Car shopping often involves a lot of careful considerations: price, performance, safety, reliability, and depending on the price of gas, fuel economy!
“This isn’t the time to splurge and get that car that’s bigger than what you need,” said Keith Barry with Consumer Reports. “Think about what you need on a day-to-day basis. You can always rent a larger car for a long road trip, and it might save you money in the long run.”
Fortunately, you don’t have to sacrifice performance to save on gas.
“The good news is that there are hybrid versions of many cars out there, all shapes and sizes,” Barry said. “In Consumer Reports tests, we find not only can they save you a ton of money on fuel, but they’re also, in general, more fun to drive.”
And while hybrids may cost a bit more up front, they often make up the difference quickly.
“Even if they cost a little bit more, that difference isn’t huge and they tend to start saving you money after a year or two in most cases,” Barry said.
Looking at used cars? Electric vehicles can be a good value right now, but make sure they fit your lifestyle.
“There are a lot of used EVs for sale right now, and they tend to be at pretty good prices compared to some of their gas counterparts. Keep in mind, it isn’t just gas prices that have gone up, it’s electricity prices as well.”
Consumer Reports says the key is to think about how and where you drive and compare total energy costs before you buy.