For the third consecutive month, fuel economy levels in new vehicles rose to a record high. TrueCar predicts that the TrueMPG, the average fuel economy numbers in light vehicles, grew to 23.7 mpg in March, continuing the trend of the public moving toward more efficient vehicles.
"The industry reached yet another record-high TrueMPG average in March, thanks not only to continued consumer preference for smaller vehicles but also due to significantly improved fuel efficiency of larger vehicles, especially large trucks," said Jesse Toprak, a senior analyst for TrueCar. "The highly competitive midsize sedan segment experience the biggest gain since last year, with Nissan and Chrysler posting the largest improvements among automakers."
According to Consumer Reports, smaller vehicles don't always lead to better fuel efficiency, so drivers are branching out to find all types of cars that offer the best mileage. More sedans and smaller SUVs are starting to compete with compact cars when it comes to fuel economy.
No matter what type of vehicle a driver invests in, proper scheduled maintenance is essential to keep up the efficiency. Regular tune-ups, repair work and overall maintenance are all things that can improve mileage, even as the car's potential fuel economy continues to rise.