How to Find Vehicles That Do Less Damage

Hey Mr. Green,

I drive a Honda Civic coupe, but I am incredibly active outdoors and it’s somewhat difficult to fit all the stuff for my treks into such a small vehicle. Are there any larger vehicles that aren't terribly hurtful to the environment? I also need something that can handle rough dirt roads.

--Dan in Genola, Utah

If you're thinking SUV, some of the hybrid SUVs like Ford’s Escape or Mazda’s Tribute would give you decent gas mileage, though some other hybrids are no easier on the environment than many gas-guzzling conventional SUVs. If space is more of a concern to you than ability to survive on gnarly roads, you might consider some conventional station wagons, too. Audi and Volkswagen have models that get 42 mpg on the highway and 30 mpg in the city. Also, keep in mind that, unlike other vehicles, hybrids usually get better mileage in the city than on the highway, so a hybrid may be a good choice for people who have to do a lot of city driving. For example, the Ford Escape hybrid two-wheel-drive SUV gets 36 mpg in the city and 31 on the road, while Toyota's Highlander hybrid gets 27 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway

You can compare all vehicles of the major manufacturers by going to the EPA's fuel-economy site (sorry, Mr. Green can’t do your homework for you). When you click on any manufacturer, you see the available choices. Another click takes you right to mpg ratings, air pollution scores, and even estimated fuel costs for cars made in recent years, plus mpg ratings going all the way back to 1984, if you’re considering a used model.

Finally, remember that speeding and lousy maintenance can cause any car, no matter how efficient, to burn a whole lot more fuel than it should. So stay under the speed limit and keep your tires properly inflated. For more thorough advice on saving gas, visit the Federal Trade Commission and Natural Resources Canada’s sites. Your tax dollars at work.

Comments

[Mr. Green]

If you like sports cars the 2011 Mustang V-6 w/ 305 hp gets an amazing 31 MPG. That's brilliant.

[Manhattan Air Specialists]

I think it is quite commendable to think about vehicles that would do less and less damage to the environment. Indeed it is high time we all start thinking about protecting our environment.

[coach sale]

why we have conquered the uter space,but not our inner space;why we have highter income,but less morals;

[Chicago Auto Shipping Center]

Don't Land Rovers get pretty good gas mileage? Now that's a car for the outdoors... was, anyway, until they started going all bourgeois and luxury on us.

[2011 Jetta]

How about some of the Volkswagen's? The Jetta has a TDI version that gives great mileage. And the trunk space is huge. Even the Golf or GTI makes a lot of sense for you.

[Truck Rental]

I highly recommend the Ford Escape Hybrid! We just purchased one and it is a blast! I have so much fun driving it and it's a large car (we have 3 kids, so it is an issue) and even when we go backpacking we manage to get all the gear talked in the back :)

[young drivers insurance]

While hybrids are ok, they are still not great on the environment. Either an electric car or a natural gas vehicle is a better option. Unfortunately options are limited right now since there are very few to choose from and no SUVs that I'm aware of.

[Mr Cover]

AN SUV will be fine for all of the gear. But with the high cost of gas, you may want to store that SUv for a smaller more economical version. Don't forget to cover your SUV when storing it.

[Tom Jones]

Great blog!

[Jay D]

Good insight. I like the points you've brought up.

[Vacations For Less]

Hi There. I really like your site. I had a company car for many years. They need to make company cars electric.

[Jay D]

Nice post! Actually, this represents a good potential investment.

[Peter Woodfellow]

I have a Volvo estate which with some careful driving can do 40-50MPG easy. I have got from Cornwall to Glasgow on one tanks before

[Cheap insurance for young car drivers]

I don't like to much hybrid cars