Ford Focus Tops Rebate Purchases

By Richard S. Chang
The Ford Focus is the most popular vehicle purchased so far through the “cash for clunkers” program.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has distributed a list of the 10 most popular vehicles sold through the program, formally known as the Car Allowance Rebate System. The list published by CNN Money also includes the combined fuel-economy figures:

1. Ford Focus, 27-28
2. Honda Civic, 24-42
3. Toyota Corolla, 25-30
4. Toyota Prius, 46
5. Ford Escape, 20-32
6. Toyota Camry, 23-30
7. Dodge Caliber, 22-27
8. Hyundai Elantra, 26-28
9. Honda Fit, 29-31
10. Chevrolet Cobalt, 25-30

Nick Bunkley and Derrick Henry of The Times reported Tuesday that roughly 250,000 vehicles were sold through the clunkers program. Of the 120,000 applications that the Transportation Department has processed, the average fuel economy of cars being bought was 28.3 miles a gallon, 21.9 m.p.g. for S.U.V.’s and 16.3 m.p.g. for trucks.

Interestingly, the most traded-in clunker was also a Ford, said George Pipas, an analyst with Ford. It is the Explorer S.U.V.