The recession seems to be affecting everyone in some shape or form. From food prices to the housing market crash to the cost of petrol, no-one seems to be immune from having to stump up extra cash for the things that are almost essential to sustain us and the way we live. The automobile industry is no exception. However, with money becoming a much more valuable possession and we are developing more of a reluctance to part with it; have fuel efficient vehicles become more popular among consumers?

In an age when style, fashion and looks are more important than substance, there is evidence to suggest that we are becoming more concerned with the actual specifications and results that our vehicles produce as opposed to just their looks. While aesthetics will always play a big part in our choice of car there is evidence to suggest that fuel efficiency is now becoming the major factor in deciding which car to buy. Both the Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit have seen an increase in sales over the last year as they both offer around 34 miles to the gallon. Similarly the Honda Civic and Mazda 3 have also seen a rise in sales; they might be slightly bigger than the Fit or Yaris but they will get you about 30 miles to the gallon. If you use your car frequently, communing back and forth to work for example, then these little details can be a life saver when it comes to your expenditure on gas.

Further afield in Japan, the home of the Prius, the government is providing incentives for consumers to purchase fuel efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles. It is their version of a ‘cash for clunkers’ scheme designed to not only promote hybrid cars but also to allow the buyers to get more money for trade ins. Obama recently raised the fuel efficiency target for automakers. By 2016, the average combined fleet mileage must be at least 35.5mpg up from the current target of 25.1mpg. By raising the target, automakers will be forced to build more fuel efficient vehicles, discontinue the gas guzzlers or do a combination of both.

Are we now turning to fuel efficient cars more than before? The evidence would suggest that we are. While automobiles such as the Yaris, Civic and the Prius are all showing high volumes of sales, the gas-guzzling SUV’s are down some 53%. While we may not be totally abandoning aesthetics for performance, we are certainly heading in that direction.