To: National Desk, Consumer Reporter, Photo Editor
Contact: Russell Datz of Brandware PR, 516-599-0062 or
[email protected] Douglas Love of Consumer Reports, 914-378-2437 or
[email protected]
YONKERS, NY, Sept. 6 /U.S. Newswire/ -- New-car fuel economy tests conducted by Consumer Reports show that government figures posted on new-car window stickers can have shortfalls of up to 50 percent, according to an investigation published in the October issue of Consumer Reports magazine (
http://www.ConsumerReports.org?source=CR1). Hybrid cars and the diesel version of one small SUV are among the worst offenders, costing consumers hundreds of dollars more in fuel per year than they were led to believe.
In a study of 303 cars and trucks, model-years 2000 to 2006, Consumer Reports found that shortfalls in miles per gallon (mpg) occurred in 90 percent of the vehicles tested. The largest discrepancies involved city driving, with some models falling short of claimed mpg by 35 to 50 percent (see table).
Ironically, hybrids, whose selling point is fuel thriftiness, had some of the biggest disparities with fuel economy, averaging 19 mpg below Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) city ratings. On average, our highway mpg more closely reflected the EPA rating.
Hybrid cars still won three of the best five spots for overall mpg in the magazine's testing. A list of new car models with best and worst fuel mileage, as well as tips on how to save at the pump can be found at
http://www.ConsumerReports.org?source=CR2.
"Current EPA figures are definitely misleading and ultimately expensive for consumers," said David Champion, Senior Director of Consumer Reports' Auto Test Center. The magazine attributes the problem to the use of the EPA's outdated testing procedures, dating back to the 1973 oil embargo, which don't account for the increased drive time spent in dense traffic and faster highway speeds on today's roads.
The EPA also allows car manufacturers to use for testing purposes hand-built prototype vehicles and the most favorable test conditions for maximum fuel economy, yielding results that are nearly impossible for consumers to achieve. By contrast, Consumer Reports buys new cars and trucks anonymously from dealerships and uses special test equipment to accurately gauge real-world fuel economy using public roads and the test track on its 327-acre test facility in East Haddam, Connecticut.
"Just one in ten of the vehicles we tested achieved fuel economies as good as or better than EPA estimates," Champion said. For consumers, the news means that their vehicles typically cost hundreds more per year to operate than they were led to believe. Put another way, when gas in August hit $2.37 per gallon, the mpg shortchange effectively boosted the price for some motorists to $3.13 per gallon.
Assuming 12,000 miles per year of driving over five years and no further increases in gas prices, Consumer Reports figures show it will cost Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck owners $2,558 more in fuel than the EPA estimates, $1,742 more for Mercury Grand Marquis owners and $1,316 more for Nissan Quest owners.
Looking at the bigger picture, Consumer Reports (CR) also believes car makers are falling short of government-mandated Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) levels because of the EPA's unrealistic tests and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) inappropriate methods of calculation. If more accurate mpg figures were used by NHTSA to rate CAFE compliance, most automakers would likely fail to meet the standards, CR's study shows. For example, in 2003, for the vehicles studied in this report, the fleet average calculated using NHTSA's mpg estimates was overstated by 30 percent when compared with the fleet average calculated using Consumer Reports' road tests.
Consumer Reports uses a battery of 50-plus different tests to rate new cars, minivans, SUVs, and pickup trucks at its Auto Test Center in East Haddam, Connecticut. The magazine's team of auto engineers evaluates each vehicle's performance, safety, comfort, convenience, interior quality, fuel economy, cargo capacity, and more.
To earn a 'Recommended' rating from Consumer Reports magazine, new cars must perform well in testing; have average or better reliability; comply with CR's criteria for rollover safety, and, if crash-tested, provide good overall crash protection, based on CR's composite of insurance-industry and government crash test results.
VEHICLE TYPE, MAKE & MODEL: SMALL SUV - Jeep Liberty Diesel Ltd. (4WD)
EPA CITY MPG: 22
CR CITY MPG: 11
EPA SHORTFALL: 50 percent
VEHICLE TYPE, MAKE & MODEL: HYBRID - Honda Civic Sedan
EPA CITY MPG: 48
CR CITY MPG: 26
EPA SHORTFALL: 46 percent
VEHICLE TYPE, MAKE & MODEL: LARGE SEDAN - Chrysler 300C
EPA CITY MPG: 17
CR CITY MPG: 10
EPA SHORTFALL: 41 percent
VEHICLE TYPE, MAKE & MODEL: MIDSIZED SUV - Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT LT (4WD)
EPA CITY MPG: 15
CR CITY MPG: 9
EPA SHORTFALL: 40 percent
VEHICLE TYPE, MAKE & MODEL: MINIVAN - Honda Odyssey EX
EPA CITY MPG: 20
CR CITY MPG: 12
EPA SHORTFALL: 40 percent
VEHICLE TYPE, MAKE & MODEL: LUXURY SEDAN - BMW 745Li
EPA CITY MPG: 18
CR CITY MPG: 11
EPA SHORTFALL: 39 percent
VEHICLE TYPE, MAKE & MODEL: PICKUP - Dodge Ram 1500 SLT (crew cab, 4WD)
EPA CITY MPG: 13
CR CITY MPG: 8
EPA SHORTFALL: 38 percent
VEHICLE TYPE, MAKE & MODEL: FAMILY SEDAN - Oldsmobile Alero GL
EPA CITY MPG: 21
CR CITY MPG: 13
EPA SHORTFALL: 38 percent
VEHICLE TYPE, MAKE & MODEL: LARGE SUV - Dodge Durango Limited (4WD)
EPA CITY MPG: 13
CR CITY MPG: 8
EPA SHORTFALL: 38 percent
VEHICLE TYPE, MAKE & MODEL: SMALL SEDAN - Ford Focus ZX4 SES
EPA CITY MPG: 26
CR CITY MPG: 17
EPA SHORTFALL: 35 percent
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Consumer Reports is one of the most trusted sources for information and advice on consumer products and services. CR conducts the most comprehensive auto-test program of any U.S. publication or Website; CR's auto experts have decades of experience in driving, testing, and reporting on cars. To subscribe to Consumer Reports, call 1-800-234-1645. Information and articles from Consumer Reports can be accessed online at
http://www.ConsumerReports.org?source=CR3.
The material above is intended for legitimate news entities only; it may not be used for commercial or promotional purposes. Consumer Reports(r) magazine is published by Consumers Union, an expert, independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves. To achieve this mission, we test, inform, and protect. To maintain our independence and impartiality, Consumers Union accepts no outside advertising, no free test samples, and has no agenda other than the interests of consumers. Consumers Union supports itself through the sale of its information products and services, individual contributions, and a few noncommercial grants.
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PHOTO AVAILABLE: A high-resolution, publication-ready photo supporting this story is available for free editorial use at:
http://www.wirepix.com/cgi-bin/newsp...SN090605bb.jpg
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Consumer Reports: Expert, Independent, Nonprofit
-- Expert: Consumer Reports has more than 50 testing labs, a 327-acre auto test facility, more than 140 highly trained researchers and technicians, more than 60 experienced reporters and editors, and survey research on more than 700,000 customer experiences each year. All are dedicated only to the consumer.
-- Independent: Consumer Reports accepts no paid advertising, no free samples of the products it reviews, no free trips, no free lodging, no freebies at all.
-- Nonprofit: Consumer Reports is published by Consumers Union, whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers.
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