SUVs, pickups and muscle cars have a reputation for being gas guzzlers, but their drivers are getting better fuel economy than ever before, according to a recent study.
Over half of the vehicles sold this year deliver over 23 mpg, with one in nine topping 30 mpg, the study showed.
Even some traditional gas guzzlers are now yielding mileage once considered a stretch for small cars, industry and government data reveals, though automakers still face a stretch achieving the 54.5 mpg target facing them in 2025, observers warn.
“This has been remarkable,” said Mark Cooper, research director for the Consumer Federation of America, which has been tracking fuel economy trends for over a decade. After years of relatively stagnant mileage, the increased federal fuel economy rules passed in 2005 have been paying off, he said, calling it a “great example” of how industry can respond to mandates backed by public support.
The auto industry is under pressure to continue improving efficiency by the year 2025.