Must Pump Gas
Posted 1 year, 6 months ago at 11:23. 5 comments
Cocktail Party Physics, which is a truly excellent science blog BTW, recently discussed the technologies built into modern hybrid cars. As someone who just went through the whole car-buying process myself (including serious consideration of hybrids), one feature that caught my eye when car shopping, and is also called out in the Cocktail Party Physics blog entry, was the hybrid’s ability to monitor your gas mileage in real-time.
My question is this: why isn’t this technology available in all North American cars, or at the very least in non-hybrid cars of the same model line? I was dismayed to discover that the hybrid Civic included the mileage display while the non-hybrid Civic I ended up purchasing did not. At the current price of gas, I know that I would change my driving habits if I had instant and ongoing information about how my driving was affecting fuel economy.
I’ve found that, by and large, most cars do have this now. Pretty much any rental from the “big 3″ I’ve had in the last couple years has a trip computer (especially GM), although it can be tricky to find. All of the cars I test drove in the purchasing process recently except Honda had it as well. The current car has it and, sadly, you can see how well I’m doing/what kind of driving I do too much of.
That feature is in my honda civic. You would just need to deal with the right-hand-drive feature to get it
kev: Could very well be, I was just very surprised to not find it on any Honda cars, especially the Civic. We didn’t really shop around much manafacturer-wise since the Civic pwns the MPG stats in its class. And no offense, but your trip computer isn’t nearly as cool as the Energy Monitor.
kar: AIUI, it’s a standard feature on most European model cars, the enviro-restrictions being much more stringent over there (generally).
My Monte Carlo has this as well. Though it’s not in a very user friendly spot, having to look up at the DIC all the time. Yep, that’s what they call it, the Driver Information Console…
I can’t make this stuff up.
My 6 lacks this feature as well. What’s worse, is that all this information is readily available all the time in the car. I’ve been thinking about a ScanGauge computer to monitor it, I just wonder about how to mount it in a useful place.