Nation enjoys record miles per gallon in vehicles

(July 26, 2012) -- The country reached this record mile per gallon (MPG) level without relying on higher small car sales – a significant shift from a pattern going back to the 1973 Arab oil embargo where similar gains were achieved only when consumers moved to smaller vehicles in the face of higher gas prices. From January to June of 2012, the average fuel efficiency of new passenger vehicles was 23.8 MPG, improving by 1.1 MPG the record of 22.7 MPG set over the same six months in 2011.