Let’s discuss the SUV craze first and foremost. SUVs generally deemed to be safer, thus excusing the higher initial cost and long term cost of decreased gas mileage, are not. They are more likely to roll over according to the National Highway Safety Administration. So what you are thinking. I will still be safe in my sturdy vehicle. Think again. 70% of all vehicle fatalities can be directly related to a roll over. This compounded with the environmental costs makes them very expensive indeed. Is it time to rethink your vehicle? Here is a list of the top ten most fuel efficient, safest 2007 cars under $15,000. Yes, I said under $15,000. Of course, you could spend more, but considering most of them earned 5 star crash ratings in head on and side collisions and earned very low roll over ratings, why would you? Did I mention fuel efficient; think 28 to 38 miles per gallon. I know what you are thinking now. I need to haul stuff. I covered that too. Many of these models have fold down back seats that open into the trunk area, essentially opening them into 2 seat station wagons. One model, the Fit, can do five different seat configurations to accommodate oddly shaped items. Do you really have a reason to not consider them?
After combing through many upcoming 2007 models, I selected these ten based on fuel efficiency, safety and price, then ranked them against one another. All of the cars had 16 valve 4 cylinder engines, anti-lock brakes, power steering, front and back crumple zones and collapsing steering columns. In my analysis I put safety first, ranking based on the number of stars given by the National Highway Traffic Administration. Next, I ranked fuel efficiency based on the rates given by the EPA. Lastly, I ranked by price as they compared to one another.
The final analysis surprised me as I had expected the newly released models, marketed on the fuel efficiency angle, to have rated better against some old timers like the Kia. Here are the results.
The Toyota Corolla CE came in first, although, it had tough competition from the Kia Rio and Honda Fit. It made the top of the list with a 5 star crash rating for passenger and driver as well as a fuel efficiency rating of 32 miles per gallon in town and 41 on the highway. I was less impressed with the $14,105 base MSRP, which was comparatively high. Ultimately the final nudge came from the cabin size that is large enough to accommodate kids. This price tag is disappointing considering only front driver and passenger airbags are standard. Side curtain airbags incur an extra charge. However, if able to, I would pay the extra money, even springing for the side airbags, because the safety rating is worth the expense. I think the outstanding fuel efficiency will provide a recoup of the initial extra outlay. Here are some reviews from edmund.com, “The new Toyota is fun to drive and very good on gas mileage around 35 MPG! I was going to buy a used Corolla however, they were just too expensive used so I went for a new car and made the right decision”, “I have this car for about a week now and I love it. Very conservative with gas usage. Simply chic is what I call it!… Nothing too fussy… gets you there from A to B in a comfortable way. Very affordable”.
The Hyundai Accent took second place with 5 star safety ratings for both passenger and driver along with 32 miles per gallon in the city and 35 miles per gallon on the highway. You will like the base MSRP also at just $10,415. This car has front and side airbags standard. I must mention, due to its small cabin size this is not a family car, but perfect for a single person driving around town. Here is a review of the Accent from edmund.com, “It is surprisingly roomy and very comfortable. It’s exterior styling is sporty rather than the usual vanilla bargain basement look of other cars in this price range. The interior design is well thought-out and the materials and craftsmanship far exceeded my expectations. It accelerates to highway speeds effortlessly”.
Next is the Honda Civic DX, 2 and 4 door models with an MSRP of $14,560, which is a little high, but the gas mileage of 28 in the city and 39 on the highway will make the car pay for itself in the long run. Yes. You could load kids into this one. The 2007 model has not been crash tested. Yet, I expect it to do well since all previous models tested with 5 stars. The car comes with front and curtain airbags standard. Notably, this car has consistently had high consumer ratings.
The Kia Rio took fourth place. The fuel efficiency is comparable to the Corolla at 32 in town and 35 on the highway, but the safety rating was less with 4 stars for the driver and 5 stars for the passenger, making it fall to fourth place. The base MSRP was more reasonable for a small car at $11,350. Impressively, this model comes with six airbags, covering every passenger in the car, standard. Ultimately, the Corolla’s 5 star driver rating with the optional extra side air bags just edged it into first place. If you simply cannot afford the Corolla or the Civic and the Accent will be too small, the Rio is an excellent choice. A consumer said, “Everyone seems so hyped on having the latest & greatest vehicle without regard to cost, mileage, etc. It seemed that bigger was better. How I proved them wrong. My Kia Rio is very peppy, auto insurance cost-effective, makes it to the gas pump every two weeks on $15.00 a fill, has a 10yr/100,000 warranty and has a great big trunk to put all my shopping in” (edmund.com).
Fifth place went to the newcomer Honda Fit. To be honest, the Rio and Fit are almost a toss up with the Fit being more geared to a single person. This car provides excellent fuel efficiency, although lower than the Kia, at 31 in town and 38 on the highway, but the base MSRP was a little higher than the Kia at $13,850. However, unlike the Kia, it was given a 5 star safety rating for both the driver and passenger. Technically, this car is a little safer, but the Kia provides airbags for all occupants standard with a lower base MSRP and money saving increased fuel efficiency. One thing to note about this car is its amazing hauling ability. As mentioned previously, the seats move into five positions to create a cavern and accommodate oddly shaped items, not something to be overlooked. Another plus is the built in iPod station, standard. The Fit with its fairly high coolness factor is a good choice for a young person so long as the MSRP doesn’t scare you away. It will give the new Beetle some competition.
The Nissan Versa, pushed to sixth place by a tiny cabin and a high MSRP, will remain assuming it scores acceptable safety ratings. The National Highway Traffic Administration has not finished testing it. In its defense, front and side airbags are standard. Personally, I would wait to purchase this car until after the test results are made public. However, assuming the results are good, the gas mileage is 30 in town and 36 on the highway, not terrible. One draw back is a base MSRP on the high end along with the Corolla at $14,114 to $15,260. Consumer response to this car has been positive, ” Compared to all its other competitors in its class (the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, and Hyundai Accent) the Nissan Versa has a whopping 122 hp, Also has good fuel economy. It’s a bit small but what can you expect from a great car” (edmund.com).
The next two cars were almost a toss up, but the Toyota Matrix beat the Scion XA with a higher safety rating. Each conversely had good and bad features. For me, safety won out in the end. The Matrix rated 5 stars for the driver and 4 stars for the passenger, higher than the Scion at 4 stars for both driver and passenger. They are almost identically priced. The Matrix’s MSRP is $14,114. The Scion’s MSRP is $14,570, but its gas mileage is 31 in town and 38 on the highway, beating the Matrix at 30 in town and 36 on the highway. Over time, the increased fuel efficiency will make the Scion more cost effective, but, as I said, I considered the lower safety rating over cost both short and long term.
The Chevy AVEO is second last and only a little better than the Ford Focus I mention next. After initially reviewing the price tag of $9,995 for the AVEO 5, a hatchback version, and $12,395 for the sedan, I thought it would rank better. It had an excellent safety rating of 5 stars for both the driver and passenger, but not great gas mileage at 27 miles per gallon in town and 37 on the highway. Of course, the decreased gas mileage will make the car cost more over the long term even though its up front cost was lower than the others, thus it was pushed to the bottom. Yes. The safety rating was excellent, but consumers would do better to purchase the Honda Fit, Kia Rio or Toyota Corolla with identical safety ratings, but better gas mileage.
The Toyota Yaris came in last due to a side impact rating of only 3 stars. This is too bad because the larger cabins of the S Series sedans are more accommodating to families. The gas mileage rating is outstanding at 34 in town and 39 on the highway. The MSRP is only $11,825 for the base model and $13,325 for the sedan, not bad. Unfortunately, the general trend was larger cabin, lower side impact rating.
Lastly, I want to make a few notes about the Ford Focus, which did not make my top ten list for good reason. The Ford Focus had a TERRIBLE side crash test rating, something I did not mention for the other models because they were average with the exception of the Yaris. What makes this worse is side airbags and anti-lock brakes do not come standard. Additionally, features made standard in other cars, such as automatic traction control, are not even an option. You probably shouldn’t drive this vehicle unless you are taking it to the dealership to sell it back. The gas mileage is not so great at 26 in town and 35 on the highway. The MSRP is just comparatively average at $13,750. What owners had to say about the car really sent it to the bottom. Here are a few excerpts from edmund.com, “Sloppy fit and finish, low-grade plastic trim in cabin, inadequate storage and cup holders, no rear head restraints or side curtain airbags”. I was surprised these cars that once lead the fuel efficient car market had been so outdone by the competition.
Surely you noticed the lack of hybrids on my list as none of them had an MSRP under $15,000. Let’s look at them more closely; the additional cost incurred by the purchase of these cars is not evened out by fuel savings. For example, the Honda Civic 4 door sedan Hybrid has a base MSRP of $22,150 with gas mileage of only 49 in town and 51 on the highway. If you mostly drive in town, this does not present much of a savings. Regarding the argument that they are better for the environment, well I just pointed out that they do not save that much gas. In all honesty, I must admit, these cars do perform well on the highway. Actually, that is where they really shine. However, many people, especially those raising families, cannot afford a $22,000 to $30,000 car. An additional issue is created by the batteries that only last for about five years after which they must be put into a land fill at the cost of about $3,000 each and most cars take two. You can do more for the environment by using a fuel efficient car, limiting your driving and by driving smart. What do I mean by driving smart? Think ahead, plan and combine your families trips. Plan and combine your trips with other people like coworkers and neighbors to run one car instead of two.
We face a lot of challenges if we intend to beat global warming, but we can do it. Every day researchers are working on new technology like E-85. Don’t loose hope. We can do it.
Reference:
- For additional information about safety ratings, go to the National Highway Traffic Administration’s website: safercar.gov. Fuel efficiency ratings can be obtained at www.epa.gov/. For additional information about general car ratings visit www.edmunds.com.
