Consumer Reports Survey Finds Consumers Still Want MPG
Gas prices dropped below $2 per gallon in the midst of a worldwide pandemic that drove oil prices to briefly go negative, but consumers still appear to be focused on fuel economy in their next vehicle. Consumer Reports, a national non-profit consumer organization, conducted a survey of adults in the U.S. April 2-13 this year and found fuel economy was the most desired attribute in the next vehicle purchased.
The survey also asked which three attributes of respondents’ current vehicle had the most room for improvement. Fuel economy also topped that list, followed by purchase price and maintenance costs. Other factors were farther down the list.
“Consumers want automakers to improve fuel economy because it saves them money, and fuel-saving technology provides a great return on investment,” said Chris Harto, senior policy analyst at Consumer Reports.
The backdrop of the survey made the results even more surprising. While gas prices are currently low, they have shown significant volatility in recent years. The Trump administration also has proposed a loosening of the increased fuel economy standards for new cars, calling for a 1.5 percent annual increase. Consumer sentiment expressed in the survey found 37 percent supporting sticking with the original five percent per year target.
Fuel Economy Tops List
When the question of fuel economy’s importance was asked of consumers 59 percent responded that it was “very” or “extremely” important to them when purchasing a vehicle. An overwhelming majority also said automakers should improve fuel economy on all types of vehicles.
This survey didn’t delve into it, but where full electric or electrified vehicles fit in this spectrum of desire is a bigger question. While they clearly offer fuel economy improvement, they typically have higher purchase prices–the second most desired characteristic.
Here are the survey results on the most important attributes for a new car:
- Fuel Economy – 44 percent
- Purchase Price – 32 percent
- Maintenance Costs – 29 percent
- Safety – 21 percent
- Infotainment or Connectivity – 20 percent
- Reliability – 20 percent
- Vehicle Comfort – 17 percent
- Cargo Space – 14 percent
- Passenger Room – 12 percent
- Vehicle Size – 12 percent
- Horsepower – 11 percent
- Off-Road Capability – 10 percent
- Style – 9 percent
- Handling – 8 percent
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