Do AERODYNAMICS Effect MPG?

Aerodynamics and mpgOf all the factors contributing to poor gas mileage; your car's drag co-efficient is probably not at the forefront of your mind. Well the shape of your auto determines whether it cuts through the wind like a hot knife in butter or plunges through like a big square brick. Countless hours and millions of dollars are spent in the wind tunnels of the largest car companies trying to lower that drag co-efficient to minimal levels. A vehicle like a hummer is at the very high end of the scale with a drag coefficient of 26.5! While the compact gas sipper Honda Insight is at the low end with a paltry 5.10. So all things being equal....the body style of the Insight is much suitable for a car that can get more than 40 miles per gallon without breaking a sweat.

How many times have you heard that as a truck owner it is beneficial to drop the tailgate when driving on the freeway?  Well let me tell you my friend that the best way to save gas in a pick-up truck is to get a tonneau cover. The slicker the surface area and the less amount of direction the honda-insight-hybridwind has to change the better for your drag coefficient.  I know the wheel covers on the rear of the Insight is UGLY.  But you don’t drive a Hybrid for the looks do you?

The design of the Old Skool Insight was so 90’s.  Fast forward to today and with the release of the redesigned Insight, we get a familiar wedged shaped hybrid with almost the same drag coefficient as the ultra slippery 1-st generation Insight. Thank God the Honda engineers took looks into consideration this time around!

2010 insight

Source: Wikipedia Automobile Drag Coefficient

Get Ready for a Honda Hybrid Ninja Fight!

alligator-cropWith the release of the Insight now upon us, I wonder if the Civic is man enough to put up a good fight.  The new Insight comes equipped with shooting stars and nunchakus.  The lowly Civic only has chop sticks and Dragon-Ball Z movies.

2009 Honda Insight

The Insight comes ready to battle the best alligators? Er...Hybrids on the market.  Carrying a $19,800 price tag, the 2010 Insight is sure to sell like Mochi on a hot Sunday.  The Insight brings that undeniably Prius wedge shape that proves to be oh so aerodynamic.  The shape alone is enough to sell cars.  People immediately know your driving a hybrid by the shape.  So there is a status symbol sort of thing.  The Insight also has all of Honda’s newest stuff. But most importantly; the Gas Mileage numbers are 40 MPG in the city and 43 MPG on the freeway.

2009 Honda Civic

The Civic represents the absolute base model car available from Honda.  But these cars are by far the most popular.  Having owned one I can attest that with a Honda, everything is where it should be and more importantly, everything works correctly.  So what can you expect from the 2009 Civic Hybrid who is lurking in the shadows.

Stay Tuned for The Next Installment………The Feature Fight!

Source:

http://automobiles.honda.com/insight-hybrid

http://automobiles.honda.com/civic-hybrid/