New-car buyers can select from among 24 models that can run on E85. Choices include cars, minivans, SUVs, and pickup trucks.
The Next Generation of Ethanol
Will $2 a gallon fuel ever return? An engineering firm in the suburbs of Chicago says yes, and it's planning to do it with old tires, switch grass, and biowaste.

Electric Cars
Future Car: 2010 Fisker Karma
Forget the Prius, Hollywood. Now there’s a hybrid sedan promising star-quality “eco-chic” style, size, luxury and performance. The $80,000 Karma is conspicuous consumption with a conscience. But is it real, or just another over-hyped vanity project?
Th!nk City
Norwegian car company Think Global has plans to bring the electric coupe Th!nk city to the U.S. in 2009.
Future Car: 2011 Chevrolet Volt
A big-buzz plug-in hybrid car is on the fast track to showrooms as General Motors races to trump hybrid-leader Toyota. But it won’t look like the racy Volt concept, and a carload of costly and complex “clean tech” could mean a stiff un-Chevy price.

Chrysler's Electric-Car Plans
Chrysler unveiled three Range-Extended Electric Vehicles and the GEM Peapod, a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV).

Diesel-Powered Vehicles
Green States See Blue: Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC Diesel SUVs Headed For All 50 States
Mercedes-Benz will add three clean diesel SUVs to its lineup this fall. The 2009 GL320, ML320, and R320 will be available in all 50 states as diesel-powered BlueTEC models.
Future Car: 2010 Chevrolet Silverado
General Motors plans to bring its half-ton pickups, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, into compliance with higher fuel economy standards by offering a brand new diesel engine. It’s a move that has the potential to be a real shot in the arm for sagging light-duty truck sales.
Future Car: 2010 GMC Sierra 1500
Debate all you want about how General Motors may have too many divisions with too much product overlap sold by too many dealers. It’s not going to change the fact that a clean diesel engine slated for the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado also will make its way into that truck’s near-identical twin, the 2010 GMC Sierra 1500.

Gas-Saving Ideas
Consumer Guide's 2008 Fuel Economy Champions
Forget the EPA. Consumer Guide's auto editors drove 150,000 miles last year. The EPA admits its fuel economy numbers are estimates. Our numbers are real.
Second-Hand Sippers: 10 Fuel-Friendly Used Cars
These old cars may be past their prime (heck, they might not have even had a prime), but they shine now as budget-friendly, fuel-frugal vehicles.
Five Fuel-Friendly Favorites
We rounded up five recently tested vehicles that are both pleasant to drive and pennywise at the pump.
Smart ForWho?
Can the Smart ForTwo wiggle its way into the hearts and garages of truck- and SUV-loving Americans?
Future Car: 2010 Toyota iQ
Toyota is out to get Smart with a clever new microcar. Though designed for Europe and Japan, the iQ could come stateside to help us cope with soaring fuel prices and growing urban congestion.
Subcompact Car Showdown
The four shootout contenders included our three subcompact Recommended picks--the Honda Fit, Suzuki SX4, and Toyota Yaris--plus the popular Chevrolet Aveo. Eight Consumer Guide editors spent a day driving these pint-size players literally back to back to back to back.
GM's Xtra Fuel Economy Models
 GM squeezes one extra mile per gallon from four of it's thirstiest trucks with new Xtra Fuel Economy models.
We Drive the Honda Civic GX, And It's A (Natural) Gas!
Although the Civic GX looks like a normal Civic, it runs on natural gas instead of gasoline. We drove to Detroit (where there are about a half-dozen natural-gas filling stations in the area) to experience the thrill of driving without using a drop of gasoline.