Cars and Drivers

Ford Hybrids’ Gas Mileage Lower Than Claimed

Ford C-MAX EV OK
courtesy Ford Motor Co.
Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) has been touting its Fusion hybrid and one model of its C-MAX hybrid family with EPA mileage per gallon (mpg) ratings of “47 city/47 highway/47 combined mpg.” Great, but not true says Consumer Reports magazine.

According to the consumer group, in its tests of the Fusion hybrid, the vehicle delivered 35 mpg in the city, 41 on the highway, and 39 combined. The C-MAX hybrid wagon delivered 35 in the city, 38 on the highway, and 37 combined overall. Consumer Reports notes:

These two vehicles have the largest discrepancy between our overall-mpg results and the estimates published by the EPA that we’ve seen among any current models. … And while our highway test results almost always meet or exceed the EPA highway numbers, our highway figures for these cars fell far below.

In early November, the U.S. EPA forced Hyundai/Kia to change the labeling on their new cars to reflect a change to the estimated fuel economy rating of different models by up to six mpg. At the time, the EPA said that this was only the second time in a dozen years that the agency discovered incorrect label values.

The Consumer Reports article is available here.

Paul Ausick

http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/2012/12/video-tests-show-2013-ford-fusion-c-max-hybrids-dont-live-up-to-47-mpg-claims.html

Want to Retire Early? Start Here (Sponsor)

Want retirement to come a few years earlier than you’d planned? Or are you ready to retire now, but want an extra set of eyes on your finances?

Now you can speak with up to 3 financial experts in your area for FREE. By simply clicking here you can begin to match with financial professionals who can help you build your plan to retire early. And the best part? The first conversation with them is free.

Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you make financial decisions.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.