"Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Reaches a High, Nearing Goal for 2016"

"DETROIT — Automakers are making slow but steady progress improving fuel efficiency, as the industry hit a high for the average miles per gallon of new vehicles sold in August in the United States."

"A study released by the University of Michigan on Tuesday said that the average fuel economy on the window stickers of cars and trucks sold last month was 24.9 miles per gallon.

That was nearly five miles per gallon better than the 20.1 m.p.g. recorded in October 2007, when the university’s Transportation Research Institute began tracking the data."

Bill Vlasic and Jaclyn Trop report for the New York Times September 10, 2013.