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CarGurus Study Finds Drivers Want the Best of Both Worlds: More Space, Better Gas Mileage


for transit
2014 Ford Transit Connect

CAMBRIDGE, MA--May 15, 2014: A recent study by CarGurus (CarGurus) suggests that car owners in the U.S. are relatively dissatisfied with the fuel economy of their cars and the cargo space their vehicles offer. Based on an analysis of more than 10,000 owner-submitted car reviews, CarGurus analysts found that average ratings for “fuel economy” and “cargo space” were significantly lower than average ratings in other quality review categories such as style, reliability and handling.

“Bigger and Better: Combining Cargo Capacity and Fuel Economy.”

The findings highlight the dilemma many car shoppers face as they seek to satisfy their desire for more space with their need for better gas mileage.

“We’ve found that car owners often gripe about gas mileage, yet they still want to pack people and toys into their cars. Unfortunately, bigger is not typically better when it comes to fuel economy,” said Steve Halloran, Chief Editor at CarGurus. “The good news is that manufacturers have made progress, and consumers shopping today should find a better selection of models that offer both improved fuel efficiency and optimized cargo capacity.”

After analyzing specs and reviews on 2014 models across a range of body styles, CarGurus’ Editors identified their top picks for vehicles that offer reasonable fuel economy and ample storage space. For the full list and photos, please visit “Bigger and Better: Combining Cargo Capacity and Fuel Economy.” Highlights include:

Minivans

2014 Honda Odyssey (23.05 mpg/38.4 cubic feet cargo) 2014 Ford Transit Connect (23.6 mpg/50.0 cu ft)

Hatchbacks

2014 Mazda3 (34.5 mpg/20.2 cu ft) 2014 Nissan Versa Note (35.05 mpg/21.4 cu ft)

SUV/Crossovers

2014 Nissan Rogue (29.15 mpg/39.2 cu ft) 2014 Toyota RAV4 (27.15 mpg/38.4 cu ft) 2014 Mazda CX-5 (28.7 mpg/34.1 cu ft) 2014 Lexus RX 450h (30.2/ 40 cu ft)

Wagons

2014 Prius V (42.2 mpg/34.3 cu ft cargo) 2014 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen (33.5 mpg/32.8 cu ft cargo)

Methodology

For the owner-satisfaction study, CarGurus analyzed 10,100 owner reviews submitted by users over the past year (April 2013 – April 2014) where respondents were asked to rate their cars on a scale of 1 to 5 across several categories. The average ratings in categories of Fuel Economy (3.7) and Cargo Space (3.9) were the lowest. Average ratings in other categories were as follows: Price (4.2), Power (4.3), Handling (4.3), Front Seat (4.4), Overall (4.5.), Style (4.5.) and Reliability (4.5).

CarGurus’ “Bigger and Better: Combining Cargo Capacity and Fuel Economy” list was developed by CarGurus Editors based on a comparative analysis of 2014 vehicle specs as well as professional and consumer reviews.