Focus vs Elantra Mileage Claims

[st falcon]

Originally Posted by ElectricAL

We reached out to Hyundai spokesman Jim Trainor for comment, and he backed Elantra's rating. "The numbers are the numbers and the tests are the tests," he said. He says the mileage ratings are achievable unless "you drive like a maniac."**

**drive like a maniac = accelerate to 60 in less than 20 seconds, regularly drive in temps below 70 degrees, and venture off of the free-flowing freeways and highways for more than 5% of your driving. [just kidding]

But it's good to see that people are at least attempting to hold car mfgrs accountable for their claims. I've seen enough complaints on this forum for the new Focus, too. Maybe car makers will have to include and asterik leads to an explanation about "under perfect conditions and with a good, steady regular tailwinds" or something...

Actually, the anger arises out of the fact that you can often get BETTER milage than the EPA numbers on the window sticker suggest. All MPG EPA claims have disclaimers that say "drivers may average X" in town and on the highway, and those numbers vary 15 to 20 percent depending on the conditions and the driver.

Car and Driver recently had an article on the CAFE fuel econmy regs, which differ from the actual EPA numbers on your sticker. (They have other great articles on fuel econ too). The CAFE numbers are increased about 20% over the EPA numbers, as the new EPA tests are quite similar to average driving habits. No longer is the old "LA 4" test used, where the EPA would drive in a big square around downtown LA on mixed roads...

When you get Focus drivers that take a picture of their 40+mpg screens (which are actually quite accurate these days), and NO Elantra driver can, there has to be an issue. Not saying all Focus drivers will see 40+ (I havent, yet), but they're saying NO Elantra drivers are, and 40mpg is what Hyundai advertises!

RANT: OFF

[st falcon]

Originally Posted by KimberChick

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/how_tested.shtml

There's a powerpoint slide type thing that explains how the EPA does it...straight from the horse's mouth...

Note that if you click "schedule" on one of the slides, it shows you the actual driving...pattern...they use.

Also note, the "highway" test's AVERAGE speed is 48.3mph...

The "high speed" test average speed is 48.37mph...

Yeah but have you ever tried to get an average speed above 48 without hitting reset on that function once you were at speed (not counting trips that are really long) Its TOUGH!

[NorthernFocalPoint]

I rented a new Elantra this past August and I really liked the car as well. But I noticed that city driving the mpg were atrocious and I had to be super timid with the gas pedal/ speed I was driving (this was in L.A. so that's pretty much impossible to do on the freeways)!! The minute I deviated 2 mph over 60mph, I saw the mpg's drop and drop (from a start of 40 upon reset of the mpg indicator down to 34 in the span of less than a minute).

With my Focus, I can be way more aggressive when I want and still get great highway mpg's (36-42+). Also, I wanted to support the N.American auto workers (I say N. American because within the month after I signed for the car, they shutdown the St. Thomas plant - I have no need for the Crown Vic, but couldn't they build any other car there?).

[Strix]

My 2012 Focus replaced a 2002 Elantra GT. It was a very nice car and proved to be extremely reliable in the 9.5 years and 180,000 miles that I drove it. It was falling apart at the end, though.

It never got anywhere near MPG stated on the sticker. I think the sticker said something like 29/34 and in actuality it was more like 21/28 (30 on a good day)... which is terrible, really.

The Focus, on the other hand, has been getting pretty much exactly what it said on the sticker from day one.

[ElectricAL]

Originally Posted by st falcon

Actually, the anger arises out of the fact that you can often get BETTER milage than the EPA numbers on the window sticker suggest. All MPG EPA claims have disclaimers that say "drivers may average X" in town and on the highway, and those numbers vary 15 to 20 percent depending on the conditions and the driver.

Really? So you're saying that people are angry because they are getting BETTER mileage than the sticker says? Pardon my saying so, but that doesn't make any sense...

If these car owners were getting better mileage than their sticker says, then they wouldn't be b(eefing) about it on their forums and there wouldn't be the current buzz and publicity about it and we wouldn't be having this discussion. Perhaps I misunderstood you??

Bottom line for me is 1. Car mfgrs ought not to be fudging those numbers to any extent and perhaps the EPA does need to do some "audits" 2. I've yet to meet ANYBODY that routinely (or even rarely) gets 15-20% better than their EPA-rated mpg. EVER.

[Pennut]

This is nothing new. Hyundai owners have been saying this on various forums for years now. Seems it's the norm for Hyundias not being able to live up to thier EPA ratings.

[Hypnotoad]

EPA mileage is tested based on two profiles of starts, stops, accelerations and cruise periods. Cars being tested must use these profile exactly. Most manufacturers of economy cars are designing to some extent to get best mileage in these profiles so they can get the coveted 40 mpg sticker, what educators call "teaching to the test". It is possible that Hyundai was just better at teaching to the test than Ford. But the real world doesn't always match the test.

[naimesh]

I recently rented hyundai elantra , I have never driven such a POS, low power and ridiculous mileage.

[fatfocus]

Although I don't know how the EPA does it's testing, and really don't care. The average driver, with some intelligence should realize that these tests are not done in the "real world" I have yet to obtain the stated EPA values in my Focus, and probably never will. I do know that I get way better mileage (kilometerage?, 'cause I'm Canadian, eh) from this Focus than I did in my 2000 ZTS. I looked at buying a 2011 Elantra when I went "car shopping" but, we can all figure out what I bought. The Elantra was very nice, with all kinds of stuff in it, it looks pretty, and it's cheaper than a Focus for what I wanted in a car. However, I didn't like the interior appearance, it looked cheap, compared to the Focus SE I looked at, the driver's seat wasn't any good, as I would slip around in the corners, me, not the car, and to be honest, it drove like my 95 Escort.

[st falcon]

Originally Posted by fatfocus

Although I don't know how the EPA does it's testing, and really don't care. The average driver, with some intelligence should realize that these tests are not done in the "real world" I have yet to obtain the stated EPA values in my Focus, and probably never will. I do know that I get way better mileage (kilometerage?, 'cause I'm Canadian, eh) from this Focus than I did in my 2000 ZTS. I looked at buying a 2011 Elantra when I went "car shopping" but, we can all figure out what I bought. The Elantra was very nice, with all kinds of stuff in it, it looks pretty, and it's cheaper than a Focus for what I wanted in a car. However, I didn't like the interior appearance, it looked cheap, compared to the Focus SE I looked at, the driver's seat wasn't any good, as I would slip around in the corners, me, not the car, and to be honest, it drove like my 95 Escort.

Well, we have acheived 29 mpg city on a total average, and this is pretty darn good IMO as its my wife, driving in a heavily congested Detroit metro area all day, every weekday...what we havent acheived yet is anywhere near 37 on the highway, but we drive 70 to 75 mph...and reading the above posts the EPA looks at about 48 mph average for highway...

I guess if I were an Elantra owner and I havd a car with some miles on it, I too would be upset if I couldnt get to even 35 mpg...