[nsap]

GM 2009: 18 Models With 30+ MPG
General Motors claims to lead the business with 30 MPG vehicles.
www.gminsidenews.com
By: Nsap

Today General Motors released an official count of their products that are rated at 30 miles per gallon or better on the highway. The battle of who has how many products over any given mile per gallon rating started early in 2006 when fuel prices were getting into territory that caused people to take notice. Aside from late 2007, when the EPA switch to the new ratings system, GM has consistantly had one of the highest counts of 30+ mile per gallon vehicles. They claim to lead for the 2009 model-year as well with 18 models total.

Those 18 models that make up the "30 and up" club at GM span across three of GM's brands; Chevrolet, Pontiac and Saturn. For 2009, Chevrolet contributes eight models to the club, while Pontiac and Saturn contribute five each. Included in the 18 count are trim levels per model (G5 and G5 GT, etc.).

Chevrolet: Aveo, Aveo5 (34 MPG with auto or manual); Cobalt coupe and sedan (30 MPG SS Turbo; 33 MPG for 2.2L auto); Cobalt XFE (37 MPG); Malibu 4-cylinder (30 MPG with 4-speed; 33 MPG with 6-speed); Malibu Hybrid (34 MPG); HHR (30 MPG with auto or manual); HHR Panel (30 MPG with auto or manual)

Pontiac: G5 (33 MPG automatic, 35 MPG manual); G5 GT (32 MPG automatic, 35 MPG manual); G5 XFE (37 MPG); G6 4-cylinder (30 MPG with 4-speed, 33 MPG with 6-speed); Vibe (1.8L model, 31 MPG with auto, 32 MPG with manual).

Saturn: Astra (30 MPG with auto, 32 MPG with manual); Aura 4-cylinder (33 MPG); Aura Hybrid (34 MPG); Vue Hybrid (32 MPG).

The highlight of the 2009 model-year for GM in the fuel economy arena is the new 33 MPG rating on the Chevrolet Malibu, Saturn Aura, and Pontiac G6 4-cylinder (with six-speed automatic). Note that the new 6T40 six-speed automatic transmission is standard on Aura, standard on LT and up models on Malibu, and optional on G6. The 33 MPG rating brings all three cars to "best in class" in terms of four-cylinder fuel economy.

 

[Z28x]

I only count 3 models at Pontiac and 3 at Saturn.

G5, G6, Vibe and Astra, Aura, Vue.

 

[jbernie]

Well I suppose this is one benefit of having so many Brands, you can have the same basic vehicle count twice or even thrice in the count

 

[ejfx]

Well I suppose this is one benefit of having so many Brands, you can have the same basic vehicle count twice or even thrice in the count

Of course...they have more brands than anyone...

30 mpg just doesnt seem impressive anymore.

 

[mbukukanyau]

Of course...they have more brands than anyone...

30 mpg just doesnt seem impressive anymore.

From here it looks quite impressive.

 

[nsap]

I only count 3 models at Pontiac and 3 at Saturn.

G5, G6, Vibe and Astra, Aura, Vue.

G5, G5 GT, G5 XFE, G6, Vibe

Astra 3, Astra 5, Aura, Aura Hybrid, Vue Hybrid

As I mentioned in the article, GM is counting trim levels.

 

[oppositelock]

As always at GM, quantity > quality. What an absolutely retarded way of counting models.

"Here dear consumer, we have 3 entry midsize sedans for you - Aura, G6, Malibu - all pretty similar to each other but we're going to spend huge amounts of money trying to differentiate them in the marketplace so we won't wind up fighting between our own brands for sales.

Do Honda and Toyota do that for you with their Accord and Camry?"

 

[TJ95GAGT]

From here it looks quite impressive.

How do you figure? my wifes civic, sentra and both saturns all got 30+mpg and the newest model was an 02. My grand am, alero and accord all got 30mpg or better, all V6's, newest being an 04. Any manufacturer boasting about their 2008 - 09midsize or small vehicles getting 30mpg HWY is joke IMO, unless it has more than 300HP.

 

[motorman]

How do you figure? my wifes civic, sentra and both saturns all got 30+mpg and the newest model was an 02. My grand am, alero and accord all got 30mpg or better, all V6's, newest being an 04. Any manufacturer boasting about their 2008 - 09midsize or small vehicles getting 30mpg HWY is joke IMO, unless it has more than 300HP.

older cars get better mileage because they were not saddled with all the weight of govt mandated safety equiptment. my new 1980 4 clyinder 4 speed citation coupe would pull 36 MPG on trips if i stayed under 65 MPH.

 

[hrcslam]

My 2006 Saturn Ion consistently pulls 39+mpg all highway (rated at 32) at 75+ mph (2.2L 5M) and 28 all city (rated at 23) and I have a heavy foot. Rating and real life are two different things. All of my GM products beat their EPA estimates soundly. My Suburban is rated at 12 in the city and I consistently pull 14 in all city driving with my rediculously heavy 22's on it and 16+ all highway (rated at 15). I know these numbers for the Suburban are not impressive, but better than rated none the less.

Good news my Ion is getting here tomorrow (yeay!). Now I can get my 28 city mpg back. Sweeeeet!

 

[TJ95GAGT]

older cars get better mileage because they were not saddled with all the weight of govt mandated safety equiptment. my new 1980 4 clyinder 4 speed citation coupe would pull 36 MPG on trips if i stayed under 65 MPH.

Oldest car I listed was a 95. Every car I listed had atleast 1 air bag, most had 2 along with all the other safety nonsense, all except 1 saturn had power windows, some with extra stereo equipment when I was into that. I averaged 33mpg in a 04 accord V6 going 80-90 mph over a 1700mi round trip last month. Brother inlaw was getting 13-14MPG in his Sierra towing a 3500lb boat doing similar speeds, THAT is pretty damn good IMO.

Weird thing though, I got better MPG with Michigan gas than Delaware/PA gas, is there different blends?

 

[motorman]

Oldest car I listed was a 95. Every car I listed had atleast 1 air bag, most had 2 along with all the other safety nonsense, all except 1 saturn had power windows, some with extra stereo equipment when I was into that. I averaged 33mpg in a 04 accord V6 going 80-90 mph over a 1700mi round trip last month. Brother inlaw was getting 13-14MPG in his Sierra towing a 3500lb boat doing similar speeds, THAT is pretty damn good IMO.

Weird thing though, I got better MPG with Michigan gas than Delaware/PA gas, is there different blends?

wow 33 MPG at 90 MPH that is great. i have found that men lie about 3 things in life. (1) was their wife a virgin when he married her,(2) how much they paid for their car,(3) what kind of gas mileage their cars get. i am not saying you would lie about the first two but i have doubts about #3

 

[CharlotteFirebird]

Well, if it weren't for that %&#^ Toyota, the average of the cars above would be higher.

Here's a thought GM: Dump the Vibe.

 

[joemac]

"Here dear consumer, we have 3 entry midsize sedans for you - Aura, G6, Malibu - all pretty similar to each other but we're going to spend huge amounts of money trying to differentiate them in the marketplace so we won't wind up fighting between our own brands for sales.

Do Honda and Toyota do that for you with their Accord and Camry?"[/I]

And not everyone wants to drive an Accord or Camry. Nor does everyone want to see they're car coming going.

Quoting Automobile Magazine....

After all, if you want frugal, boring transportation, Toyota will happily sell you a Camry.

So to each his/her own.

 

[PAULSTS1]

The problem isn't brands, it's the economy and the fact that middle class buyers are out of the market! With unemployment looming ahead, and the infinitely tighter Credit markets, the targeted customers CAN"T BUY. The Big Three always designed for the middle man, and this is what went wrong, the middle man is squeezed out and almost gone!

The Europeans understood that the affluent don't have these issues: They (affluent clients) don't care about fuel costs more than cursory that is. They don't care what the cars cost, if you get them what they want. And money always has the ability to consume. This is the problem with the economy in a nutshell. Fix that then it's business as usual, BTW Escalades are still selling, however Tahoes are a tough sell these days.

:drive:

 

[CharlotteFirebird]

As always at GM, quantity > quality. What an absolutely retarded way of counting models.

"Here dear consumer, we have 3 entry midsize sedans for you - Aura, G6, Malibu - all pretty similar to each other but we're going to spend huge amounts of money trying to differentiate them in the marketplace so we won't wind up fighting between our own brands for sales.

Do Honda and Toyota do that for you with their Accord and Camry?"

I happen to like that there are multiple versions of the same car, even if it doesn't always make business sense..if you don't like the styling of one, buy the other.

But anyway, GM is supposed to count the Malibu/Aura/G6 all as one car? Well, it works both way...Toyota counted Solara (when they made that bloated-butt car) as a Camry in the sales, so they got the advantage in counting sales...and GM gets the advantage in counting models.

Honestly, it makes more sense for GM to count the Malibu/Aura/G6 as different cars than for Toyota to count the Camry and Bloated-Butt as the same car.

 

[tgagneguam]

I think the count is wildly modest:

Blue Flash Metallic Cobalt XFE Coupe, Gray Cloth interior, ashtray and lighter option; Blue Flash Metallic Cobalt XFE Sedan, Gray Cloth interior, no ashtray and lighter but with emission override and protection package; Summit White Cobalt XFE Coupe, engine block heater and 4-wheel anti-lock braking system... The permutations are nearly endless.

At GM, we have nearly 47,257 cars for 2009 that achieve greater than 30 mpg's highway. It'd make for an attention-grabbing ad line, no?

 

[roteague]

I happen to like that there are multiple versions of the same car, even if it doesn't always make business sense..if you don't like the styling of one, buy the other.

Amen!!!

 

[hrcslam]

Here's a thought GM: Dump the Vibe.

I agree completely.

 

[ChevroletRevived]

Good news, this is something that should be advertised. "More Models Over 30 MPG" does resonate with people, from what I've heard. BTW that's a nice picture of the Malibu too.