Gas Mileage

Ford says it will offer a low-cost option on its new Fusion sedan that will boost its gas mileage. The option, called stop-start technology, automatically shuts off the engine at stop lights and restarts it when the driver presses the gas. It will add at least 1 mile per gallon to the fuel economy of the midsize car, but it could be higher if the car is driven mainly in city traffic, Ford says. The technology will cost $295 and will be available on Fusions equipped with a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine.

Back in 1999, Michael Paolini, an inventor at IBM in Austin, Texas, was having lunch at a Ruby Tuesday with fellow engineers when the group decided that too many burgers and fries were translating into thicker waistlines. It was time to lose weight. But, being engineers, they weren't just going to hit the StairMaster. They decided to build a computer program to make shedding pounds as geekily fun as playing Xbox, but with an added incentive: the opportunity to win cash. The idea for this program, which recently won patent approval, was simple: Participants would be rewarded for eating...

DETROIT - Ford Motor Co. is unveiling the 2012 Focus, a small sedan that is its first truly global car. The new Focus, due in showrooms early next year, was designed and engineered to be sold worldwide using almost all the same parts, unlike past versions. It will be sold in Asia, the Americas, and Europe. The aim is to keep costs down. The Focus also shows that gas mileage is a prime motivator for more frugal car buyers, and that small-car owners still want performance, quality, and a lot of features.

Ford says it will offer a low-cost option on its new Fusion sedan that will boost its gas mileage. The option, called stop-start technology, automatically shuts off the engine at stop lights and restarts it when the driver presses the gas. It will add at least 1 mile per gallon to the fuel economy of the midsize car, but it could be higher if the car is driven mainly in city traffic, Ford says. The technology will cost $295 and will be available on Fusions equipped with a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine.

The Honda Civic is one of the most popular cars in America. People love its reliability, great gas mileage, and driveability. The Honda Civic hybrid, on the other hand, has stayed largely in the shadows. In the United States, the market for gas/electric cars has been dominated by another Japanese car, the Toyota Prius. But if you're in the market for a sedan that's dependable, gets great gas mileage, and is easy to drive, check out the Civic hybrid, which shares those qualities in almost equal proportions with its traditional-fuel sibling.

WASHINGTON -- Ten states, including Massachusetts, sued the federal government yesterday to try to force the Bush administration to strengthen gas mileage requirements for sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks. The lawsuit, led by California, contends the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration failed to thoroughly analyze the environmental benefits of fuel economy regulations and the effect of gasoline consumption on climate change. "The federal agency has ignored the law that requires integrating environmental impacts into their...

Americans have pumped less gas every week for the past year. During those 52 weeks, gasoline consumption dropped by 4.2 billion gallons, or 3 percent, according to MasterCard SpendingPulse. The decline is longer than a 51-week slide during the recession. The main reason: higher gas prices. The national average for a gallon of gas is $3.89, the highest ever for this time of year, and specialists say it could be $4.25 by late April. As a result, Americans are taking fewer trips to restaurants and shopping malls.

General Motors Co. spent 29 percent less lobbying the federal government in the third quarter this year than last, but it still spent $1.78 million to influence legislators and agencies on gas mileage and pollution regulations, electric vehicle infrastructure funding, distracted driving regulations and other issues. The Detroit company is still 26.5 percent owned by the government, which gave GM $49.5 billion in aid to save it from the auction house. The government is waiting to sell its remaining 500 million shares until the stock market recovers.

Back in 1999, Michael Paolini, an inventor at IBM in Austin, Texas, was having lunch at a Ruby Tuesday with fellow engineers when the group decided that too many burgers and fries were translating into thicker waistlines. It was time to lose weight. But, being engineers, they weren't just going to hit the StairMaster. They decided to build a computer program to make shedding pounds as geekily fun as playing Xbox, but with an added incentive: the opportunity to win cash. The idea for this program, which recently won patent approval, was simple: Participants would be rewarded for eating...

The trouble with not being 21 or even 51, with being a little older, is that younger people (and isn't everyone younger?) assume that whatever isn't working - be it a knee or a hip or an ear - is the result, not of wear and tear, but of incipient, if not full-blown, old age. Take Anne, for example. My soon to be 65-year-old friend just had her right knee replaced, not because in a few more weeks she will reach this very public milestone, but because in her lifetime she has climbed more mountains and played more games of paddle and regular tennis than all the other people I have...

Americans have pumped less gas every week for the past year. During those 52 weeks, gasoline consumption dropped by 4.2 billion gallons, or 3 percent, according to MasterCard SpendingPulse. The decline is longer than a 51-week slide during the recession. The main reason: higher gas prices. The national average for a gallon of gas is $3.89, the highest ever for this time of year, and specialists say it could be $4.25 by late April. As a result, Americans are taking fewer trips to restaurants and shopping malls.

The trouble with not being 21 or even 51, with being a little older, is that younger people (and isn't everyone younger?) assume that whatever isn't working - be it a knee or a hip or an ear - is the result, not of wear and tear, but of incipient, if not full-blown, old age. Take Anne, for example. My soon to be 65-year-old friend just had her right knee replaced, not because in a few more weeks she will reach this very public milestone, but because in her lifetime she has climbed more mountains and played more games of paddle and regular tennis than...

General Motors Co. spent 29 percent less lobbying the federal government in the third quarter this year than last, but it still spent $1.78 million to influence legislators and agencies on gas mileage and pollution regulations, electric vehicle infrastructure funding, distracted driving regulations and other issues. The Detroit company is still 26.5 percent owned by the government, which gave GM $49.5 billion in aid to save it from the auction house. The government is waiting to sell its remaining 500 million shares until the stock market recovers.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service is increasing the tax deduction motorists can take for using private vehicles for business, a rare midyear move sparked by high gas prices. Starting July 1, motorists who use their personal vehicles for business will be able to deduct 55 cents a mile from their taxable income, the agency said yesterday. That is an increase of 4 cents from the first six months of the year. The rate is also used as a benchmark by the federal government and many businesses to reimburse their employees for mileage.

DETROIT - Ford Motor Co. is unveiling the 2012 Focus, a small sedan that is its first truly global car. The new Focus, due in showrooms early next year, was designed and engineered to be sold worldwide using almost all the same parts, unlike past versions. It will be sold in Asia, the Americas, and Europe. The aim is to keep costs down. The Focus also shows that gas mileage is a prime motivator for more frugal car buyers, and that small-car owners still want performance, quality, and a lot of features.

DETROIT - When consumers astonished the US auto industry two months ago by quickly shunning trucks and going for gas mileage, the biggest beneficiary ended up being Honda Motor Co. The number two Japanese automaker, with the most fuel-efficient model lineup in the industry, never put both feet into the US truck market, instead focusing on slow-but-steady growth with popular cars like the Civic and Accord. It paid off in June. While its major competitors reported double-digit sales declines and burgeoning truck and sport utility vehicle inventories, Honda had a modest 1...

2008 Smart ForTwo Base list prices $11,590 - $16,590 EPA fuel economy 33 miles per gallon city / 40 miles per gallon highway Engine 70-hp, 1.0-liter three-cylinder Transmission 5-speed automated manual What we like Unexpectedly roomy interiorManeuverabilityTurning circleIconic stylingSeating position What we don't High-speed stabilityLimited cargo capacityRock-hard brakesUnrefined auto-manual transmissionPremium fuel...

DETROIT - When consumers astonished the US auto industry two months ago by quickly shunning trucks and going for gas mileage, the biggest beneficiary ended up being Honda Motor Co. The number two Japanese automaker, with the most fuel-efficient model lineup in the industry, never put both feet into the US truck market, instead focusing on slow-but-steady growth with popular cars like the Civic and Accord. It paid off in June. While its major competitors reported double-digit sales declines and burgeoning truck and sport utility vehicle inventories, Honda had a modest 1...

2008 Smart ForTwo Base list prices $11,590 - $16,590 EPA fuel economy 33 miles per gallon city / 40 miles per gallon highway Engine 70-hp, 1.0-liter three-cylinder Transmission 5-speed automated manual What we like Unexpectedly roomy interiorManeuverabilityTurning circleIconic stylingSeating position What we don't High-speed stabilityLimited cargo capacityRock-hard brakesUnrefined auto-manual transmissionPremium fuel...

The Honda Civic is one of the most popular cars in America. People love its reliability, great gas mileage, and driveability. The Honda Civic hybrid, on the other hand, has stayed largely in the shadows. In the United States, the market for gas/electric cars has been dominated by another Japanese car, the Toyota Prius. But if you're in the market for a sedan that's dependable, gets great gas mileage, and is easy to drive, check out the Civic hybrid, which shares those qualities in almost equal proportions with its traditional-fuel sibling.