Episode #1282: Honda leads the nation in fuel economy, destination charges quietly climb to $1,600 per vehicle, and a new Gallup report shows staffing shortages may be holding back customer experience across retail.

If you had to guess the most fuel-efficient automaker in America, who would you pick? According to the EPA’s newly released 2025 Automotive Trends Report, Honda just claimed the top spot—blending hybrids, smart engineering, and affordability into a winning formula.

Honda posted a 31.0 mpg “real-world” fleet average for 2024—3.8 mpg higher than the industry average among full-line brands.
The EPA ranking looks at automakers offering a complete mix of gas and electrified vehicles
Honda’s efficiency dominance isn’t new. The Civic topped the EPA’s very first fuel economy rankings back in 1976.
The average Honda transaction price in 2025 was $35,060—roughly $10,000 below the industry average.
Honda also set a third straight annual electrified sales record, surpassing 400,000 units, led by CR-V, Accord, and Civic hybrids.

There’s a new line on the Monroney that’s getting a second look: destination charges. These once-overlooked shipping fees are quietly adding billions to vehicle costs without technically raising MSRP.

Buyers spent more than $26 billion on destination charges this year, an average of $1,600, according to Edmunds.
Some increases are steep: F-150 fees jumped to $2,595, Tahoe rose to nearly $2,000; Toyota Sequoia’s fee is up more than 50%.
Automakers say the hikes reflect higher fuel, logistics, heavier SUVs and trucks—and now tariffs. Stellantis alone expects $1.9B in tariff costs in 2026.
The charge is the same whether the vehicle traveled 10 miles or 1,000, and courts have ruled consumers shouldn’t be surprised that it includes profit.
John Morrill, Massachusetts dealer: “It’s a way to raise prices that is, shall we say, less transparent to the consumer. Carmakers have raised them a lot, certainly faster than they’ve raised prices.”

A new Gallup report highlights a growing gap in retail and beyond: employees feel deeply responsible for customer experience—but don’t believe their companies can actually deliver on promises. And staffing cuts appear to be the biggest culprit.

43% of workers strongly agree they feel responsible for customer experience (up from 38% last year), but only 23% believe their organization consistently delivers on its promises.
Leadership is 10 points more confident than frontline employees that promises are being kept.
Staffing is the top barrier to service, cited by 37% of workers—more than training, tools, or unclear standards combined.

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