10-10-01 Less than 6 % of the 2002 model cars and trucks arriving in showrooms get better than 30 miles per gallon, and new cars on average get slightly less gas mileage than the 2001 models. America's love affair with guzzling sport-utility vehicles and pickups again held down the overall numbers for the 865 cars, trucks and vans listed in the annual fuel-economy statistics released by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Just 48 models, led by two hybrid gas- and electric-powered vehicles, get 30 mpg or better in combined city-highway driving. More than a third, 330 models, get less than 20 mpg. The majority, 487 models, get 20 to 30 mpg. Overall, new passenger vehicles average about 21 mpg.

While touting the need for fuel-efficient vehicles to decrease US dependence on foreign oil, two top Bush-administration officials were reluctant to embrace the idea of changing gas-mileage standards. They said safety must be paramount in any such decision. Average fuel economy for the 491 cars is 23.9 mpg, down from 24.2 mpg in 2001.
That compares with 17.9 mpg for 374 models or variations of SUVs, vans and pickup trucks, up from 17.3 in 2001. The hybrids, the two-seat Honda Insight coupe and five-seat Toyota Prius sedan, topped the list of fuel misers for the third year, at 64 mpg and 48 mpg, respectively. Then there are four VW diesel cars, the Honda Civic HX and Toyota Echo, all 37 mpg or better.
Among midsize cars, the Mazda 626 and Honda Accord reported the best combined city-highway mileage of 28 mpg. The worst in that category is the luxury Bentley Arnage, at 13 mpg. Three minivans from General Motors -- the Chevrolet Ventura, Oldsmobile Silhouette and Pontiac Montana -- again have the best mileage, 22 mpg combined, in the passenger-van category. The Kia Sedona has the worst at 17 mpg.

King-size SUVs such as the Cadillac Escalade, Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator account for 13 of the 35 vehicles on the list with the worst gas mileage, all 14 mpg or less. EPA Administrator Christie Whitman said more fuel-efficient vehicles could save owners more than $ 1,500 a year. An increase of just 3 mpg industry wide could reduce carbon-dioxide emissions blamed for global warming by 140 mm tons, EPA said. But the agency reported that the fuel economy of new passenger vehicles is as poor as it's been in the past 20 years because automakers are trading mileage gains for larger, more powerful vehicles.