Fact #591: October 5, 2009
Consumer Reports Tests Vehicle Fuel Economy by Speed
Seven vehicles were tested by Consumer Reports recently to determine the fuel economy of the vehicles at a given speed. For these vehicles, the decline in fuel economy from a speed of 55 miles per hour (mph) to 75 mph was between 20% and 30%. The Honda Insight, which is a hybrid vehicle, had the greatest fuel economy decline (30%) from 55 to 75 mph, but the Toyota RAV4 had the greatest fuel economy decline from 55 to 65 mph (15%).
Fuel Economy by Vehicle Speed for Seven Tested Vehicles
Supporting Information
| Make and model | Engine | 55 mph | 65 mph | 75 mph | Change from 55 to 65 mph | Change from 55 to 75 mph |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acura TSX | 2.4 liter, 4 cylinder | 39.9 | 35.5 | 30.7 | -11% | -23% |
| Honda Insight | 1.3 liter, 4 cylinder | 51.9 | 44.8 | 36.5 | -14% | -30% |
| Lexus RX350 | 3.5 liter, V6 | 30.9 | 27.4 | 23.0 | -11% | -26% |
| Mercury Mountaineer | 4.6 liter, V8 | 23.8 | 21.2 | 17.8 | -11% | -25% |
| Toyota Camry | 2.5 liter, 4 cylinder | 40.3 | 34.9 | 29.8 | -13% | -26% |
| Toyta RAV4 | 2.5 liter, 4 cylinder | 34.6 | 29.3 | 25.9 | -15% | -25% |
| Toyota Yaris | 1.5 liter, 4 cylinder | 42.5 | 37.9 | 34.0 | -11% | -20% |
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Source: Consumer Reports, "Tested Speed vs. Fuel Economy," September 9, 2009. (Links to Consumer Reports blog.) | ||||||