We Americans are a shortsighted bunch. As gas has recently slid below the magic $2 dollar mark at many gas stations, a lot of people have decided that using their Cadillac Escalade for the solo 60 mile commute to work is a great idea. But is it really?
Of course it isn’t! No matter how much gas costs, it is always going to be far more cost effective to drive a vehicle like the 35 mpg highway Toyota Yaris hatchback. (That's 3 or 5 door for those being politically correct). 35 miles per gallon is always going to be better than 12 miles per gallon, no matter how much or little you drive.
Comparisons have been made of the new Yaris with the stellar new Honda Fit. While the latter has a few advantages over the Yaris like a five-speed automatic (as opposed to a four-speed) and more power (117 horsepower as opposed to 106 horses in the Yaris), Honda's entry level compaci is also generally more expensive.
More direct competition comes not only from the similarly priced Nissan Versa, but also from the Scion xD. The xD was recently named as one of the most reliable cars for sale in this country today and is priced at $16,120 for a fully loaded model with automatic transmission.
The xD also a better looking vehicle to our eyes.
Our view? Who knows what will happen to gas prices over the next few years? In two years gas might be $8 a gallon so to our eyes it makes a whole lot of sense to invest in a fuel efficient automobile the next time you need a new car. And a Toyota Yaris might just fit the bill.