Top 10 gas guzzlers of 2005

When it comes to buying new vehicles, Americans obviously believe big and bad is better than lean and mean.

With so many people defining themselves by the automobiles they drive, experts say it should be no mystery that typical car shoppers often consider aesthetics, power and prestige before they consider fuel efficiency.

"When people come to me and want to buy a car, style is usually the first half of what they are looking for," says Dave Cullum, a 10-year veteran salesman at Don Bohn Ford in New Orleans. "The other half is functionality. People want something that fits their family and lifestyle."

That mix of style and functionality is reflected in the list of the least fuel-efficient vehicles on the market this year. From 12-cylinder SUVs to two-seat hot rods, the cars that burn the most gas on the highway also tend to be the status symbols that draw stares at the stoplight.

"Honestly, fuel efficiency just isn't on their mind," Cullum says. "In my experience, maybe 10 percent of car buyers consider miles-per-gallon a priority."

Even despite a $2 price tag on a gallon of gas through much of 2004, most car buyers still decided big and bad was more important than lean and mean. And with trucks, sport utility vehicles and vans now outnumbering their more fuel-efficient passenger-car counterparts on American roads, most experts agree that it is going to take more than high prices at the pump to break our addiction to monster rides.

"If you look at annual sales of SUVs and trucks, you see that people are looking at performance and other things beyond just mileage when they go car shopping," says Dan Kahn, road test editor for Edmunds.com, a national Web-based automotive magazine.

Dodge Ram 9 mpg/city, 12 mpg/highway Click image for larger view

The national consensus seems to be that 20 percent to 30 percent more at the pump is a small price for extra seating, more cargo room, the power to tow a boat and the ability to fetch the envy of the neighbors. "You can buy a truck to fulfill different needs," Kahn says. "Some people want to be high and look down on traffic. Others need to haul things. Some just buy it to look cool."

If the decision comes down to a question of style vs. daily finances, financial reason rarely wins out.

"If you are buying a Porsche or Corvette with a big V-8 under the hood, then it would be safe to say that efficiency is not a concern," Kahn says. "In that case fuel economy is an afterthought. Speed, power, handling -- those are the issues. Money and fuel economy are not."

Cullum points out that the entire fuel economy discussion needs to be kept in perspective. Even the gas-hog SUVs of today are relative sparrows when compared to pre-oil embargo land yachts of the 1970s, when mileage in the high teens was something to brag about.

"Really, aside from the very largest of trucks and fastest sports cars, there are very few true gas guzzlers out there anymore," Cullum says.

And while it is easy to criticize drivers of super-sized rides for buying a Hummer or Escalade merely as a status symbol, one legitimate concern people should consider when weighing their transportation options is safety, says Randy Bly, spokesman for AAA Auto Club South.

Automakers have made enormous strides in the arena of safety in all classes of cars, but when it comes to a head-on crash, Bly points out that it is hard to defy the laws of physics: The bigger vehicle almost always wins.

Russ Rader, media relations director for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, agrees that the question of safety should rest heavy on buyers' minds. "Unfortunately, generally speaking, your most fuel-efficient vehicles are also your smaller and lighter vehicles," he says. "If safety is your priority, a small, light vehicle would not be the right choice."

Large vehicles naturally have more material to crush and more chance to absorb the energy of a crash to keep it away from the occupants. And while it takes more fuel to haul that extra metal and support, most buyers say the pump premium is worth the safety.

Mercedes S Class 12 mpg/city, 19 mpg/highway Click image for larger view

But even with the legitimacy of safety concerns, Cullum says most of his buyers only give lip service to safety during the buying process. "In reality, safety is also a minor concern," he says. "Buyers talk briefly about safety, but the only real words out of a buyer's mouth when it counts are about the way it looks, rides and the features it has. Most people aren't practical when they are buying a car; they are shopping for a look."

That lack of real-world practicality and lack of concern about fuel economy is also evident through observing people's driving habits, Bly says. If people were really concerned about fuel economy, then they would drive less aggressively, and in turn, use less gas.

"When fuel prices hit their highest point last year, I did a little experiment," he says. "I drive a causeway to work every day and I always set my cruise control at the speed limit. Every day I was passed by nearly every vehicle. If people don't even bother to change their driving habits when fuel prices rise, why would anyone think they would change their car-buying habits?"

He says the same psychology translates to vacation plans: People travel out of town to visit relatives, even when gas prices spike, so why would they opt for a less stylish set of wheels when gas gets a little pricier?

Here are the top 10 gas-guzzling 2005-model cars, according the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

The top 10 gas-guzzling trucks are even worse:

Michael Giusti is a freelance writer based in New Orleans.

-- Posted: Feb. 15, 2005