In March, the average combined fuel economy for new cars sold in the United States hit a record high of 24.1 mpg, but gas prices slipped about 12 cents nationally, which was apparently a sufficient catalyst to move people into slightly less fuel efficient cars in April. Last month, the average new car fuel economy was 23.9 mpg.
"Starting with the first week in April, gas prices dropped each week," said Brandon Schoettle, who co-wrote the report with research professor Michael Sivak. "We think that consumers are not only sensitive to the absolute price of gas, but also the recent changes, leading to a drop in fuel economy."
Gas prices have slid to an average of $3.80 for a gallon of regular unleaded, according to GasBuddy.com. A month ago, the national average stood at $3.92.
