>>>>>Out of curiousity :
>>>>>Is the VW Golf Blue Motion sold in the States ?
>>>>>A couple of friends of mine have got one and both of them actually get about 75mpg without trying.....
>>>>
>>>>I'm getting an average of 41MPG (had to solve the formula for MPG out of my usual l/100km) on my citroën saxo, without any special adjustments. Because it's ten years old. New one should be getting about 48 (if it was still made... probably was guzzling too much so they stopped).
>>>
>>>41 mpg was, as you suggest, a good figure ten years ago. Today it probably ranks as below average. I've got a small petrol Hyundai as a runabout - that gets around 60mpg on normal driving (with one up - but put four people in and it struggles a bit :-} )
>>>
>>>Even fairly hefty 4WD vehicles are pushing 40mpg now.....
>>
>>With a large US contingent here, it's worth pointing out your figures are per Imperial gallon, not US gallon (about 20% more in an Imperial gallon).
>
>Very good point. And, of course, to add to the confusion we have Dragan blathering on about litres/100km.
>I would, however, point out that the U.S. gallon is a stupid measure since a pint of beer would be hardly worth drinking :-}
>
>>Yes, 'tis a pity some Euro cars aren't available over here e.g. http://www.reghardware.com/2012/03/06/preview_peugeot_3008_hybrid4_worlds_first_diesel_electric_hybrid_car/
>
>Good reviews. I don't think I've actually seen one on the road yet - and they are pretty pricey......

I regularly read the Reg site, and sometimes check the car reviews there. There are lots of (to me) interesting models that don't make it over here, probably for a variety of reasons:

- maker doesn't want to invest in a North American dealer network
- vehicles are "too small" for North Americans
- relative dearth of diesel filling stations for passenger vehicles
- diesels less popular
- cars may not meet some NA standards such as surviving front or rear low-speed crashes with no damage
- some diesels may not meet California particulate emissions standards. I know the original diesel Smart FourTwo failed the updated NA standards

In Canada we also "officially" use litres/100km, which is one of those counterintuitive measures only scientists love. Still, that measure has some interesting uses e.g. the VW L1 "1-litre" car: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_1-litre_car , which does not refer to the engine displacement but instead to the goal of 1 litre/100km efficiency.