GM touts 30 mpg highway for 18 models for 2009

by Marcus Amick
9/10/2008

General Motors has a 2009 lineup that includes 18 vehicles for the U.S. that get 30 miles per gallon on the highway or better, which is the most expected of any other automaker, according to GM officials.

The models include cars, crossovers and SUVs from GM's Chevrolet, Pontiac and Saturn brands ranging from a four-cylinder, six-speed model of the Saturn Aura with 33 mpg highway to the Chevy Cobalt XFE at 37 mpg highway.

"We've got more products with 30 miles per gallon than any other manufacturer," said Pete Ternes, director of GM vehicle sales, service and marketing communications. "We have been so well known for our trucks that people don't think of us as a company that has cars and crossovers that get good fuel economy ratings."

Chevrolet, GM's largest brand, will now include eight vehicles that get at least 30 miles per gallon, along with five each from Pontiac and Saturn.

The lineup for Chevrolet includes the Aveo sedan, Aveo5 (34 mpg with automatic or manual); Cobalt coupe and sedan (30 mpg for SS Turbocharged; 33 mpg for 2.2L automatic); Cobalt XFE (37); Malibu 2.4L (30 mpg with four-speed automatic; 33 mpg with six-speed); Malibu Hybrid (34), HHR (30 mpg with 2.2L and automatic or manual); and HHR Panel (30 mpg with 2.2L and automatic or manual).

For Pontiac, the vehicles include the G5 (33 mpg automatic, 35 mpg manual); G5 GT (32 mpg automatic, 35 mpg manual), G5 XFE coupe (37); G6 2.4L sedan (30 mpg with four-speed automatic, 33 mpg with six-speed); Vibe (1.8L model, 31 with automatic, 32 mpg with manual).

The Saturn vehicles include Astra 5-Door; Astra 3-Door (all 30 mpg with automatic, 32 with manual); Aura four-cylinder (33); Aura Hybrid (34); and Vue Hybrid (32).

GM's efforts to increase the fuel economy of its vehicles come amid an overall decline in truck and SUV sales and an industry-wide push to meet a federal mandate that will require an average of 35 mpg for automakers' fleets in the U.S. by 2020. That's 40 percent higher than the current fuel economy standards.

The push for better fuel efficiency has been a major topic of discussion in the 2008 presidential campaigns of both Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama and Republican nominee Sen. John McCain.

Obama has proposed a plan calling for $4 billion in loans and loan guarantees to help American automakers in research and development for fuel efficient vehicles. McCain has proposed a $300 million battery prize for the invention of an automobile battery to "leapfrog" the commercial availability of plug-in hybrids and electric cars in the U.S.

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