AAA: EPA's mileage tests are outdated

[LegendNH]

Don’t be surprised if the gas mileage your new car gets is significantly different from what official estimates claim. That’s the message AAA now is sending, saying the Environmental Protection Agency’s fuel economy tests used by automakers and dealers are outdated and inaccurate.

The automobile club also is throwing its support behind the Fuel Efficiency Truth-in-Advertising Act of 2005, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Nancy Johnson, R-Conn., that would require the EPA to update its fuel efficiency tests.

“Consumers need to have the most accurate information possible,” said Windy VanCuren, AAA Mid-Atlantic spokeswoman.

The issue of whether vehicles actually attain their advertised fuel efficiencies is particularly relevant as gas-electric hybrid vehicles become more popular and as Americans watch gas prices at the pump steadily rise. The EPA’s fuel economy tests were created in the 1970s and last revised in 1985.

AAA says the tests don’t take into account “real world” driving conditions, so the group drove hundreds of vehicles under such conditions - in congested, stop-and-go traffic, up and down hills and on highways.

“Basically just everyday driving conditions,” VanCuren said.

The group found that many cars get fewer miles per gallon than the EPA reports. For example, the agency reports that a 2004 BMW Z-4 sports car gets 21 miles per gallon in the city and 29 on the highway. In its tests, AAA’s Z-4 only got 14½ miles per gallon on average. A 2004 Toyota Echo subcompact gets 35 miles per gallon in the city and 43 on the highway, according to the EPA, but only an average of 32 miles per gallon in AAA’s tests.

The agency says a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee sport-utility vehicle gets 15 miles per gallon in the city and 21 on the highway. AAA says it gets 14½ miles per gallon on average. Nelson County vintner Al Weed had a “real world” driving test of his own last year when a campaign staffer drove him around in a dark green Toyota Prius hybrid during his unsuccessful bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Virgil Goode, R-5th District.

“I would say we probably put 30,000 miles on it,” he said.

Toyota advertises the Prius as managing 55 miles per gallon in combined city-highway driving. That’s not far from Weed’s estimate. He said the Prius he rode in for nearly a year got “at least 50” miles to the gallon. Nonetheless, Weed said he agrees with Johnson’s bill and AAA’s efforts.

“Americans are thinking, ‘I’m doing the right thing, I get 35 miles per gallon,’” he said. “But how many of us - do you routinely check your mileage? I don’t.”

The EPA acknowledges that driving conditions have changed since its tests were last revised, the agency said in a statement. Speed limits and traffic congestion have increased, and many vehicles commonly employ “power-hungry accessories, like air conditioning,” the agency said. The agency now is examining multiple other factors that affect fuel economy, such as aggressive driving styles and cold weather.

“Our initial analysis of these factors indicates that they will lower fuel economy,” the agency said.

Source: http://www.newsadvance.com/servlet/S...81395345&path=

Information about these products and services is available on the Auto Club's Web site at www.aaa-calif.com.


AAA/EPA Mileage Comparisons

VEHICLE YEAR EPA CITY EPA HYWAY AAA EST.

---------------------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ------------
CHEV TRAIL BLAZER 04 15 21 13.6
---------------------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ----------------
GMC SIERRA 03 16 21 15.3
---------------------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ------------
HONDA INSIGHT 04 61 68 58.1
---------------------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ------------
HONDA ELEMENT 04 21 25 20.4
---------------------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ------------
INFINITI M45 04 17 23 16.9
---------------------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ------------
LEXUS LX 470 04 13 17 10.8
---------------------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ------------
MAZDA TRIBUTE 03 20 24 19.1
---------------------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ------------
NISSAN PATHFNDER 04 16 21 15.2
---------------------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ------------
TOYOTA ECHO 04 35 43 32
---------------------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ------------
TOYOTA TUNDRA 03 14 17 12.9
---------------------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ------------
TOYOTA 4RUNNER 04 18 21 17.8
---------------------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ------------
TOYOTA COROLLA 04 32 40 28.9

[jarhed13]

That's nothing new, its been known that EPA testing is far outdated, and in fact VERY overrating of the cars, but nice to see some actual numbers become available

[solareon]

your table is broken, just take a screenshot and post that

[SemperFly]

what's amazing is that some cars get better than EPA

mine's rated at 20/24 yet I routinely get 24-26 on average, and I have a habit of wringing her out every now and then

the grape of wrath (kidane's celica) got much better than its' EPA highway estimate