Industry fuel economy remains at record 24.3 mpg

Industry fuel economy remains at record 24.3 mpg

For the fourth month running, the WardsAuto Fuel Economy Index stayed at its record of 24.3 mpg. Thats 2.2 percent higher than a year ago and 15.9 percent above fourth-quarter 2007, when the index was started.

Cars overall came in at 28 mpg, with small cars reducing their highest point ever at 29.9 mpg. It was the third consecutive month that light trucks outsold cars. But rising fuel economy ratings for different segments offset the expected drag on overall fuel economy. Light trucks as a group set a record, 20.3 mpg. Pickup trucks, at 16.8 mpg, were the only segment with a lower rating than a year ago. The expanding CUV segment rose 1.3 percent to 22.3 mpg.

Volkswagen had the highest rating of any automaker, a record 27.6 mpg.