Posted on 08/26/2012 5:59:49 PM PDT by Alberta's Child
I'm in the market for a small car (new or late model "pre-owned"), and I've come across a peculiar bit of information for one of the vehicles I'm considering. Why would a small car with a 2.5-liter engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission have a slightly higher EPA fuel rating than the same car with the same engine and a 6-speed manual transmission?
I typically prefer a manual transmission for small cars, but I'm not sure that this would be the case for this type of vehicle (a Mazda3 with Mazda's SkyActiv technology). This one has me stumped, folks.
P.S. I would use this primarily for local and short-distance driving. My 2007 F-150 is in fantastic shape and serves as my business/long-haul driving vehicle.
Modern autos are far superior to their older cousins. Not only do they often give higher fuel economy, they sometimes are quicker to accelerate than a manual.
There is no torque converter like traditional autos...just an electronic gearbox and two clutches that are predicted to last 150,000 miles.
“Get a Ford. The only American automobile mfr...”
...that supported the Nazi’s in the 30’s & 40’s.
Several FReepers have it. The manual has a 4.11 final drive ratio while the auto has a 3.46.
The Car and Driver web site, and probably many others, list the gear ratios and many other tech details in their Buyer’s Guide section.
Just FYI on automatic transmissions:
Formula One racing, which uses state-of-the-art technology, hasn’t seen a manual transmission entry for about 15 years.
AC, if you are going to lease, I would recommend a Hyundai Elantra which gets about 40+ mpg.
YOu can none for about $ 200/mo. with $ 2,000 down. Some delers run specials where you don’t even have to pay any money down. Includes 12,000 mi.
It is a very well equipped car for the money.Stylish too.
Daughter has one.
We have a 2011 Sonata that we leased. One of the best cars we have ever had.
Don't blame Ford, blame FDR for allowing American companies to do business with the Nazis and Imperial Japanese.
“Don’t blame Ford, blame FDR...”
Henry et al did it with ‘eyes wide open’.
And we could stretch that to a number of others, including Prescott Bush.
Different gear ratios would be my guess. (just a guess)
Hate to break it to you. Ford and Mazda share a lot in common. Including many of the 4 cylinder powertrains..
A ranger pickup and a Mazda pickup look an awful lot alike.
“...that supported the Nazi’s in the 30’s & 40’s.”
Wake up! It’s 2012.
Many people and companies supported the Nazis either outright or left-handedly by being against the war, like Charles Lindbergh.
“Hate to break it to you. Ford and Mazda share a lot in common. Including many of the 4 cylinder powertrains..”
The last I heard, Ford is still a good, ol’ ‘Murican company, owned by good, ol’ ‘Muricans. :-)
In the U.S. today many "foreign" cars are built in U.S. plants ... while a "domestic" car is just as likely to be built in Canada or Mexico.
The Ford Focus would be the small car I'd consider. It's OK and seems like a good car, but the Mazda has superior fuel efficiency even with better performance, and the Focus has too much "road noise" for my liking. Interestingly, about 60% of the components are identical in the Ford Focus and Mazda3 (and one or two Volvo models, too).
I buy trucks. I prefer to lease small cars. I'll buy or lease whatever gets me the best value. There's nothing patriotic about hiding behind an "American" corporate logo that has little or no meaning in the global world of auto manufacturing.
“However, there’s a good chance I’m going to lease it instead”
A lease is a hole to throw money in. You pay up front to rent a car for X years and then pay a large sum to return it.
This is why I usually prefer to buy trucks, and consider leasing small cars. I keep trucks for a long time and drive them 15,000+ miles per year. Residual value is not an issue to me because I drive them into the ground. My circumstances are likely to change after three years when it comes to this car, and I'll probably drive it 8,000-10,000 miles per year.
But ugly as sin. What the heck were the designers thinking when they put that big, stupid grin on the front?
yes. But Ford and Mazda have been sharing power trains for years.
Remember the B2000 and Courier? The B2300 and Ranger? Look the same? hmmmmmm wonder why.
I had a Mazda 5. Had a Ford engine in it..
Both rolled out of a plant in Saint Paul.
“There’s nothing patriotic about hiding behind an “American” corporate logo...”
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, be it right or wrong.
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