I believe engine size and weight are more of a factor than aerodynamics for gas mileage.
Think what you want…but that’s not the case…Aerodynamics is going to effect gas mileage at highway speeds far more then engine-size and weight. At lower speeds…weight is probably the most contributing factor.
http://www.atmosphere.mpg.de/enid/Information_ss/Velocity___air_drag_507.html
I’m with Whitey. If say 5 door hatchbacks are wagons, well, there are a lot of them that are very poor excuses for wagons… like the Toyota Matrix… or Focus 5 door hatch… or Fiesta 5 door hatch… none of those are good station wagons. Note the difference between a Focus 5 door hatch and a Focus wagon… that shows the difference.
Now some manufacturers may want to call their wagons a 5 door hatch, but there are relatively few of those around anymore.
“All else being equal …”
Equivalent cargo and passenger space occurs when a typical minivan is comapred to a full-size SUV (the only large station wagon around). An Odyssey gets better mileage than a Tahoe; even a hybrid Tahoe.
“One proposal I thought Bush had right (and I rarely said he was that right on anything) was to restructure CAFE to have an mpg target based on the size of the vehicle.”
Hoping I get the point, but a counter argument is that there are many out there who are presently using much larger vehicles than they need. Auto companies should then be in the business of making the most efficient vehicles, regardless of their genre and just comparing trucks with other trucks, doesn’t accomplish that. That move is a capitulation to auto makers.
My 2002 Sienna gets 24 mpg at a steady 70 mph. At a steady 60 mph, it is up to 26 mpg.
There is one state in Mexico which has a speed limit of 80 kph, around 50 mph. That is on a four lane, divided toll road, really stupid. In the hour or two it takes me to cross that state, I cannot estimate mileage because the gas gauge barely moves, so it has to be rather high mileage.
Around town, speaking of McAllen - Mission, it is under 20 mpg.
Henry Ford and LL Bean seem to be a few of those who actually valued public trust.
I don’t know about LL Bean, but based on what I know about Henry Ford, I am not so sure he valued anything more than the almighty dollar. Although he admitted doubling his workers’ wages was “one of the finest cost-cutting moves we ever made,” Ford had to be forced to do it. He only saw the wisdom of doing it afterward.
When a nearly 3500 lb car with over 400 hp can push 26 to 30 mpg highway (Corvette) according to Motor Trend tests, I’d say Mike is right.
Comparing station wagons to minivans ???
You may as well have asked to compare green ones to blue ones.
The comparison you ask for is not related to the criterion given.
Variables exist which will completely reverse the results between any two examples compared.
Engine size
Engine type
Fuel delivery system
Final drive ratio
Tire type & pressure
Road conditions
Weight
Acceleration / deceleration rate