A recent survey by Maritz Research has found that many new car buyers are prioritizing fuel economy as one of their top considerations, according to Green Car Reports.
The study found that fuel economy increased significantly as an important factor this year, mainly due to the prevalence of high gas prices and tight finances from the economic downturn. Fuel economy is now the most important factor when it comes to compact and sub-compact vehicles.
Yet it's not just small cars where drivers are looking for high MPGs. Midsize sedan shoppers ranked gas mileage as the fifth most important factor in their decision for 2011, which is up from 12th in last year's survey. Fuel economy also jumped into the top five for SUVs. For the first time in the history of the survey, sports car shoppers said that fuel economy was among their top 10 factors as well.
Not everyone can simply go out and buy a high-MPG car, but one way for drivers to increase fuel economy on their current vehicles is to pay close attention their auto maintenance. Everything from tire replacements to oil changes can help improve the average fuel economy of a car.