Fuel economy down in February as consumers bought trucks

Fuel economy down in February as consumers bought trucks

Gas mileage of new vehicles sold in the U.S. slipped last month, thanks in part to this yearês harsh winter, according to University of Michigan researchers.

–The decrease in fuel economy likely reflects the increased market share of light trucks, SUVs and crossovers in response to the inclement winter weather in a large part of the country,” said research professor Michael Sivak.

Average fuel economy of light vehicles bought in February was 25.2 mpg, down from 25.4 mpg in January and just 0.1 mpg higher than a year ago. Fuel economy is up 5.1 mpg from October 2007, the month researchers started to keep records.