Skip to Content
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Log In
Cash for Clunkers

New ‘Clunkers’ Analysis: Trucks, SUVs More Popular Than Suggested

When the Obama administration first called for more "cash for clunkers" last week, two influential senators said they could not back an extension without stronger efficiency standards for the program's trade-ins -- only to drop their opposition after viewing U.S. DOT sales figures that showed buyers snapping up gas-sipping cars.

1097.jpgIs this Ford Escape the real winner of "cash for clunkers"? (Photo: InfoBarrel)

But as it turns out, those figures relied on a bit of fuzzy (and Environmental Protection Agency-approved)
math. Vehicles were separated according to 4WD, 2WD, and hybrid
varieties, unlike more traditional auto-sales figures that tally all
three, listing only the make and model.

When CNN enlisted
independent auto-industry trackers at Edmunds.com to project the sales
figures if all engine varieties counted as a single vehicle, a funny
thing happened: The top "clunkers" seller went from the efficient
Toyota Corolla to the Ford Escape SUV.

The Escape is
available as a hybrid, which gets 29 miles per gallon and 11.8 barrels
in average annual oil consumption, according to the government's
fuel-economy tracker. The Corolla gets identical scores.

But the Escape's conventional varieties get 22 and 24 mpg, with much higher oil use estimates.

The
Edmunds.com study also found that two full-size trucks, the Ford F-150
and Chevy Silverado, would rank in the "clunkers" top 10 if the DOT
counted their multiple varieties as a single vehicle. The Silverado
gets either 15 or 17 mpg, depending on the engine type, while the F-150
gets between 16 and 17 mpg.

In contrast to the DOT's sales
list, which ranked foreign-made cars in six of the top 10 spots,
Edmunds.com's adjusted list found that eight of the top 10
most-purchased vehicles were GM, Ford, or Chrysler.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog Los Angeles

Rosemead Now Offers Zero Emission Microtransit

The service operates within city limits, but offers further rides for older and disabled riders.

July 29, 2025

Valinda Avenue’s Landscaped Walkway is a Community Treasure

The walking path is a long term success, providing safe connections to other trails and to local shopping

July 25, 2025

Metro A Line Extension to Pomona Will Open September 19

Nine new miles of light rail, four new stations - Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, and Pomona - extending the world's longest light rail line

July 24, 2025
See all posts