One technology that is rapidly spreading among car makers are engines that can shut off individual cylinders to save on gas.
The technology allows the engine to work on fewer cylinders when the conditions like when the vehicle is at full speed on a highway or stopped at a traffic light.
Called "cylinder deactivation", these types of engines are appearing on SUVs, pickup trucks, and minivans for the last few years and now the technology is moving on to passenger cars.
Honda offers such a system. Called Variable Cylinder Management, it is now available on the new V-6 Honda Accord with automatic V6 engines. It allows the car to work on three, four, or all six cylinders. When driving on a highway, for example, the engine can switch to four-cylinder mode at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour.
Fuel economy numbers are 19 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway.
An earlier version of the system has been on the Odyssey minivan since 2005 and the Pilot since 2006.
General Motors cylinder deactivation technology first appeared on mid-sized SUVs like the Chevrolet Trailblazer and GMC Envoy during the 2005 model year. GM claims that the cylinder deactivation technology offers a 12 percent increase in fuel efficiency. By 2008, the technology will appear on the Chevrolet Tahoe SUV; the Silverado pickup; and the Buick LaCrosse (pictured).
Our take? We expect to see the technology become standard in the future as government legislation mandates greater fuel efficacy.