16 Hybrid Vehicles With False MPG Ratings
With gas prices high, car shoppers want vehicles that are rated well when it comes to fuel economy, but there's been a disturbing trend developing where manufacturers seem to be fudging the numbers in order to sell more vehicles.
A number of hybrid cars have been shown to fall far below their fuel economy claims when put through real-world tests, according to an article on ConsumerReports.org this past week. This comes on the heels of Hyundai admiting their advertised fuel economy numbers were incorrect.
The article cites 16 hybrid vehicles that resulted in a lower EPA combined mpg estimate when tested. The list is topped by the Ford C-Max SE, which had a 47 combined mpg that when tested by Consumer Reports only had 37 mpg overall.
The reason car manufacturers can get away with false numbers is because the EPA only audits a small percentage of vehicles. Furthermore, the EPA has to rely on vehicles provided by the manufacturers, which can be altered to perform better on the tests. Car shoppers should definitely take fuel economy claims with a grain of salt and check user-reported sources such as Fuelly.com, TrueDelta.com, and CleanMPG.com before deciding on a vehicle.
Here is a list of the hybrids Consumer Reports tested and their findings.
| Make & model | CR overall mpg | EPA combined mpg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford C-Max SE | 37 | 47 | 10 |
| Ford Fusion Hybrid SE | 39 | 47 | 8 |
| Toyota Prius C Two | 43 | 50 | 7 |
| Toyota Prius | 44 | 50 | 6 |
| Honda Civic Hybrid | 40 | 44 | 4 |
| Infiniti M35h | 25 | 29 | 4 |
| Lexus ES 300h | 36 | 40 | 4 |
| Buick LaCrosse (4-cyl., eAssist) | 26 | 29 | 3 |
| Honda Insight EX | 38 | 41 | 3 |
| Hyundai Sonata Hybrid | 33 | 36 | 3 |
| Lexus RX 450h | 26 | 29 | 3 |
| Lexus CT 200h | 40 | 42 | 2 |
| Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE | 38 | 40 | 2 |
| Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid | 19 | 20 | 1 |
| Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 27 | 28 | 1 |
| Toyota Prius V Three | 41 | 42 | 1 |
| Chevrolet Malibu Eco | 29 | 29 | 0 |
| Honda CR-Z EX (manual) | 35 | 34 | -1 |
My Recommendation for Car Shoppers
TrueCar No-Haggle, Edmunds Price Promise, and 1-800 Car Show are the quickest way to see the lowest car prices in your area. These sites show you no-haggle prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually really good. This should be the first step you take when negotiating your car price. Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.California Residents - Important:
There is a new online car buying service called Roadster, available only to California residents, which I highly recommend you try - especially if you hate the stress of haggling with a car salesman. They provide an expert concierge who negotiates the price of the car and delivers it to your home with zero hassle - you never have to interact with a dealership. Here is my in-depth review of Roadster and why I recommend it.- Gregg Fidan
About: Gregg Fidan
Gregg Fidan + is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
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