Highest mileage freeway safe vehicle?

[scottmandue]

I have been looking at those new (and some not so new) subcompact cars (Yaris, Fit, etc.) and I have also have heard the Buell Blast (motorcycle) gets 70 mpg. Although I think the Buell wouldn't be very comfortable on the freeway.

I am going to do some web surfing but I thought it might be a fun exercise to see what the PPOT brain-trust can come up with.

Parameters are any car/motorcycle/scooter that is freeway legal and preferably under $20K

I should add that for me I already have a compact car that gets 30mpg so personally I am looking for something like the Buell with equal or better mileage but maybe a little better ride (haven't ridden a blast but I had a Honda 500 single and whereas it was fun to ride it shook like an out of balance washing machine).

So part two of this post would be to find cheap-used-high gas mileage-freeway capable-motorcycle.

[Tim Walsh]

91 CRX HF, no torque, lousy gearing for fun, but 52MPG on regular, but fun in the corners. I can't think of a more efficient cage

[Danny_Ocean]

Diesel VW Rabbit/Golf? Polo?

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/07/volkswagens_pol.php

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I'm holding out for the VW 1L due out in about a year. . .

If I can snag one and I can get a car pool lane sticker for it, I'll consider selling my motorcycle. But not until. . .

[NICKG]

yaris sedan is a GREAT solution...

[Gogar]

Flame suit? Check.

MRE stash? Check.

Blackberry? Check.

I'll say it.

How about a Prius?

[NICKG]

prius gets a huge premium icost in cali i hear...

[Tobra]

Some sort of motorcycle would be hands down fuel economy champ, without a doubt.

CRX is tough to beat for gasoline, VW for diesel

[bell]

michelles old 04' honda civic vp was getting about 42mpg highway with the a/c on
i'll post how good our 06' 1-5 jetta does on fuel after we get to florida

[Normy]

In 1988...

YES....1988-

My brother bought an '81 VW Rabbit diesel. It was a 5 speed, and it was EASY on fuel!

How easy? There was no "power-recovery turbo" on this engine, in contrast to proliferating low-boost turbos that we see today on products such as the VW 1.8t, 2.0t, the new Saab Turbo X, and other various low-boost cars.

That 51 horsepower car STANK! What else should your little brother do but stink? Chris had a job that took him to Detroit on a regular basis. Problem: we lived in Temperance, about 50 miles south. The diesel was PERFECT. Back then, diesel sold for about $1.00 per gallon, and it literally cost him $2 to drive to Detroit and back.

That car, that '81 diesel Rabbit? It had a top speed of 70 mph. Since it didn't have cruise control, my brother tossed a brick onto the front left floorboard one day. If he had to go to D-toilet..he'd simply get on I-75 and then position the brick in front of the gas pedal. Voila...he was in D-toilet 45 minutes later. After a cloud of smoke~

That little car was cool! Chris eventually destroyed it in a very un-good fashion [some other time], but that little tank was a PLAIN but good car anyway.

N

[Hugh R]

I know a guy who has a VW diesel, runs used cooking oil, says he gets 50 MPG. The "refining" process apparently generates a sodium hydroxide sludge haz waste which he pours down the toilet. Probably effs up the sewage treatment plant if enough people do it.

[HardDrive]

Prius (or any other hybrid for that matter) is not at its best on the highway unless is lots of stop and go traffic.

I think the Honda Fit is a great looking small car. The 4 door looks like it has tons of room in the back.

Hell, for the money, but a 3-4 year old Corolla. Excellent mileage, reliable. They're nice cars for the money.

[Scuba Steve]

I thought the Honda Insight got 60-something mpg...?

[Moses]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Flame suit? Check.

MRE stash? Check.

Blackberry? Check.

I'll say it.

How about a Prius?

Remember when the boys on Top Gear got a new dog? It was a hybrid so they considered naming it "Prius", but thought it would just be too cruel and the dog would likely eat more food than they expected.

[Gogar]

HAHA that's a great clip.

[Don Ro]

My 50-52 mpg (hwy) rig:
.
I'm thinkin econobox

Post #31
.
My neighbor offered me $2.5k cash a few weeks ago.
Not for sale.
...'just sold my property & business, leaving Mexifornia, & the car goes w/me.

[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by Normy

In 1988...

YES....1988-

My brother bought an '81 VW Rabbit diesel. It was a 5 speed, and it was EASY on fuel!

How easy? There was no "power-recovery turbo" on this engine, in contrast to proliferating low-boost turbos that we see today on products such as the VW 1.8t, 2.0t, the new Saab Turbo X, and other various low-boost cars.

That 51 horsepower car STANK! What else should your little brother do but stink? Chris had a job that took him to Detroit on a regular basis. Problem: we lived in Temperance, about 50 miles south. The diesel was PERFECT. Back then, diesel sold for about $1.00 per gallon, and it literally cost him $2 to drive to Detroit and back.

That car, that '81 diesel Rabbit? It had a top speed of 70 mph. Since it didn't have cruise control, my brother tossed a brick onto the front left floorboard one day. If he had to go to D-toilet..he'd simply get on I-75 and then position the brick in front of the gas pedal. Voila...he was in D-toilet 45 minutes later. After a cloud of smoke~

That little car was cool! Chris eventually destroyed it in a very un-good fashion [some other time], but that little tank was a PLAIN but good car anyway.

N

My parents had an '81 rabbit diesel also, until I totaled it one night after a party in college. 70mph was indeed top speed. It did not seem like a big deal back then in the early 80's, but now with speed limits 65-70 on many roads in Ohio and Michigan, I wouldn't be able to live with a car that can't keep up with the 75-80 mph flow of traffic.

[daepp]

I thought the post asked about safe as well as high mpg. Are in of the above safe? Would you let your 16 y.o. daughter drive one in the freeway.

I get a lot of peace of mind knowing my daughter is in a 48oo lb vehicle - even though it only gets 16 mpg around town.

An then there's the idiots on the road.......

[daepp]

How about a 300D Benz?