A Tool That Track Gas Guzzler Trade-ins

Edmunds.com has made it easy to determine if it makes sense for you to trade in your gas guzzling SUV for a more fuel-efficient vehicle. It has created the Gas Guzzler Trade-in Calculator that helps determine the pay-back period and fuel savings associated with trading-in a fuel-thirsty vehicle for a fuel sipper.

Instinctively, it would seem to make sense to trade in, for example, a 2002 Ford Explorer fully loaded with a 4.0-liter V8 for a 2005 Honda Accord with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. The calculator, though, shows it will take 68 months to make up the savings in fuel economy.

It’s an easy tool to use and does all the work for you. It doesn’t give you precise trade-in figures, but the numbers are pretty close.

Check out my in-depth research on fuel efficient vehicles for all budgets before beginning your search.

Top photo © GM/Bottom photo © Honda