Most Americans support higher mpg standards, survey finds

• Automotive shoppers proceed to prioritize fuel economy, in response to the most recent survey from Consumer Reports
• 96% of respondents said fuel economy was no less than somewhat vital when considering what vehicle to buy
• Respondents imagine the burden is on automakers more so than the federal government to extend fuel economy

A majority of Americans support stricter fuel economy regulations, in response to a brand new Consumer Reports survey.

For this survey, Consumer Reports asked 2,191 American adults concerning the importance of higher gas mileage between August and September 2024. Of that sample, 91% drove internal-combustion cars—and appeared keenly aware of the environmental and economic impact of burning fossil fuels.

The overwhelming majority of survey respondents—96%—said fuel economy was no less than somewhat vital when considering what vehicle to buy or lease, while 66% said it was “very vital” or “extremely vital.” Just 4% said it was unimportant.

Fuel economy was essentially the most common attribute respondents pointed to as having room for improvement in recent vehicles, something that is been consistent across eight nationally representative surveys conducted by Consumer Reports over nine years. That perspective was also bipartisan, with majorities of each Democrats and Republicans saying automakers should proceed to enhance fuel economy.

Such improvements must also be federally-mandated, respondents said, with 64% saying the federal government should proceed to extend fuel-economy standards. That is perhaps since the buying public doesn’t trust automakers to enhance efficiency on their very own. Just 27% agreed that automakers care about lowering fuel costs.

And while many Americans would consider paying more up front for a hybrid if the additional cost was made up in fuel savings over the course of ownership, they represented a much slimmer majority of 52%.

Vehicle lifetime fuel savings since 2001 (via Consumer Reports)

Steadily-increasing fuel-economy standards have already delivered significant savings no matter what cars Americans are buying, though. In a separate evaluation, Consumer Reports found that, taken together, tougher standards have delivered fuel savings of over $9,000 in comparison with vehicles from 2001. An additional $6,000 in savings may very well be achieved by the 2029 model yr, if current standards remain in place, Consumer Reports noted.

An update to Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards confirmed in 2024 covers model years 2027-2031, and calls for fuel-economy improvements of just 2% for passenger cars and a pair of% for light trucks during those model yr. The EPA estimates that its corresponding rules would require 56% EVs by 2032, plus a further 13% plug-in hybrids. That is a slower rollout than the 67% EV share originally proposed.

Even these small improvements could come under threat by an incoming Trump administration that favors Big Oil over reducing emissions. But as Consumer Reports points out, such policies could also cheat voters out of savings on the pump.