The Accent Gets Top Pick for Back-To-School Travel

It’s getting to be that of year again, back-to-school season. For some parents it’s a whole new adventure, sending their kids off to college. Along with the decisions of which meal plan to purchase or what color scheme for the new dorm room, a vehicle choice can weight heavy on some. Kelley Blue Book has taken some of the guess work out of this for parents. They have compiled a list of the top ten back-to-school cars; the Accent comes out on top.

For this year, Kelley Blue Book chose 5 new cars, and 5 used cars to make up the top 10. The Hyundai Accent took the number one spot in the new car category, beating out its competitors the Honda Fit, Ford Focus, Fiat 500 and Chevrolet Cruze.

Like other Hyundais, the Accent appeals to a finely-tuned sense of value, with a lot of features into a stylish and roomy cabin. The 138-horsepower engine gives an estimated 30 mpg in the city and 40 on the highway, and makes it a top pick for fuel conscious consumers.

The 2012 Hyundai Accent is tapping into the consumer demand for high-content, fuel efficient cars. It gives great fuel economy without having to pay for a high fuel economy package.

Accent’s class-leading standard fuel economy is yet another example of Hyundai’s dedication to improving fuel efficiency and is the fourth nameplate in Hyundai’s lineup delivering 40 mpg on the highway. It’s no wonder Kelley Blue Book chose it as the number one back-to-school car.

SUVs That Save Money at the Pump

For years SUVs were notorious for their poor fuel economy, but their practicality keeps sales up. Families love SUVs because they offer comparable space to a minivan in much sportier packaging. With raising gas prices, drivers had to take bank loans to fill up these gas guzzlers, but manufacturers have made great strides in improving their fuel economy. While a hybrid model of an SUV may add a few more miles to the gallon, their much higher costs, sometimes make them unaffordable for many people. Here is our list for the top 6 non-hybrid SUVs:

1. Nissan Juke (27 city/32 hwy/29 combined)


2. Mitsubishi Outlander Sport (25 city/31 hwy/27 combined)


3. Hyundai Tuscon (23 city/31 hwy/26 combined)


4. Chevrolet Equinox (22 city/32 hwy/26 combined) tie


GMC Terrain (22 city/32 hwy/26 combined) tie


5. Jeep Patriot (23 city/29 hwy/25 combined)


For those that can afford hybrid models the Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid tied for the top spot over all with 34 city, 31 highway, and 32 combined MPGs.

Fuel Efficiency Tops Car Buyers’ List of Concerns

Gone are the days when the number one priority for car buyers was style and dependability. These days, everyone’s main concern is fuel efficiency, and with the increasing cost of gas this comes as no surprise. This top concern for car buyers around the world is likely to increase demand for hybrid and electric cars. It should also push auto manufacturers to design more fuel efficient cars, trucks, SUVs and vans.

However, according to many top executives in the auto industry, the ability for consumers to afford electric and hybrid vehicles is low. Many consumers will not be able to do so without some sort of government subsidy. Despite this trend, the executives still say that their investment in this type of technology is very important. It will become necessary some day to have vehicles that are extremely fuel friendly.

Working together to develop new fuel technologies is the best way for these auto manufacturers to increase their share of hybrid and electric vehicles. Of all major auto companies, 68% have joined alliances and taken on joint ventures to research and develop new technology that will increase the fuel economy of vehicles.

Around the world, an increase in fuel efficiency is a concern that is not being ignored. Automakers are taking on this challenge in many different ways, but they are all looking to find better technology that will make all cars more fuel-friendly, including conventional vehicles. The U.S. government has also taken action by passing a law that states that by 2016, all fleets in the United States must get an EPA estimated 37.8 miles per gallon.