More than half of prospective new car owners say gasoline mileage will be an important factor in their buying decision, according to a survey.
When asked how important a consideration gas mileage will be in their next car purchase, 41 percent of 3,391 respondents said it would be important, and 10 percent said it would be the most important factor, according to CarGurus, a worldwide online automotive community.
Only 19 percent of respondents said gas mileage would not be a factor at all.
These results are of some surprise given the fact that regular gasoline costs 38 percent less in the U.S. than it did a year ago, CarGurus said.
“Automotive consumers have a long memory,” said CarGurus CEO Langley Steinert. “Despite the fact that U.S. regular gas prices peaked about a year ago, consumers remember $4.10 regular gasoline and are wary of buying a car with poor gas mileage.”
“To their credit,” Steinert said, “car manufacturers do appear to have heard these consumer concerns and are now building smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles.”
