Moms choosing fuel efficient cars they can afford

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Some Knoxville-area moms are choosing more fuel efficient cars when they go shopping for a family vehicle. However, they aren't necessarily buying hybrid or alternative fuel cars that can be pricier than the typical car.

Melissa Kitchen wanted a fun car that would save her gas money. She gets up to 35 miles to the gallon highway, and a mid-20s gas mileage in the city, too.

"The way I drive around here, doing all the errands and driving back and forth to work, more expensive than using the regular gas. I've not had any issues with it. It's about $20-$25 to fill the tank,"

she said.

While Kitchen is not concerned about the lower emissions her car also has, Lisa Stalnaker is. That was another motivation for her, besides saving gas money.

"One of the first things we looked at was the miles per gallon on that sticker,"

she said.

"Because that affects your budget, how much you're gonna be spending, if you have a long commute, if you have to fill your tank several times a week, that's very important. I also think it's important to remember your emissions. It's always better to get a higher gas mileage car so that you can have a better effect on the environment."

Stalnaker said she volunteers with other parents in Moms Clean Air Force Tennessee, promoting clean air standards for children's health.

These moms reflect a consumer demand for vehicles that get increasingly higher gas mileage. This, despite the possibility that Washington could roll back fuel efficiency guidelines for automakers.

The Environmental Protection Agency offers a guide to the most fuel efficient vehicles new to the market.