GasBuddy Blog

GasBuddy News Article

votes

Fuel economy ratings happen on uneven playing fields

National Post -- Highlighted on the official EnerGuide sticker tag of every light-duty vehicle sold in Canada, the Fuel Consumption Guide is supposed to make car shopping easier. If NRCan’s guide was in any way realistic, it would be indispensable.

Our national fuel consumption guide has two problems. The first is that the numbers are almost always pure fantasy, aided by the proverbial tailwind. The second problem, the government’s estimates aren’t equally inflated.

Indeed, anecdotal and quantitative evidence suggests that the government’s ratings grossly exaggerate hybrid and small turbocharged engines’ fuel economy.
Post Driving’s C-Max Hybrid tester averaged 7.6 l/100km while Ford and NRCanada rate it for 4.1 L/100 km. Diesels, on the other hand, often match their published claims.

Read the Full Article

Submitted Feb 24, 2013 By: Nicoalbum

Back To News

Category: Daily News Article Discussions > Topics	Add to favorite topics

Author	Topic: Fuel economy ratings happen on uneven playing fields	Post a Reply Back to Topics

REPLIES (newest first)Ignore Short Messages

First

Next Last

remay Champion Author Houston Posts:6,963 Points:2,116,640 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Feb 25, 2013 7:58:04 AM Ignore remay Report Abuse I trust NO manufacturer, stick with CR Magazine!
Nancy&Len Champion Author Cleveland Posts:2,048 Points:1,944,840 Joined:Sep 2004	Message Posted: Feb 25, 2013 5:55:41 AM Ignore Nancy&Len Report Abuse All the manufactures over estimate the mpg of there cars.
MrLefty0706 Champion Author Chicago Posts:1,444 Points:350,335 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Feb 25, 2013 12:31:13 AM Ignore MrLefty0706 Report Abuse I have never owned a car that came close to the sticker mpg ratings.
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:34,182 Points:2,370,395 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 7:29:26 PM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse the whole game is fixed
TelsaOR Champion Author Oregon Posts:3,561 Points:732,890 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 4:05:37 PM Ignore TelsaOR Report Abuse Are there any people out there dumb enough to believe these ratings? Oh wait a minute - Obama was reelected....
autotech46 Veteran Author New Hampshire Posts:433 Points:61,585 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 2:14:08 PM Ignore autotech46 Report Abuse A lot of things change milage, from the weight of the drivers foot, tire pressure, temperature, and the lousy junk polluted gas we get stuck with! Can the government make it worse, I don't know but they will certainly try! All the time trying to make it look better. We have a saying at the dealership: "You can tell when a salesman is lying to you, their lips move!"
katmandue Champion Author Detroit Posts:8,066 Points:2,133,145 Joined:Jul 2006	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:57:39 PM Ignore katmandue Report Abuse That is because no one drives like they test them.
caddilac Champion Author Ontario Posts:16,600 Points:2,139,480 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:55:37 PM Ignore caddilac Report Abuse "Post Driving’s C-Max Hybrid tester averaged 7.6 l/100km while Ford and NRCanada rate it for 4.1 L/100 km....." It would seem that Ford is 'fudging' the figures. In other words, Ford is lying about their fuel economy numbers. Track and road course testing is not typical of how or WHERE the average driver drives. Fuel economy numbers should be quoted for 'real' driving experiences, such as ON PUBLIC ROADS IN REAL STOP&GO TRAFFIC, just like the average driver would experience on his/her daily trips.
2parrots Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:1,551 Points:345,315 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:43:46 PM Ignore 2parrots Report Abuse pick a track & road course & testing all vehicles on both should give you a best overall figure
BigBlue5 All-Star Author Spokane Posts:668 Points:135,060 Joined:Apr 2010	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:43:24 PM Ignore BigBlue5 Report Abuse Very wise person, "Gramps001"
BeanoLI All-Star Author Long Island Posts:546 Points:732,485 Joined:Sep 2010	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:42:49 PM Ignore BeanoLI Report Abuse SPLITRMAN got it right.
bigdipperMS Champion Author Mississippi Posts:1,507 Points:535,800 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:40:01 PM Ignore bigdipperMS Report Abuse If the testing is with ethanol free gasoline, the mileage is going to be higher.
Gramps001 Champion Author North Carolina Posts:5,855 Points:1,365,250 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:35:19 PM Ignore Gramps001 Report Abuse Believe nothing you hear and less than 1/2 what you see!
HawaiianGuy Champion Author Idaho Posts:9,523 Points:3,078,725 Joined:May 2003	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:35:01 PM Ignore HawaiianGuy Report Abuse Even after the EPA overhauled it's process for determining fuel economy, which was almost always overly optimistic, we STILL have trouble with their numbers. With the overwhelming presence of ethanol-laced gasoline today, I wonder if the EPA is testing with pure gasoline, thus attaining fuel economy numbers using a fuel that is largely unavailable to the average motorist.
fullauto Champion Author Reading Posts:5,315 Points:1,471,090 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:34:28 PM Ignore fullauto Report Abuse 'life' is not a level playing field. quit whining wussies.
fcdriver Champion Author Tennessee Posts:7,243 Points:1,472,855 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:32:05 PM Ignore fcdriver Report Abuse i would expect no less
Ken825 All-Star Author Pennsylvania Posts:617 Points:144,485 Joined:Nov 2012	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:31:55 PM Ignore Ken825 Report Abuse Only ones I believe are the ones in Consumer's Reports.
splitrman Champion Author Victoria Posts:1,310 Points:315,340 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:31:13 PM Ignore splitrman Report Abuse We use very little ethanol in Canadian gas. We tend to use corn for animals and people.
Suzzoom Champion Author Nevada Posts:2,358 Points:504,940 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:30:47 PM Ignore Suzzoom Report Abuse They got Crash Test Dummies in Canada, too.
WTLITNG Champion Author Virginia Posts:1,849 Points:1,014,220 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:29:34 PM Ignore WTLITNG Report Abuse With ethanol in the tank, it doesn't matter what the mpg rating is.
AcuraTSX Champion Author Ohio Posts:5,489 Points:2,181,155 Joined:Dec 2005	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:28:57 PM Ignore AcuraTSX Report Abuse Everyone like the "home field".
oas Champion Author Maryland Posts:4,225 Points:2,140,440 Joined:Feb 2005	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:28:28 PM Ignore oas Report Abuse Need an independent rating organization.
WestDriver All-Star Author Grand Rapids Posts:679 Points:547,270 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:25:15 PM Ignore WestDriver Report Abuse I knew they weren't real life numbers, but I did think they were comparable. sigh.
oldiesman Champion Author New York Posts:6,427 Points:2,193,960 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:25:14 PM Ignore oldiesman Report Abuse Don't believe in them much anymore.
Digger52 Champion Author Chicago Posts:2,402 Points:847,960 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:21:35 PM Ignore Digger52 Report Abuse Really??!
tdioiler All-Star Author Detroit Posts:890 Points:419,050 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:21:31 PM Ignore tdioiler Report Abuse Part of the 'mileage me vary' is driver input to the engine to get their expected performance. So small turbo get much lower MPG since the driver expects the V-8 kick, so they push the engine to 70% output. Where as their Hemi-V8 cousin is only pushed to 40%. The end results are disproportionate rates that don't match real-life. Same issue with hybrids. They really need multiple testing methods instead of two.
alkarn Champion Author Riverside Posts:1,124 Points:244,150 Joined:Jul 2012	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:20:32 PM Ignore alkarn Report Abuse Hmmm.
Titan_62 Champion Author Maryland Posts:1,458 Points:327,455 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:20:23 PM Ignore Titan_62 Report Abuse Thanks for posting
erndog0331 All-Star Author Tucson Posts:616 Points:182,960 Joined:Oct 2012	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:20:02 PM Ignore erndog0331 Report Abuse OK
Settjec Champion Author Little Rock Posts:1,974 Points:686,770 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:19:42 PM Ignore Settjec Report Abuse IG MOS
BPonRTE66 Veteran Author California Posts:494 Points:146,740 Joined:Nov 2012	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:18:35 PM Ignore BPonRTE66 Report Abuse Who cares!
badbonita Champion Author Syracuse Posts:6,219 Points:1,352,735 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:16:57 PM Ignore badbonita Report Abuse Okay, who was really surprised by that information?
dieselfiendSC Champion Author South Carolina Posts:2,181 Points:845,855 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:16:13 PM Ignore dieselfiendSC Report Abuse So how are we supposed to compare?
Holly123 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:3,197 Points:789,235 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:16:08 PM Ignore Holly123 Report Abuse Okay ....
7SPEEDY7 Champion Author Flint Posts:1,286 Points:604,700 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:12:24 PM Ignore 7SPEEDY7 Report Abuse interesting
ntass1 Champion Author Edmonton Posts:3,790 Points:726,600 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:12:11 PM Ignore ntass1 Report Abuse Your mileage may vary.every one drives differently.
fedupMN Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:2,949 Points:572,480 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:10:44 PM Ignore fedupMN Report Abuse Fuel economy ratings are a joke. To many variables not enough information on how the figures were determined, not to mention the actual drivers and their driving habits.
FortVancouver01 Champion Author Washington Posts:1,165 Points:287,070 Joined:Jul 2012	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 1:10:43 PM Ignore FortVancouver01 Report Abuse Not much different in the US. What I get on my TDI does not even resemble the sticker. The sticker must have been generated by the oil barons that do not want the truth to be published.
highdesertman Champion Author Albuquerque Posts:2,474 Points:1,716,130 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 12:36:32 PM Ignore highdesertman Report Abuse Current U.S. government mileage tests were developed in the 2008 model year based on straight gasoline engines. They provide a reasonable comparison between vehicles in that class and are fairly close to real-world results, although as they always say, "The actual mileage you get will vary based on your driving habits, traffic conditions, and other factors." The problem in both Canada and the U.S. appears to be centered on the ratings for small turbos and gas/electric hybrids, classifications that barely existed when these tests were devised. The obvious answer is that both governments need to come up with new testing protocols for these technologies that more accurately predict actual outcomes and provide a meaningful basis for comparison among different classes.
PissedATthePump All-Star Author Pennsylvania Posts:507 Points:119,580 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 12:15:14 PM Ignore PissedATthePump Report Abuse Another Fraud.
Nicoalbum Champion Author Ottawa Posts:6,016 Points:1,187,900 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 11:43:27 AM Ignore Nicoalbum Report Abuse I'm it would be more economical and fair to strip the EnerGuide stickers off the windows and send the NRCan department packing
mrselfdestruct All-Star Author Arkansas Posts:992 Points:166,775 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 11:38:11 AM Ignore mrselfdestruct Report Abuse Govt picking winners and losers, enjoy our northern neighbors.
TomT2Lee Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:5,357 Points:1,597,230 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 11:28:44 AM Ignore TomT2Lee Report Abuse Just another incident where government interference leads to a poor outcome. I am very pleased with my VW Jeta TDI. It far exceeds the rated MPGs.
Alaydown Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:5,106 Points:821,570 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 11:28:38 AM Ignore Alaydown Report Abuse One person posted below that he would rather see the metric system imposed on us and get rid of miles per gallon. Of course all that would do is confuse 99 percent of Americans and hide the truth of how bad the car's fuel economy is. It is typical of liberals to want to hide the truth. Aside from common sense that the metric system stinks, it makes even less sense to switch to it as the cost would be astronomical not to mention the confusion on what it means for your car or anything else. What would you rather hear: the temperature is 70ºF or 21.111ºC; your weight is 175 lbs or 79kg 378.66g; 398 miles for a tank of gas or 640.52 kilometers; you have an 18 gallon tank or 68.137 liter tank; 25 miles per gallon or 10.6287 kilometers per liter? As for hybrids, they are still a waste of money. It takes over 100,000 miles to break even on gasoline spending compared to any gasoline powered economy car. That doesn't even factor in the cost of replacing that expensive rechargeable battery. Anyone who has owned anything with a rechargeable battery (laptop, GPS, electric razor, etc.) knows they don't last the life of the product.
kag2010 Champion Author Winnipeg Posts:5,254 Points:1,019,760 Joined:Apr 2010	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 10:38:17 AM Ignore kag2010 Report Abuse every one drives differently
mastermariner Champion Author Texas Posts:4,247 Points:493,010 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 10:23:18 AM Ignore mastermariner Report Abuse When you drive, what you see is what you get, every one drives differently
Rhino8of8 Champion Author Wisconsin Posts:1,245 Points:373,640 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 10:20:26 AM Ignore Rhino8of8 Report Abuse Higher efficiency at the speeds "tested", rather than at speeds "used" in normal conditions. Manipulation based on foreknowledge. Not fault of the manufacturers - fault the test procedure not matching real-world. Get the test to match reality, then the auto manufacturers will then be testing their improvements to how people will actually use their products. And consumers won't be getting so disappointed... ok, not as disappointed (since the rest of mileage depends on driving style). Yes, this article is for Canadian testing, but my thoughts apply to EPA testing as well. [Edited by: Rhino8of8 at 2/24/2013 11:21:28 AM EST]
Discovery02 Champion Author Colorado Springs Posts:2,550 Points:309,690 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 10:03:52 AM Ignore Discovery02 Report Abuse Your noisy neighbor to the south has the same problem with inflated MPG ratings on new cars.
Buck_on_Bass Champion Author Tennessee Posts:7,574 Points:1,455,310 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 10:03:45 AM Ignore Buck_on_Bass Report Abuse The report suggests that Canada's fuel economy numbers are less accurate than the EPA's numbers.
msf1527 All-Star Author San Bernardino Posts:546 Points:132,395 Joined:Nov 2012	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2013 9:17:00 AM Ignore msf1527 Report Abuse Ok