The number of fuel-efficient vehicle models available to drivers is increasing as automakers work to meet standards set by the federal government, according to the Consumer Federation of America.

In a report on fuel economy standards and opinions toward them, the CFA says a larger share of models are meeting the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards. The CFA, an association of nonprofit consumer organizations, also says a majority of drivers surveyed by the organization expect gas prices to increase and support higher standards for fuel economy.

Vehicle performance

The CFA looked at 1,094 vehicles in the 2016 model year to determine how automakers were progressing toward CAFE goals. A total of 56.1 percent of the vehicles were getting a combined city and highway fuel economy of at least 23 miles per gallon, up from 52 percent in 2015. Just 4 percent had a combined fuel economy of 16 miles per gallon or under, down from 6.1 percent last year.

A total of 13.4 percent of the vehicle models had a combined fuel economy rating of 30 miles per gallon or higher, up from 11.7 percent in 2015. The share of models under 23 miles per gallon fell from 48 percent to 43.9 percent, and no vehicles had a combined fuel economy rating under 13 miles per gallon.

There was also an increase in CAFE compliance among vehicle models considered to be "all new." The CFA says that updates to a model typically incorporate design changes or add new features, while all new vehicles are able to incorporate more fuel-saving technology. About 10 percent of a manufacturer's total vehicle fleet is all new.

Sixty-three percent of all new vehicles included in the report, or 22 out of 35 models, were CAFE compliant. The share of CAFE compliant cars leaped from 42 percent in 2015 to 80 percent in 2016, with 16 out of 20 models meeting standards. Compliance among light trucks and SUVs stayed at 40 percent, or six out of 15 models.

The CFA also calculated how long these all new models would remain compliant as standards increase over the course of the next decade. Nineteen met the minimum 2016 standards, and 18 of these models will remain compliant through 2018. Fourteen will stay compliant through 2020, while four will be good until 2024.

Progress varied between various automakers, but 15 of the 16 brands included in the report had more models complying with CAFE standards than the previous year. Mazda became the first non-electric automaker to reach 100 percent compliance. Mitsubishi's models rose from 39 percent compliance to 70 percent, although the CFA says this result might be considered suspect since the automaker recently announced that it has used inadequate fuel economy testing methods.

Other automakers with a higher rate of compliance to CAFE standards included Tesla (100 percent), Honda (63 percent), Hyundai (59 percent), and Subaru (52 percent). Ford was the only automaker with a drop in compliance from 2015, with the share dropping from 34 percent to 32 percent.

Survey results

The CFA also conducted a telephone survey of 1,001 adults in the United States to assess their opinions of the CAFE standards. The survey was completed between March 10 and 13.

Most respondents said fuel economy remains an important consideration when buying a vehicle. Eighty-one percent said this quality is important, with 54 percent considering it very important. Sixty-four percent of those with annual incomes between $25,000 and $50,000, 60 percent of women, and 59 percent of those under the age of 45 said fuel economy was very important.

Respondents anticipated that gas prices will return to $3 within the next five years, with the average person expecting them to hit $3.50. One-third of the respondents said they think gas prices will again exceed $4 a gallon during this period.

Eighty-one percent of respondents said they support the CAFE standards, including 52 percent who said they strongly support them. The most likely groups to indicate strong support for these standards were those in the 35-44 age group (63 percent), with a college degree (60 percent), or with an annual income above $100,000 (59 percent).

Higher standards

The CAFE standards call for the average fuel economy to reach 37.8 miles per gallon for cars and 28.8 miles per gallon for light trucks and SUVs in 2016. In 2011, the CAFE standard for the year 2025 was set at 54.5 miles per gallon.

The CAFE standard is higher than the "window sticker" value rated by the Environmental Protection Agency. The CFA estimates that the CAFE standard of 54.5 miles per gallon equates to a window sticker value of about 40 miles per gallon.

The CFA has supported better fuel efficiency in both light vehicles and heavy duty trucks used to transport freight. The organization says these improvements result in lower consumer costs, improved national security, and a positive effect on the environment. The organization says that even when they are only paying $2 a gallon, the average household spends $1,500 a year on gasoline.

Other groups have argued that the CAFE standards have detrimental effects. They suggest that higher standards lead to problems such as higher vehicle costs and the development of lightweight vehicles that are more likely to suffer costly damage in a collision.

Standards are based on the type of vehicle, so smaller cars must meet higher fuel economy targets than vehicles such as SUVs. Automakers can also choose to meet requirements on an average basis across all of their models, thus allowing the development of models that fall below the CAFE standards.