New label helps you buy gas misers

More than 60 percent of car buyers want a more fuel-efficient car, according to a recent survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center. And more than 70 percent would consider one that runs on alternative fuel or an electric powertrain. But comparing the fuel economy of different types of vehicles can be difficult.

Beginning with 2013 models, consumers will have an easier way of comparing the gas mileage, emissions, and related costs of vehicles. A new fuel-economy label was introduced in May by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation.

Based on input from the public, the auto industry, various organizations, and Consumer Reports, the new label will let shoppers see how a car stacks up within its class and against other types of vehicles. Special labels for electric cars will also provide such vital information as driving range, recharge time, and the mpg equivalent.

Overall, this is another tool for putting cars in perspective and seeing through the hype and the misleading claims that manufacturers often use.

Five things to look for

1. Combined mpg

Current window stickers emphasize a car's city and highway mpg figures. But we feel a single combined number makes an easier basis for comparison, so we've always cited the overall mpg from our real-world tests. The new label will prominently display the combined overall mpg, which helps provide a reality check against the higher highway-only figures that automakers commonly tout in ads.

2. Cost savings

Current stickers already show the estimated annual fuel cost, but the new ones will also estimate how much money you could save or how much extra you could spend over five years with a particular model compared with an average new vehicle that gets 22 mpg. That is based on driving 15,000 miles annually.

3. Gallons per 100 miles

Also new, this figure can provide a better perspective than mpg when comparing how much fuel you'll save with different vehicles. According to the EPA, if you move out of a vehicle that gets a low 10 mpg into one that gets 15, you'll save about 33 gallons in 1,000 miles of driving. But if you get that same 5-mpg boost by moving from an already fuel-efficient 30-mpg car into one that gets 35, you'll save only about 5 gallons over that same distance.

4. Rating scales

With a quick look, you can see how a model compares with all others in the EPA's fuel-economy/greenhouse-gas and smog ratings.

5. Smart-phone QR code

By using a downloaded scanning app, smart-phone users can scan this code, which will let them access the EPA's website for more information. You can find, for example, the fuel economy that current owners of the model are getting, more precise fuel-cost estimates based on your particular circumstances, and even the level of power-plant emissions related to an electric vehicle, based on your ZIP code. You can also access that information by going to www.fueleconomy.gov.