CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Online automotive community CarGurus.com has announced the results of its latest survey of 3,391 online automotive consumers worldwide. When asked how important a consideration gas mileage will be in their next car purchase, 41 percent of respondents said it would be important, and 10 percent said it would be the most important factor. These results are of some surprise given the fact that regular gasoline costs 38 percent less in the U.S. than it did a year ago (source: U.S. government Energy Information Administration). In fact, only 19 percent of respondents said gas mileage would not be a factor at all.

"Automotive consumers have a long memory. Despite the fact that U.S. regular gas prices peaked about a year ago, consumers remember $4.10 regular gasoline and are wary of buying a car with poor gas mileage," said Langley Steinert, CEO of CarGurus. "To their credit, car manufacturers do appear to have heard these consumer concerns and are now building smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles."