Ford can build this Ranger with 2.5L turbo-diesel
but — they don’t offer it in the U.S.!
The hybrid-electric Toyota Prius leads the government’s annual top-10 fuel economy list of vehicles that can make living with high gas prices a little more tolerable.
The 2007 Prius, with 60 miles per gallon in the city and 51 mpg on the highway, ranked first while the Honda Civic Hybrid was second with 49 mpg in the city and 51 mpg on the highway, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy said Tuesday.
Honda and Toyota made seven of the 12 vehicles listed in the top 10. The new Toyota Camry Hybrid made its debut at No. 3, with 40 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway.
Six gas-only vehicles made the top 10: manual and automatic versions of the Toyota Yaris, the manual version of the Honda Fit, the manual Toyota Corolla and manual versions of the Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio.
“Every model is available with some sort of fuel efficient technology and as consumers continue to demand fuel efficient vehicles, manufacturers will continue to offer more choices,” said Charles Territo, a spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.
Among classes of vehicles, the Ford Ranger two-wheel-drive was the most fuel-efficient pickup, with 24 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. The Hyundai Sonata manual version was the top large car, with 24 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway, while the Dodge Caravan two-wheel drive was the top minivan, with 20 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.
Frankly, I included Territo’s quote to illustrate the difference between “leading the way” and trying to “play catch-up”. U.S. car builders gradually increased build quality over a few decades to match the competition — while losing significant market share. Sadly, it looks like they’ll do the same with fuel efficiency.
Ford can build this Ranger with 2.5L turbo-diesel but — they don’t!
It does in Europe. In fact the Diesel model (2499 cc, 80 kW/109 hp) is the only engine option available, at least here in Spain and, as far as I can gather, in the UK.
Thanks for the reminder, Peter. They offer it with a choice of two diesels [AFAIK] in Thailand — which is where Ford builds almost as many of their Rangers as they do stateside.
Yes, I’d forgotten that Ford builds these in Thailand. I believe the same factory also builds an identical (or almost identical) model for Mazda. Both Ford and Mazda versions are sold here.
I thought Toyota and Honda have ALWAYS lead that list.
I think it is a truely stupid thing the big 3 have done in the states by not offering diesels. I love diesels and in the 90’s I tried to buy a diesel land cruiser from toyota but they wont even import it as a grey market car and it is an even better vehicle than the original gas land cruiser
i am also a big supporter of biodiesel but if my onloy good chioce is a 3/4 ton pickup i think i will pass on the diesels for right now
CHEVY MAKE YOUR FRIKIN TAHOE IN A DIESEL AND YOU WILL SELL THOUSANDS
Mike — the dweebs in Detroit have known about the change in diesel content and regs for years, now. They just sat back with their thumbs up their collective butts and kept cranking out SUV’s.
They had the psychology right. Soccer moms and dads feel “safe” in SUV’s; but, sooner or later, reality had to go and intervene. Sounds like American politics doesn’t it?
“Honda and Toyota made seven of the 12 vehicles listed in the top 10. ”
Is it just me or is the math a little strange here?
I think you’ll find their market research indicates that customer prefers gasoline/petrol motors. It’s going to take some education to get the American public to accept diesel. That will also take a reduction in noise, smell, and vibration. Turbo diesels are also subject to a whine from the blower. Don’t get me wrong, I’m for diesel, it’s just going to be a hard sell for compacts and family sedans/transports. Truck enthusiasts are already on board.
The Euros already are driving quiet, non-smelly, vibration-free diesels. No one’s bringing them over here, yet, is all. See John’s experience, last year, in Sweden — http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=1825
It’s not a hard sell if you’re allowed an opportunity to drive and own what’s already out there.
Turbo diesels are also subject to a whine from the blower.
My turbo Diesel Ford Fusion (1600 cc, 90 hp) doesn’t whine when it’s running. The only time I notice it is when I switch off and you can hear the turbo running down. Otherwise, you’d hardly notice the difference between it and the petrol version, except it consumes less and Diesel fuel costs less here.
Why is the Honda Insight not mentioned? It gets better mileage than the Prius. Great fact checking.
Uh, Michael — AFAIK, the Insight is being discontinued by Honda. They’re sticking with Hybrid versions of the Civic and Accord for 2007.
Damn, Eideard beat me to it…
http://tinyurl.com/eoed5
All these are just incentives to keep America hooked on petroleum. The big players are never going to change for the better so the task of creating real alternatives — rather than mere illusions — lies in the hands of the grassroots. The diesel engine was supposed to run on any vegetable oil and not merely on petrol. The inventor wanted the diesel engine to spur agricultural growth, but he was not able to pursue this due to an untimely demise and due to alterations made to his design after his death.
Its amazong that in the 70’s
An accord was made with the oil industry and cars industry.
Smaller cars get better milage
aluminum is lighter and gives better milage.
New fuels
Better fuels
Alternative fuels
I would think, all these things would make better cars…I have a Steal car, made in 86′, with a V6 engine, medium size oldsmobile, that gets 30-35 MPG at 70-80 mils per hour…
I aint seen a small car get BETTER, even made of plastic.
THEY GOT CHEAP, and used a 3 speed transmission, insted of a 5 speed. the put in SMALL, SMALL engines that had enough hoorse power to mow your lawn, they made trash cans with engines…AND they SUCK. They made them lighter, by removing the frame, they used SMALLER engines. Alluminum heads on cast IRON engines DONT WORK if it gets REAL hot. they used computer controls with a few cheap Eproms, and charge you $200-500 for EACH(there are now 3 of them) for something that you could put together at home for >$25. the price of the cars went UP, ALOT…Used to be a $8000 car in the 70’s held your whole family, including the dog, grandapa, grnadma, and 1/2 your house…NOW you pay $20,000 and 4 people might be comfortable, Add Lugage and you are topped out in carry weight, at 600-800 lbs….ASK about how much the old Beetle, VW bug cost Direct from Germany, 20 years ago… ASK how well it did on milage, compare THAT with what you are getting NOW.
Parts made in Mexico, indoneasea, taiwan, china, and others. shipped to the USE and Mexicao to build a car, at 1/10th to 1/100th the cost made in the USA, and profits are HOW HIGH?? they make about $10,000 per car.
Japan moved to the US, to make cars HERE, to Drop the import taxes per car…about $8000 per car. they use US workers, and make 10 times the profit.
CEO in Japan makes 1/10th the money they do in the US, and they make most of the US products.
kill the tarriffs, make the products a MAX resale price, and drop it VERY LOW… corps wont make the profits, so they WONT SELL THEM. they will goto US makers. thats MORE jobs in the USA.
Take GAS, and raise the taxes, threw the ROOF…Make alternatives look VERY GOOD. FORCE the oil corps to drop prices Just to SELL gas. MAKe them look to other alternatives that ARNT TAXED.
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