Hyped-Up Hybrids

           There’s been a large amount of fuss in recent times in regards to hybrids. Manufacturers and automotive gurus state that they are the best way to achieve high mpg figures. Well I hate to burst their bubbles, but according to the EPA, Mazda is the most fuel-efficient automaker in the U.S. Some of you may be scratching your heads in confusion at this moment? Good for Mazda, but how does this have to do with hybrids? Mazda achieved the most fuel-efficient automaker title without having a hybrid in their lineup. While all of this seems really good, there are some factors that greatly helped Mazda with their hollow victory.

            Firstly and more drastically, Mazda only sells two crossover vehicles and one SUV. These three vehicles make up a small amount of Mazda’s sales and are by no means full-sized vehicles. When comparing Mazda’s lineup to second place Honda, Mazda offers consumers nine vehicles, while Honda offers eighteen vehicles. I’m no rocket scientist, but I’m pretty sure it would be harder for Honda to get higher mpg figures for their larger and more expansive lineup.

            In a sense it’s a hollow victory for Mazda. They won by default. While it looks very good for Mazda to be able to say that they are the most fuel-efficient automaker in the U.S., they won by not manufacturing large vehicles. It’s not their fault that the EPA hasn’t standardized the test. In actuality, Honda should’ve claimed first place. Not only does Honda offer more vehicles than Mazda, but they also offer multiple full-sized vehicles.

            However, Mazda did prove an important notion in the automotive industry to be false. The majority of auto manufacturers believe that hybrid technology is the best option to obtain higher mpg figures. Mazda achieved an average of 27.5 mpg for their entire vehicle lineup without selling one hybrid vehicle. Mazda achieved these high mpg figures with the use of their patented SkyActiv technology. Even though Mazda won by somewhat of a default, they won without using hybrids. That in itself is its own victory.

      So what is the automotive world left with at the end? Well there has to be a standardized checklist for EPA mpg testing. Since the majority of manufacturers in the U.S. sell large and mid-sized SUVs, the auto manufacturer with the highest mpg average must sell SUVs. On the other hand, something must be said for Mazda. They have redesigned the majority of their cars around SkyActiv technology. Their non-hybrid ways have achieved the best mpg average for their entire lineup. Mazda deserved to win because of SkyActiv technology. When others were pursuing battery power, Mazda paved their own path to enhance the ancient ingredients to automotive engineering. Instead of trading oil for coal, manufacturers might achieve better results by going out on a limb and redesigning the parts that go into their vehicles.