QOTD: Time For An End To Manufacturer Measured MPG Numbers?

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

TTAC’s inbox was inundated this morning with reports of Hyundai’s revised mileage claims, which remove a number of its vehicles from the 40 MPG club.

According to Hyundai

Procedural errors at the automakers’ joint testing operations in Korea led to incorrect fuel economy ratings for select vehicle lines.

Maybe it’s time for a new way to measure fuel economy standards?

Over-inflated MPG numbers aren’t the exclusive domain of the United States either . Fuel economy numbers in Canada are widely inflated to the point where the advertised numbers bear zero relation to real world figures, thanks to a combination or arcane test methods and shady “imperial-to-metric conversion practices”.

The irony of the Hyundai case is that independent tests have corroborated the Elantra’s mileage claims. Popular Mechanics re-created the standard testing procedure, did their own version of the test and their Elantra (presumably a press car) delivered 34.1/47.6 MPG city/highway. Our own Jack Baruth rented an Elantra that had seen better days, and found the mileage consistent with expectations – even though it was slightly below the advertised 40 MPG rating.

There’s nothing scientific about the resulting 35.5-ish MPG rating, but based on the way I drove it, the mileage and abuse the poor little car has suffered, and the entirely adequate performance from the engine and transmission, I’m giving “Consumer Watchdog” a thumbs down. Had I purchased this Elantra, I wouldn’t feel cheated in any way. They promised 40MPG under ideal conditions, and I’m getting 35-36MPG in conditions which were far from the test lab.

The gripes surrounding fuel economy testing, whether it’s the test procedure, the self-reporting by the OEMs or their failure to match up to real world conditions, are enough to prompt calls for a change in the way things are done. Tell us how you’d change things below.


Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • TW4 TW4 on Nov 02, 2012

    If you're focusing on the test and its administration, you're missing the point. Hyundai did a reasonably good job with the testing data, missing the actual EPA result by just a few percentage points. The problem is that they invoked the imaginary value associated with the 40mpg plateau without actually reaching the 40mpg plateau. The fault is not associated to the testing methods, but to Hyundai's anxiousness to manipulate their consumers regarding the value associated with 40mpg. This is a matter of truthful advertising/marketing, not EPA testing. But since this discussion (and every other 'Hyundai cheats' discussion) is about missing the point entirely, I will say that the EPA test probably needs a different city cycle. City numbers always feel optimistic to me, and the gains from start-stop hybrid systems are not captured by the current test, though start-stop hybrid often generates fuel savings in real world driving conditions.

    • Pch101 Pch101 on Nov 02, 2012

      "The fault is not associated to the testing methods, but to Hyundai’s anxiousness to manipulate their consumers regarding the value associated with 40mpg. This is a matter of truthful advertising/marketing, not EPA testing." I made this point to Mr. Baruth. He pretty much blew it off.

  • Billfrombuckhead Billfrombuckhead on Nov 02, 2012

    If you can't trust Korean Government Motors, who can you trust?

  • AZFelix Hilux technical, preferably with a swivel mount.
  • ToolGuy This is the kind of thing you get when you give people faster internet.
  • ToolGuy North America is already the greatest country on the planet, and I have learned to be careful about what I wish for in terms of making changes. I mean, if Greenland wants to buy JDM vehicles, isn't that for the Danes to decide?
  • ToolGuy Once again my home did not catch on fire and my fire extinguisher(s) stayed in the closet, unused. I guess I threw my money away on fire extinguishers.(And by fire extinguishers I mean nuclear missiles.)
  • Carson D The UAW has succeeded in organizing a US VW plant before. There's a reason they don't teach history in the schools any longer. People wouldn't make the same mistakes.
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