YONKERS, NY ― With four-dollar-a-gallon gas now a reality and many considering a move to more fuel-efficient vehicles, the auto experts at Consumer Reports have developed a new figure for consumers to compare a vehicle’s cost effectiveness.

The July issue of Consumer Reports magazine features a list of vehicles with the best price per mpg, plus money-saving tips and advice from the country’s largest expert, independent, non-profit consumer product testing organization.

Price per mpg is a unique approach to calculating cost/fuel efficiency determined by dividing the CR test vehicle’s purchased price by its overall miles per gallon (mpg) in CR’s tests. “Just because a vehicle is fuel efficient doesn’t necessarily mean it’s cheaper to live with,” said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports’ Auto Test Center.  “If you want a car with great gas mileage and must make every dollar count, look for a vehicle with a low price per mpg,” he said.

Topping the price per mpg list of recommended vehicles recently tested by Consumer Reports is the Honda Fit Sport (manual).  With a purchased price of $15,765 and an overall mpg rating of 34, the Fit costs just $464 per mpg.  While the base Toyota Prius gets 44 mpg, it has a price per mpg of $540, third on the list, because of its $23,780 price tag.  At the other extreme is the Mercedes SL550, with a price per mpg of more than $6,000.  It is interesting to note that three of the ten cars with the lowest price per mpg are hybrids: two trim lines of the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic.

But while buying a more fuel efficient new car will lower gas bills, drivers who switch may end up paying more in the end.  New-vehicle depreciation, trade-in losses, and potentially higher insurance premiums can dramatically offset any gas cost savings.  Which is why the July issue of Consumer Reports also includes a list of the most fuel efficient and reliable used cars under $20,000.

At 51 mpg overall, the 2000 Honda Insight (manual) is by far the most fuel efficient used car.  For drivers with more fun and practicality in mind, the 2006 Mini Cooper (manual) gets 30 mpg.

Whichever car they’re driving, Consumer Reports’ auto experts recommend drivers save gas by keeping speeds down, avoiding fast starts and hard stops, not using premium fuel if it’s not required, and not falling for gimmicks that promised increased mileage.  Typically, sports and luxury cars require premium fuel.

With more than 7 million print and online subscribers, Consumer Reports is one of the most trusted sources for information and advice on consumer products and services. It conducts the most comprehensive auto-test program of any U.S. publication or Web site; the magazine’s auto experts have decades of experience in driving, testing, and reporting on cars. To become a subscriber, consumers can call 1-800-234-1645.  Information and articles from the magazine can be accessed online at www.ConsumerReports.org.