--- title: "2-Vehicle Households More Likely to Choose a Second Car With Worse Gas Mileage, MIT Study Says" description: "One Prius and one Suburban, to balance things out." date: "2017-10-26" modified: "2017-10-27" authors: - name: "Max Goldberg" job_title: "Associate Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/max-goldberg" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/15503/2-vehicle-households-more-likely-to-chose-a-second-car-with-worse-gas-mileage-mit-study-says" categories: - "News" tags: - "fuel economy" - "gas guzzlers" - "MIT" - "Research" --- # 2-Vehicle Households More Likely to Choose a Second Car With Worse Gas Mileage, MIT Study Says ![]() *\www.thedrive.com* Purchasing a fuel efficient car makes any car buyer confident in their financial decision. Unfortunately, that often leads to a little too much confidence and the subsequent purchase of a way less fuel efficient second car. According to a [study done by Professor Chris Knittel of MIT Sloan School of Management](), households that have a fuel efficient first car are more likely to buy a less fuel efficient second car. Those same families are also likely to log more miles if their primary vehicle was less efficient. Both behaviors reduce the savings made by purchasing a fuel efficient car by an average of 60 percent. The study was done through the California DMV using a query that tracked households with two cars over a period of five years. If you really think about it, this study makes a ton of sense as most owners feel as if they can treat themselves to a less financially sound vehicle due the "savings" they are making on the fuel efficient one. Unfortunately, that just translates to two run-of-the-mill gas guzzlers. Do you think this study is on point? List out your vehicles in the comments below. ## Author Before working at *The Drive*, Max Goldberg raced the streets of Westchester in an ambulance as a licensed Emergency Medical Technician. He has boundless enthusiasm. ### Author social links [Instagram]()