Gas prices have always been a huge concern for the American driver. Although gas prices may seem low now, Americans are still very budget conscious when it comes to filling their tanks. The miles per gallon (MPG) rating on a car is an important measure for American consumers, as this tells smart shoppers how many miles they’ll get out of every full tank, and how far their dollar will stretch on the road. To illustrate this, we’ve made a graphic of the distance America’s top 10 vehicles can travel on only $50 of fuel.
The graphic above shows the top-selling vehicles in America placed on a graph. The graph the vehicles lie on represents a maximum travel distance of 800 miles, with 100-mile intervals. The vehicles travel along the graph and stop when each vehicle has reached the distance it can travel using only $50 of fuel. The data for each vehicle was collected from the U.S. Energy Information Administration and Kelley Blue Book. Their distance traveled, based on MPG, was calculated using methods described by the U.S. Department of Energy.
The 3 top vehicles that travel the farthest on $50
- Honda Civic - 722 miles
- Toyota Corolla - 639 miles
- Honda CR-V - 598 miles
The 3 top vehicles that travel the least distance on $50
- Chevrolet Silverado - 392 miles
- Ram Truck - 413 miles
- Ford F-Series - 413 miles
As the graphic changes over time, the first visible trend is the three vehicles that travel the least distance on $50 of fuel. These three vehicles, some of the most popular in America, are all trucks; the Chevrolet Silverado, the Ram Truck, and the Ford F-Series. Trucks and similar vehicles tend to perform worse on MPG tests because they are larger and bulkier compared to standard cars. These three trucks have the lowest MPG and therefore travel the least distance on the graph and on the road. Another trend clearly displayed by the graphic is the prevalence of Japanese automakers. Seven of the 10 best selling cars of 2016 are Japanese auto brands, according to the Kelley Blue Book report cited above. Toyota and Honda each have three of the top selling automobiles, while Nissan has just one. Japanese manufacturers are well known for their efficiency and the report above proves it. The car that travels the farthest on $50 of fuel is the Honda Civic, with a maximum of 722 miles on $50 of fuel and an MPG rating of 35.
More than anything, this graphic shows that the top selling cars in America do not necessarily have the same level of fuel efficiency. Americans frequently buy trucks, but these trucks travel drastically less distance on $50 of fuel compared to smaller vehicles. Japanese cars, which are known for their efficiency, can travel quite a distance on just $50. Opinions on the colors, bodies, and even hauling capacity of popular cars can be debated, driving distance and MPG are hard facts. Looking at the numbers, one thing is clear; while you are free to buy any car you like, your mileage will undoubtedly vary.
Sources: Table 1.1