The national average price of gas has remained stubbornly above $4 a gallon, and some shoppers are responding by searching for fuel-efficient vehicles.
The Trump administration has announced plans to weaken federal fuel-economy standards that were set to require automakers' fleets to average more than 50 mpg by 2031. Under President Donald Trump
's new proposal, that requirement will fall to less than 35 mpg.Trump proposal comes as the national average price of gas reached $4.37 on Friday, Oct. 9, according to AAA. That's up from $4.22 on Sept. 9, 2026, and $3.11 on Sept. 9, 2025.
But despite rising gas prices, how much do car shoppers care about fuel efficiency? We asked our readers, and the responses varied.
'Fuel efficiency has never entered into my purchasing decision'
Robert Worley of Indio, California,
said the environmental benefits of electric vehicles mattered more than fuel economy in his decision to buy a 2022 Kia Niro EV and a 2025 Equinox EV.
"Love them both," Worley said. "So much smoother and quiet than (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicles."
Worley added: "Cost of fuel is not as much of a carrot for us as is doing our small part to combat climate change and global warming. We also have rooftop solar which powers our level 2 charger in our garage. We're fortunate and appreciative we can afford to have rooftop solar."
Another reader, Ray Pittman, also said that fuel efficiency "never entered" into his purchasing decision.
Another reader said the fight over federal fuel economy rules is a bit overrated, with car manufacturers being forced to come up with new tech to meet a 'standard'. But the reader said the same new technology that increases fuel efficiency can reduce the life of the engine, causing drivers to replace vehicles more frequently.
How much do shoppers care about fuel efficiency?
Polls show fuel efficiency is usually a secondary concern for car shoppers. It ranked seventh among factors non-luxury car shoppers considered in the first half of 2026, according to a study from Cox Automotive.
Factors such as durability, reliability, safety, affordability, driving comfort and driving performance all outranked fuel efficiency in Cox's survey.
But Cox said fuel efficiency's importance to shoppers has increased in recent years as Americans have experienced multiple gas price spikes that tied to global events and military conflicts.
"While durability and safety continue to be the top factors that influence purchase consideration among all shoppers, affordability and fuel economy have increased in importance in the past five years," Cox said.
Polls have also shown rising gas prices have altered Americans' spending behavior.
According to a poll in April 2026 by ABC News, The Washington Post, and Ipsos, 44% of respondents said they had cut back on driving due to high gas prices. Another 42% of adults said they were cutting back on household expenses, and 34% said they were changing travel or vacation plans in light of the high gas prices. 15% said they were now considering buying an electric car.
And even in cases where they are not ready to buy a new or used EV, Americans are opting to rent them more often. Car Rental Gateway, an online car rental platform headquartered in London that also operates in the United States, reported seeing a 16% increase in electric and hybrid car rentals in March.
Additionally, Hertz spokeswoman Lauren Luster told USA TODAY that the company saw a nearly 25% increase in requests for EV reservations from rideshare drivers from February to March alone.
Here's why you should care more about fuel efficiency
With gas remaining expensive and decreased fuel efficiency requirements on the horizon, here are four reasons experts at GreenCars.com say you should consider how many miles per gallon your next model gets before you make the purchase.
- Save money on gas: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says getting 15 mpg less on a car could cost you over $1,600 over the life of owning your car. the agency said the average vehicle on U.S. roads is nearly 13 years old. That translates to about an extra $123 per year in gas.
- Fill up less frequently: If your car has a 15-gallon tank, you'd get about 525 miles on a fill-up at 35 mpg. That same tank would get you over 750 miles at 50 mpg. It's important to note carmakers' fleets only averaged about 25 mpg last year, which translates to about 375 miles on a single tank, according to the EPA.
- More incentives: Several states offer incentives for electric cars and other fuel-efficient vehicles like hybrids.
- Better resale value: With drivers searching for gas savings wherever they can find them, fuel-efficient models are likely to have higher resale value.
Keith Laing is an automotive reporter on the National Trending Desk at USA TODAY. Contact Keith at klaing@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How much do shoppers care about fuel efficiency? We asked readers
