Good fuel consumption varies by vehicle type, but for most modern passenger cars in the United States, a figure above the current average—typically over 30 miles per gallon (mpg)—is considered good[1]. For light trucks and SUVs, good fuel economy usually means exceeding about 25 mpg[2].
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the average fuel efficiency of new light-duty vehicles (including cars and light trucks) in recent years is around 25-30 mpg[1]. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notes a recent fleetwide average in-use fuel economy of 21.5 mpg for passenger cars and 17.2 mpg for light trucks, with newer vehicles typically performing better than older models[2]. For all vehicle categories, the national fleet average is about 17-25 mpg, depending on the mix of vehicles considered[3].
Regulatory agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) set Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, which provide benchmarks for what is expected as good fuel efficiency for new vehicles sold in the U.S.[4]. These standards gradually increase over time as technology improves.
In summary, a new passenger vehicle achieving fuel consumption better than 30 mpg or a light truck/SUV achieving better than 25 mpg can generally be considered to have good fuel consumption relative to national averages and regulatory targets[1][6].
References
- [1] Average Fuel Efficiency of U.S. Light Duty Vehicles
- [2] Average Annual Emissions and Fuel Consumption for Passenger Cars and Light Trucks
- [3] U.S. Energy Information Administration – Motor Vehicle Mileage, Fuel Consumption, and Fuel Economy
- [4] Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) – NHTSA
- [6] Maps and Data – Average Fuel Economy by Major Vehicle Category