Clandestino
07-15-2005, 05:47 PM
Anyone see this on the news the other day...
The Truth Behind Fuel Economy Estimates
LAST UPDATE: 7/15/2005 4:16:43 PM
Posted By: CyberBob
Watch this story...
Gasoline is more expensive than ever. For many of us, it seems like our car is always on empty. Could it be that your vehicle isn't getting the gas mileage you were told it would get?
News 4 WOAI Trouble Shooter Jaie Avila uncovers the truth about fuel economy estimates. For consumers it's a different kind of sticker shock. It appears those EPA mileage estimates on the window sticker are inaccurate. In some cases, they're way off.
AAA and the Consumer's Union, which publishes Consumer Reports Magazine, conducted their own fuel economy tests. They combined city and highway mileage figures to come up with a simple average. They found the vast majority of car models got lower gas mileage than was advertised on the window sticker.
“The mileage just isn't living up to the sticker,” said Anne O'Ryan from AAA Texas.
An example is the Dodge Neon. According to the sticker, it should get 27 miles per gallon city and 33 miles on the highway. It only averaged 24 on AAA's test.
The Chrysler PT Cruiser is listed at 21 city; 29 highway, but it managed only 17.5 miles per gallon.
Why the discrepancy?
The Environmental Protection Agency, which puts together those estimates on the stickers, tests vehicles in a laboratory, using a treadmill. No air conditioning. No stop and go traffic.
“And that does not at all reflect the kind of driving that we do today, and certainly doesn't reflect the kind of driving we do in Texas,” says O'Ryan.
In their tests, AAA and the Consumer's Union took into account the way people really drive. We blast the A/C or the heat. We accelerate quickly. We drive faster on the highway, and inch through traffic jams.
Those tests showed that even fuel-efficient vehicles like the Toyota Prius hybrid have overstated mileage figures. The EPA says the Prius gets 60 miles per gallon city, 51 highway, but the Consumer's Union says it actually averages 44. this is a huge difference.
The sticker on the Toyota Corolla says 32 city; 40 highway.
“AAA's real world driving test found that they were getting 28.9, that's a significant difference,” says O'Ryan.
Roland Hererra was suspicious about the EPA's claim that his Chevy Trail Blazer gets 15 miles per gallon city, 21 highway. AAA's estimate: 13.6.
After years of complaints from consumer groups, the EPA has finally admitted its estimates are inaccurate, and it is currently looking at ways to improve testing.
However, auto manufacturers want to keep the current tests. WOAI talked to a spokesman on the telephone.
“Well, it says right on the window stickers that actual mileage will vary based on driving conditions, vehicle maintenance and other factors,” said Eron Shosteck from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.
But drivers like Roland Hererra say that's not good enough.
“As a consumer, we have to go by what they list, and that's what we make our purchases by,” says Hererra. “We compare cars, and we go by gas mileages, and we have to trust their numbers.”
Now the push is on to make sure what you see in the window, is what you get on the road. The EPA says changes to its test probably won't be made until 2008 or 2009.
The Truth Behind Fuel Economy Estimates
LAST UPDATE: 7/15/2005 4:16:43 PM
Posted By: CyberBob
Watch this story...
Gasoline is more expensive than ever. For many of us, it seems like our car is always on empty. Could it be that your vehicle isn't getting the gas mileage you were told it would get?
News 4 WOAI Trouble Shooter Jaie Avila uncovers the truth about fuel economy estimates. For consumers it's a different kind of sticker shock. It appears those EPA mileage estimates on the window sticker are inaccurate. In some cases, they're way off.
AAA and the Consumer's Union, which publishes Consumer Reports Magazine, conducted their own fuel economy tests. They combined city and highway mileage figures to come up with a simple average. They found the vast majority of car models got lower gas mileage than was advertised on the window sticker.
“The mileage just isn't living up to the sticker,” said Anne O'Ryan from AAA Texas.
An example is the Dodge Neon. According to the sticker, it should get 27 miles per gallon city and 33 miles on the highway. It only averaged 24 on AAA's test.
The Chrysler PT Cruiser is listed at 21 city; 29 highway, but it managed only 17.5 miles per gallon.
Why the discrepancy?
The Environmental Protection Agency, which puts together those estimates on the stickers, tests vehicles in a laboratory, using a treadmill. No air conditioning. No stop and go traffic.
“And that does not at all reflect the kind of driving that we do today, and certainly doesn't reflect the kind of driving we do in Texas,” says O'Ryan.
In their tests, AAA and the Consumer's Union took into account the way people really drive. We blast the A/C or the heat. We accelerate quickly. We drive faster on the highway, and inch through traffic jams.
Those tests showed that even fuel-efficient vehicles like the Toyota Prius hybrid have overstated mileage figures. The EPA says the Prius gets 60 miles per gallon city, 51 highway, but the Consumer's Union says it actually averages 44. this is a huge difference.
The sticker on the Toyota Corolla says 32 city; 40 highway.
“AAA's real world driving test found that they were getting 28.9, that's a significant difference,” says O'Ryan.
Roland Hererra was suspicious about the EPA's claim that his Chevy Trail Blazer gets 15 miles per gallon city, 21 highway. AAA's estimate: 13.6.
After years of complaints from consumer groups, the EPA has finally admitted its estimates are inaccurate, and it is currently looking at ways to improve testing.
However, auto manufacturers want to keep the current tests. WOAI talked to a spokesman on the telephone.
“Well, it says right on the window stickers that actual mileage will vary based on driving conditions, vehicle maintenance and other factors,” said Eron Shosteck from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.
But drivers like Roland Hererra say that's not good enough.
“As a consumer, we have to go by what they list, and that's what we make our purchases by,” says Hererra. “We compare cars, and we go by gas mileages, and we have to trust their numbers.”
Now the push is on to make sure what you see in the window, is what you get on the road. The EPA says changes to its test probably won't be made until 2008 or 2009.